She Came at 5 A.M. to Steal the Family Estate—But the Man She Planned to Betray Was Listening Behind the Door

Brooke stared at the ledger as if she could erase it by refusing to blink.

"Sterling wrote that."

Voss snapped, "Don't drag me down alone."

There it was.

The partnership cracked in one sentence.

Dominic closed the ledger. "Security, separate them."

Brooke backed away. "No."

"You're not under arrest. Yet. But you will not coordinate stories in my house."

"Your house?" Brooke's laugh turned bitter. "Everything is always your house, your company, your family, your rules."

Dominic's face remained unreadable.

"This morning you were very comfortable calling my mother's house yours."

Brooke's eyes flashed.

"Because your mother made sure I never belonged here."

Natalie whispered, "So you decided to take what she loved?"

"I decided to stop being treated like a guest in my own marriage."

Dominic stepped closer. "You could have divorced me."

"And leave with what? A settlement your lawyers would control?"

"So you stole."

"I secured myself."

"With hospice money."

That shut her up.

Voss was escorted to the library. Brooke was taken to the west sitting room with a female security officer stationed outside.

When the doors closed, Natalie sank into a chair.

"I feel stupid."

Dominic turned. "Don't."

"She came to the house three times after Evan died. Brought food. Sat with Noah. Told me I was family."

Her voice broke on the last word.

Dominic sat beside her. For all his power, grief still made him awkward.

"People like Brooke don't fake every moment," he said quietly. "That's what makes them dangerous. Some moments are real enough to make you trust the rest."

Natalie wiped her eyes.

Emma entered with Noah's tablet.

"You need to see something."

Noah had remembered that the old hallway camera at Catherine's house still fed into a forgotten home-security app. He had opened it on his tablet because he liked watching deer cross the back lawn.

Tuesday's recording was still cached.

Dominic pressed play.

Brooke appeared in Catherine's study with Voss.

Voss said, clearly, "If Natalie refuses, we use the custody threat."

Brooke answered, "She'll fold. Widows always think one bad week means a judge can take their child."