Chapter 6 - The January Clause
Vincent believed people could change.
That was why Dominic's inheritance came in stages.
At twenty-five:
Income.
At thirty:
Limited investment rights.
At forty:
Voting control over Vincent's shares.
Dominic was thirty-eight.
Why January?
A family restructuring accelerated the date under certain performance conditions.
Dominic had apparently manipulated reports to qualify early.
But Vincent included one safeguard.
Fraud.
Financial exploitation.
Or intentional misuse of charitable assets before transfer could suspend Dominic's rights pending independent review.
Suddenly the fake companies made sense.
Dominic and Celeste weren't merely stealing.
They were racing a deadline.
If the fraud stayed hidden until after the transfer, Dominic would gain enormous leverage over the holding company.
Then he could influence records, appointments, audits.
Maybe bury everything.
Elena had threatened the timeline.
That was why she was fired.
I asked Dominic directly:
“Were you planning to take control in January?”
He said nothing.
“Answer me.”
Celeste interrupted.
“He was taking what Vincent intended him to have.”
“By falsifying reports?”
“He earned that company by being Vincent's son.”
I almost laughed.
There it was again.
Blood as entitlement.
I looked at Maeve.
She had given away everything she possessed because another human being looked poorer than she was.
Then I looked at Dominic.
He stood inside a building worth millions arguing that seventy million more was his birthright.
The contrast was almost obscene.
My attorney immediately initiated the procedures available under the holding agreement to suspend the accelerated transfer while the evidence was reviewed.
Dominic exploded.
“You can't do that!”
“I just did.”
“You promised Dad!”
“I promised to protect his family.”
“I AM HIS FAMILY!”
“So were the people his foundation promised to help.”
Celeste slammed her hand onto the table.
“Those people are not Bellinis.”
“No.”
I looked at Elena and Maeve.
“They're human beings.”
Dominic paced.
Then stopped.
“You're going to destroy Dad's legacy over a maid?”
Elena flinched.
I stepped closer.
“No.”
I pointed at him.
“You nearly destroyed your father's legacy because you thought a housekeeper was too powerless to expose you.”
His face tightened.
Then Elena spoke.
“There's another employee.”
We all turned.
“A bookkeeper named Aaron.”
“What about him?”
“He found the same payments.”
“Where is he?”
Elena swallowed.
“Dominic fired him six months ago.”
I asked:
“Can we reach him?”
She nodded.
“He gave me something before he left.”
From her bag, Elena removed a small storage drive.
Dominic moved toward her.
I stepped between them.
“What is it?”
Elena answered:
May you like
“A backup of the real accounting ledger.”
Dominic stopped moving.
