Chapter 17 - DOMINIC APOLOGIZES
Dominic asked Talia to meet in a public restaurant.
She refused.
He suggested the agency office.
She agreed.
No Luca.
No Bianca.
No emotional leverage.
He arrived first.
Black suit.
No entourage.
Talia found that almost amusing.
Dominic Rinaldi looked strange beneath fluorescent office lights.
More ordinary.
He stood.
“Thank you for coming.”
She sat.
“You said you wanted to apologize.”
“Yes.”
“Go ahead.”
He almost smiled.
She did not.
Dominic began:
“I should have let you speak.”
Talia waited.
“I did not have to believe you immediately.”
“No.”
“But I treated Bianca’s accusation as the organizing fact because she had the closer personal relationship to me.”
“Yes.”
“I asked you to leave before you finished one sentence.”
“Yes.”
“I damaged your ability to defend yourself.”
“Yes.”
Dominic looked at her.
“You're going to make me say all of it.”
“You requested the meeting.”
Fair.
He continued:
“My household structure also gave Bianca access to records she should not have been able to alter.”
“Yes.”
“My staff were not given a clear route to report concerns about someone close to me.”
“Yes.”
“And my reputation made people hesitant to challenge that.”
Talia paused.
That one mattered.
“Yes.”
Dominic nodded.
“I’m sorry.”
Silence.
Talia finally said:
“That’s an apology.”
“I know.”
“You want forgiveness?”
“No.”
She believed him.
“What do you want?”
“To ask whether you would consider seeing Luca.”
Her heart tightened.
“I’m not coming back to work.”
“I didn't ask.”
“Why now?”
“He looks for you.”
Talia looked away.
That hurt.
Dominic continued:
“Dr. Menon and a child-development consultant both advised that abrupt caregiver loss can be destabilizing.”
“Bianca wanted exactly that.”
“Yes.”
“Is she still in the house?”
“No.”
Talia turned.
“Where?”
“Hotel.”
“Wedding?”
“Postponed indefinitely.”
Not canceled.
Talia noticed.
Dominic noticed her noticing.
“I haven't decided.”
“Not my business.”
“No.”
“Then don't explain.”
He nodded.
Talia asked:
“Supervised visit?”
“Yes.”
“With who?”
“Agency representative if you prefer.”
“Not you?”
“I can be there.”
“I prefer Serena.”
Dominic nodded.
“Fine.”
Talia studied him.
“You're changing.”
He looked almost offended.
“Slowly.”
“That wasn't praise.”
“I know.”
A week later, Luca saw Talia in a child-friendly room at Lakeshore’s family center.
For one second, he stared.
Then his entire face opened.
He squealed.
Talia covered her mouth.
Luca toddled three unstable steps, dropped to his knees, crawled the rest, and grabbed her legs.
Talia crouched.
“Hey, bug.”
He pressed his face into her shoulder.
No grand evidence.
No courtroom proof.
Just attachment.
Serena watched.
Dominic stood behind the one-way observation glass with Dr. Menon’s recommended consultant, Dr. Elise Warren.
“What does this prove?” he asked.
Warren replied:
“That he remembers her and feels comfortable.”
“Nothing about the allegation.”
“Correct.”
Dominic nodded.
He appreciated the refusal to tell him what he wanted.
Talia played with Luca for forty minutes.
He laughed.
Ate crackers.
Brought her a wooden elephant.
Then Bianca unexpectedly appeared in the hallway.
Nobody had invited her.
She had learned the time from a calendar entry Dominic forgot remained shared.
The door opened before Serena could stop her.
Luca looked up.
His body stiffened.
Then he crawled directly into Talia’s lap and buried his face.
Bianca stopped.
Everyone saw.
Warren lifted a hand before Dominic could interpret.
“One reaction is not proof.”
Bianca laughed bitterly.
“Thank you.”
But her face had collapsed.
Not because she feared legal consequences.
Because Luca had made a choice she could see.
Talia held him.
Bianca whispered:
“You made him hate me.”
Talia looked up.
“No.”
Bianca’s eyes filled.
“You did.”
“No.”
Talia’s voice remained calm.
“I was never powerful enough to create the problem you think I created.”
Bianca stared.
“What does that mean?”
“You kept competing with me for a baby.”
The sentence landed.
Dominic heard it.
So did Bianca.
May you like
And for the first time, she looked ashamed rather than angry.
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