Chapter 17
“What criminal activity?”
Dominic and Rebecca exchanged another look.
“Your husband’s real estate empire was built very quickly,” Dominic said. “Too quickly. There are questions about how he acquired certain properties. Zoning changes that happened suspiciously fast. Permits that bypassed normal channels. We’re looking into all of it.”
“You think he bribed officials.”
“I think your husband cuts corners. And when you cut enough corners, eventually you cut something illegal.” He stood. “But that’s our problem, not yours. Your job is to get through tomorrow’s press conference. Rebecca will prep you. I’ll handle everything else.”
“Wait.”
Elena stood too.
“Why are you doing this? Really? You said you’ve been watching Marcus for six months. You had all this evidence before you ever met me. So why now? Why me?”
Dominic was silent for a long moment. When he answered, his voice had lost its edge.
“Because I watched him humiliate you in that coat room. I was there for a meeting with another guest. I happened to be walking by when he dragged you in.” He looked at her steadily. “I heard what he said to you. I saw your face when you walked out.”
His jaw tightened.
“And I decided right then that Marcus Martinez needed to lose something that mattered to him. Turns out his reputation matters more than his wife ever did.”
The honesty hit her like a wave.
“You heard everything. Every word.”
“Every word. And when you threw that necklace in his face, I knew you were finally ready to fight.”
He moved toward the door, then paused.
“Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow’s going to be brutal. Rebecca will have security take you to a safe location — you can’t go back to that hotel. Marcus knows where you are. He’ll send people. Lawyers, investigators, maybe friends, all of them trying to convince you to come home. You need to be somewhere he can’t find you.”
He set a second business card on the desk — different from the first.
“Be there by eight tonight. It’s secure.”
After he left, Elena sank back into her chair. Her whole body was trembling.
“Is he always this intense?” she asked.
“Always.” Rebecca began packing her files. “But he’s also always effective. Elena, I know this is overwhelming, but you need to trust the process. Trust Dominic. He wouldn’t be this invested if he didn’t think we could win.”