Chapter 6
The legal consequences came fast.
Audrey filed for emergency custody protections, fraud claims, and sanctions against the Hale legal team that had sent false documents under the father’s direction.
Dominic’s father was forced to step down from the family holding company while an internal investigation began.
The attorney who had pressured Audrey at the clinic was suspended pending review.
Company security logs proved Audrey had tried to reach Dominic three times.
Email records showed messages from Audrey had been diverted into a private archive controlled by Dominic’s father’s office.
And the settlement check?
It had been falsely recorded as accepted to make Dominic believe Audrey had sold him out.
When Dominic saw that document, he left the boardroom and threw up in the hallway.
Audrey heard about it later.
She felt nothing at first.
Then sadness.
Not pity.
Just the heavy sadness of knowing all their suffering had been preventable.
Dominic asked to see Lily three days later.
Audrey agreed only under the terms her attorney set.
Neutral location.
Supervised.
No Hale family members present.
No cameras.
No gifts.
No pressure.
Dominic arrived alone.
For once, there was no suit of armor around him.
No father.
No lawyers speaking for him.
No family name between them.
Just a man standing in a quiet visitation room, staring at the daughter he had missed because he was too obedient to question power.
When Audrey placed Lily in his arms, his hands shook.
The baby opened her eyes.
Dominic broke.
He sat down slowly, tears falling onto his shirt.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”
Audrey stood nearby, arms folded around herself.
She wanted the apology to fix something.
It did not.
It could not give back the nights she cried alone.
It could not give back the doctor appointments.
It could not give back the moment she gave birth with no hand to hold.
Dominic looked up at her.
“I should have come for you.”
“Yes,” Audrey said.
“I should have believed you.”
“Yes.”
“I should have protected you from them.”
Audrey’s voice softened, but only slightly.
“You should have protected us.”
Dominic nodded, tears slipping down his face.
“I know.”
That was the beginning.
Not of forgiveness.
Not yet.
May you like
But of truth.
👉 Dominic wanted another chance, but Audrey made him earn every inch of trust he had lost.
