Chapter 3 - An Unlikely Alliance
The next morning, the grand penthouse overlooking Central Park was dead silent. Dominic sat behind his massive mahogany desk, staring at the security feeds. He had placed Claire in a secure guest suite with her own guards—men he trusted implicitly, men who had been with his father before Victor had ever joined the organization.
He couldn't shake the memory of the little girl on the park bench. Your face was loud, she had said.
Dominic pressed an intercom button. "Get me Marcus."
Marcus, his head of personal security and a man of absolute discretion, entered the room. "Yes, boss?"
"I want a complete, independent investigation into Victor Shaw's financial records, his personal associates, and specifically his interactions with the clinic that processed Claire's lab work. Do not use any of our standard analysts. Hire outside. If Victor catches wind of this, he’ll run."
"Understood," Marcus said. "And what about the housekeeper and her child from the park?"
Dominic paused. He had sent one of his drivers to follow Grace and Lucy home the previous day, ensuring they made it back safely to their cramped apartment in Queens.
"Ms. Grace Harper works for 'Sterling Cleaners,' correct?" Dominic asked.
"Yes, boss."
"Buy the company," Dominic commanded flatly. "And transfer her to my personal staff. I want her cleaning this penthouse. Pay her five times her current salary, cover her daughter’s school tuition entirely, and set up a private transport for them. If Victor is monitoring me, I want them under my roof where they are safe. She saw too much yesterday."
Two days later, a stunned Grace Harper stood in the foyer of Dominic’s sprawling penthouse. She was clutching her cleaning caddy, her eyes wide as she took in the soaring ceilings and priceless art. Lucy was by her side, holding her pink backpack tightly.
Dominic walked down the curved staircase. He had traded his heavy overcoat for a simple black sweater, but he still carried the aura of a man who commanded empires.
"Ms. Harper," Dominic said. "Welcome."
"Mr. Vale," Grace said, her voice cautious. "Your representative said my employment was transferred. Why? A man of your stature doesn't buy a cleaning agency just to hire a housekeeper."
"I buy what I want to secure," Dominic said simply. "And right now, I need people around me who have no reason to lie to me. Your daughter..." He looked down at Lucy, whose face instantly lit up with a brilliant smile.
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"Hi, Mr. Dominic!" Lucy waved. "Did you find your baby yet?"
Dominic’s expression softened, a rare, genuine smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "We are working on it, Lucy. But first, I need you and your mother to stay here for a while. It’s safer."
