44. Dominic
44
Dominic
I didn’t burn the annulment papers. And I didn’t go to work. I decided to take a trip down to Martha’s Vineyard and just unwind and forget about everything.
The sprawling oceanfront property should have been restorative. The crash of waves against the rocky shoreline, the salt air, the isolation. But solitude only amplified my thoughts. I spent the entire weekend pacing across the weathered deck of my vacation home, barely noticing the spectacular view as my injured side throbbed, my mind fixed on Tatiana’s elegant signature on the annulment papers sitting unsigned on my desk back in Manhattan.
Yes, three days of coastal isolation did nothing but confirm what I already knew.
How catastrophically I had failed her.
And how much I love her.
It’s Monday morning now. Three days since she walked out. Three days of silence. Three days of knowing exactly how badly I fucked up.
I stand in my office, looking out over Manhattan.
The settlement papers for Tatiana sit next to the annulment documents on my desk, both awaiting my signature.
I pick up the settlement folder. At least I can do one thing right. She deserves every penny and more.
My phone rings. Arthur Sterling.
“Have you signed the annulment papers yet?” he asks without preamble when I answer.
“No.”
“Dominic,” he says, his voice carefully neutral. “The longer we delay, the more complicated this becomes. The press is already speculating. We need to control the narrative.”
“Process her settlement payment,” I tell him. “Immediately. Don’t wait for the annulment to clear.”
“But the agreement states that the payment is contingent upon the annul—”
“I don’t give a fuck what the agreement states. Process it today. Now. ”
A pause. “Very well. And the papers?”
I glance at them on my desk. “I’ll get to them.”
“Sir—”
“The settlement, Arthur. That’s all.”
I hang up before he can argue further and press the intercom. “Eleanor, call a meeting of the executive team for 11 AM.”
“Yes, Mr. Rossi. Should I include Marketing and PR?”
“Everyone. And have Jake come up now, please.”
While I wait, I draft an email to my banking team authorizing Tatiana’s settlement payment, marking it urgent. I copy Arthur, just to make sure there’s no delay. She might hate me, but she’ll have her financial freedom. I owe her that much at minimum.
A knock at my door.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” Jake stands in the doorway, professional as always despite the events of the past week.
“Come in,” I gesture to the chair across from my desk. “I need updates on two things. First, Morgan Weiss.”
Jake sits, his expression neutral. “The leak to the Wall Street Journal went live this morning. Weiss’s reputation is taking a significant hit. Three of his clients have already dropped him.”
“And the home invasion?” I ask, my jaw tightening.
“Random targeting, sir. Not connected to Weiss.” Jake’s tone remains professional. “My police contact confirms the perpetrators are known felons with a history of break-ins at high-end properties. Part of a ring that’s been targeting millionaire condos across Manhattan.”
I nod slowly, a dark laugh escaping me. “Lucky for Weiss. You just saved his life.”
Jake raises an eyebrow, but says nothing.
“The second matter,” I say. “Security for Ms. Cole.”
Jake shifts slightly. “We’ve maintained discreet surveillance as instructed, sir. No direct contact. She’s been to her apartment, her office at Blackwell Innovations, and various meetings around the city. No signs of any threats.”
“Continue the surveillance, but increase the distance. She’s not to know she’s being watched.” When Jake raises an eyebrow, I add, “It’s not negotiable. Her safety is paramount, whether she wants my protection or not.”
“Understood, sir.”
After Jake leaves, I finally do what I’ve been avoiding. I pick up my phone and dial Tatiana’s number. It goes straight voicemail.
I hang up and open my messages. Voice memo is better than voicemail. No time limit.
I press record.
“Tatiana,” I start, then pause, gathering my thoughts. “I know you don’t want to hear from me. I wouldn’t want to hear from me either, after what I did. But I owe you this much. A proper apology. Not excuses. Just the truth.”
I move to the window, staring out at the city as I speak.
“I betrayed you in the worst possible way. I set you up with my brother because I was drowning in guilt over something that happened when we were teenagers. A home invasion. I froze. I hid while he was beaten. He was permanently scarred, inside and out. And I’ve spent years trying to atone for my cowardice.”
My reflection stares back at me from the glass, hollow-eyed and unforgiving.
“But there’s no excuse. None. What I did to you was unforgivable. I used you as a bargaining chip with my brother because I was too fucking weak to stand up to him. To stand up for you. To be the man you deserved.”
I take a deep breath, feeling the pull of stitches in my side.
“After you left that night, something happened. There was a home invasion at the penthouse. Men broke in, armed. And for a moment, I thought you were still there, in the guest suite. I shouted for you to lock the door.”
I close my eyes, remembering.
“I wasn’t a coward this time. I fought. Got shot in the process, just a graze. But I fought because I thought you were there. That you needed protection. It was only after it was over that I realized you were gone.”
My voice drops lower.
“The irony isn’t lost on me. I fought to protect you physically when you weren’t even there, but I failed to protect you emotionally when you were standing right in front of me.”
I turn from the window, pacing despite the pain in my side.
“I confronted Nico the next day. It got physical. We cleared the air, somewhat. I refuse to be manipulated by guilt anymore. I told him he’s not getting any money or shares or you . It doesn’t make what I did right. Nothing can. But I wanted you to know that I finally stood up to him.”
I pause, running a hand through my hair.
“There’s one more thing. Your settlement is being processed today. Not contingent on the annulment. It’s yours, free and clear. I know money doesn’t fix anything, but at least it’s something concrete I can do.”
I stop at my desk, looking down at the unsigned annulment papers.
“As for the annulment... I haven’t signed it. Not because I’m trying to control you or force anything. I just...” I swallow hard. “I can’t bring myself to officially end what we had, even though I know I destroyed it. That’s my problem, not yours.”
I sit heavily in my chair.
“I understand if you never want to see or speak to me again. I wouldn’t blame you. But I needed you to know that I realize what I did. How I hurt you. And that I am so fucking sorry, Tatiana. Not just for the setup with Nico, but for everything. For treating you like an asset instead of a person. For pushing you away whenever I felt myself getting too close. For taking without giving.”
I clear my throat.
“You deserve better than what I gave you. You deserve everything. I realize that now, probably too late. But I’m trying to be better. To do better. Starting with this apology.”
I pause, then add quietly, “The contract period is over, but my feelings aren’t. I love you, Tatiana. I think I have for a while now. I was just too much of a coward to admit it, even to myself. Especially to myself.”
I end the recording and send it before I can second-guess myself. Then I drop my phone on the desk like it’s burning my hand.
There. Done. The most honest I’ve ever been.
I don’t expect a response. Don’t deserve one. But at least now she knows.
The intercom buzzes. “Mr. Rossi, the executive team is assembled in the conference room as requested.”
“Thank you, Eleanor. I’ll be right there.”
I straighten my tie and gather my thoughts. It’s time to implement real changes, not just in my personal life but in how I run my company. Less control. More trust. Less fear. More delegation. Less obfuscation. More transparency.
I walk into the conference room where a dozen executives wait, tension evident in their postures. They’re expecting the usual Dominic Rossi, the control freak who micromanages every detail.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” I begin, standing at the head of the table. “Thank you for coming. We have secured the Serenity Shores resort deal, as you know. But it’s become clear to me that my leadership style has been... problematic.”
Surprised glances pass between them.
“Moving forward, I’m implementing structural changes. Garcia, you’ll head the Costa Rica project directly, with full autonomy. Charles, I want you to restructure the design team however you see fit. Martinez, you have the authority to finalize contracts under fifty million without my approval.”
The shock in the room is palpable. I continue, outlining my vision for a more distributed leadership model, delegating more, establishing clearer chains of command that don’t all run directly through me.
When I finish, there’s a moment of silence before Garcia speaks up.
“If I may ask, sir, what prompted this change?”
I meet his gaze steadily. “Let’s just say I recently learned a valuable lesson about the cost of excessive control and what happens when fear drives decision-making.”
As the meeting disperses, I check my phone. Nothing from Tatiana. I didn’t expect anything, but the confirmation stings nonetheless.
Back in my office, I stare again at the annulment papers. Still unsigned. Still waiting.
I pick up my phone and text Jake.
Is she safe?
His response comes immediately. Yes, sir. At Blackwell Innovations all day. Security in place.
Relief washes through me, followed by resolve. I’ve taken the first steps today. Changed how I run my company. Sent her the settlement. Apologized fully and honestly.
It might not be enough. It probably isn’t. But it’s a start.
Tomorrow, I’ll take more steps. And the day after. And every day until I become the kind of man who would never betray someone he loves.
Whether Tatiana ever forgives me or not, I owe her that much.
My phone buzzes with a text. My heart leaps, but it’s only Eleanor.
Your 2 PM with the Costa Rica development team is confirmed.
I close my eyes and exhale slowly.
One step at a time.
One day at a time.
The man who betrayed Tatiana Cole is not who I want to be anymore.