Chapter 2 - The Reversal of Fortune
Dominic felt the blood drain from his head so fast he had to grab the edge of a nearby counter to keep his balance. His eyes darted frantically from Arthur Vance to Audrey, his brain refusing to process the reality unfolding in front of him.
"Granddaughter?" Dominic whispered, his voice cracking like dry glass. "No... no, that’s impossible. Audrey Mendoza is from a small town in Ohio. Her parents died when she was a child. She lived in a cramped studio apartment when I met her!"
"Her mother was my only daughter, Eleanor Vance Mendoza," Arthur said, taking a step toward Dominic. The four security guards instantly closed in, blocking the exit. "When Eleanor passed, Audrey chose to live away from the family fortune. She wanted a simple life. She wanted to teach. And she wanted to see if the man who asked for her hand loved her... or loved the Vance crest. It seems you gave her your answer today."
Natalie’s face turned an ugly, ghostly shade of green. She looked down at the luxury ivory coat she was wearing, suddenly feeling as if it were made of lead. "Dominic... what is he talking about? You said she was a nobody! You said we were going to take her apartment and use her trust money to fund our new house!"
"Shut up, Natalie!" Dominic hissed, sweat pouring down his forehead, soaking the collar of his expensive shirt. He turned back to Arthur, dropping to his knees in a desperate display of submission. "Mr. Vance, please! It’s a misunderstanding! The divorce papers... it was just a legal strategy! A joke! I love Audrey! I was just stressed about the premature birth—"
"Dr. Harrison," Arthur interrupted, ignoring Dominic's pathetic begging entirely.
The Chief Medical Officer stepped forward, clutching a clipboard. "Yes, Mr. Vance?"
"Who authorized the transfer of my great-grandchildren to this public ward instead of the VIP private pavilion?" Arthur asked, his voice low and dangerous.
Dr. Harrison pointed a trembling finger at Dominic. "Mr. Cross did, sir. Two hours ago, while Mrs. Cross was still recovering from anesthesia, he presented the billing department with a corporate document stating that he was removing her from his premium corporate insurance plan. He demanded she be moved to the lowest-tier public medical aid room to cut costs."
A collective gasp went through the nurses standing in the hallway.
Audrey closed her eyes, a sharp pang of emotional agony hitting her chest. While she had been unconscious, fighting for her life after a severe hemorrhage, her husband had been systematically cutting off her medical access to save a few thousand dollars.
Arthur Vance looked down at Dominic as if he were a cockroach beneath his custom Italian leather shoes. "Marcus," Arthur called out to the lead security officer.
"Sir," the massive guard replied.
"Take the divorce folder from his hands," Arthur ordered. "Then, ensure Mr. Cross and his companion are removed from this building. But do not let them leave the city. Call our corporate legal division. Tell them to execute Phase One of the default protocol against Cross Medical Supplies."
Dominic scrambled to his feet, his hands shaking as the guard ripped the folder from his grip. "Phase One? What does that mean? Mr. Vance, you can't ruin my company! We have contracts!"
"You had contracts, Dominic," Audrey spoke up, her voice ringing out clearly over the beeping of the NICU monitors. She looked at him with an expression of pure, unadulterated pity. "Seventy percent of your medical supply inventory is manufactured by subsidiaries owned by the Vance Group. You signed a standard supplier agreement that includes a morality clause. If you bring disrepute to the brand... the Vance Group can terminate your supply chain with twelve hours' notice."
Dominic’s breath hitched. "You... you knew about that?"
"I designed that clause when I worked for my grandfather's legal team five years ago," Audrey said softly. "Before I met you. Before I let myself believe you were a good man."
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"Get them out," Arthur commanded.
The security guards grabbed Dominic and Natalie by their arms, dragging them out of the NICU as Dominic screamed for mercy, his expensive leather shoes scraping pathetically against the polished linoleum floor.
