Chapter 2 - The Billionaire's Daughter Returns
The drive to the Brooks estate took less than an hour.
It was an hour of utter silence, save for the soft hum of the engine and Leo’s quiet breathing.
The iron gates of my family’s property swung open, revealing the sprawling stone mansion I had grown up in.
I had left this place two years ago, determined to make a normal life for myself.
I had hidden my last name.
I had hidden my wealth.
I had wanted a marriage built on equal ground, free from the shadow of my father’s empire.
How foolish I had been.
As the car pulled to a stop in front of the grand entrance, the front doors were already open.
My father, Charles Brooks, stood on the limestone steps.
He was a man who commanded boardrooms and terrified CEOs with a single glance.
But as he looked at me—pale, exhausted, and broken by the man I chose—his eyes softened with unspeakable sorrow.
He walked down the steps and carefully wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
“I’ve got you, Audrey,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
“You’re home now.”
“I’m sorry, Dad,” I choked out, the tears finally breaking through my stubborn defenses.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” he said, pulling back to look at me fiercely.
“But the man who did this to you...”
His jaw tightened, the familiar mask of the ruthless businessman sliding into place.
“...he will apologize to the ashes of his own life.”
The medical team whisked me inside, leading me to a suite that had been perfectly prepared.
It was larger than the entire apartment Dominic and I shared.
The bed was fitted with medical-grade support.
A beautiful mahogany crib stood in the corner for Leo.
Nurses buzzed around me quietly, checking my vitals, inspecting my stitches, and bringing me warm, nourishing food.
For the first time in nearly a week, I felt safe.
I watched as my father held Leo for the first time.
Charles Brooks, the titan of industry, looked down at the tiny, fragile boy with absolute wonder.
“He has your eyes, Audrey,” my father murmured.
“He does,” I agreed, sipping a warm cup of herbal tea.
“What happens now, Dad?” I asked quietly.
He placed Leo gently back into the crib and turned to face me.
“Now, you rest. You heal.”
“And while you do that, I make a few phone calls.”
“Dominic believes he is a self-made man, does he not?”
I nodded slowly. “He thinks his brilliance attracted the venture capitalists.”
My father offered a cold, terrifying smile.
“Then it is time he learns the truth about his brilliance.”
“I will not lay a finger on him, Audrey.”
“I don’t have to.”
“I only have to remove the invisible net I placed under him two years ago.”
“Without it, gravity will do the rest.”
I laid my head back against the plush pillows, closing my eyes.
For two years, I had defended Dominic.
I had cooked, cleaned, and supported him while he built his company.
I had endured his mother’s snide remarks about my “middle-class” background.
I had tolerated his sister’s endless demands for expensive gifts.
All while knowing I could buy and sell their entire lineage with a single signature.
The exhaustion finally overtook me.
As I drifted to sleep, I felt no guilt for what was about to happen.
May you like
Dominic had made his choice at the hospital doors.
Now, he would have to live with it.
