Chapter 6 - THE BOARD WANTED DOMINIC BACK
The call came two days after the press conference.
Vance Dynamics wanted Dominic back.
Not everyone.
Enough.
The company had struggled since his removal.
Not collapsed.
The new CEO, Martin Keene, was competent.
Steady.
But Vance Dynamics had been built around Dominic’s personality.
Customers missed him.
Investors missed the founder story.
The press conference changed public sentiment almost overnight.
Commentators called it accountability.
Parenting podcasts discussed it.
One columnist wrote:
DOMINIC VANCE MAY HAVE FINALLY LEARNED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LEGACY AND LOVE.
The stock rose six percent.
Wall Street noticed.
Of course.
Dominic called me from outside Grace’s therapist’s office.
“They offered me interim CEO.”
I almost dropped my coffee.
“What?”
“Six months.”
“Why?”
“Product launch.”
“Which?”
“Home robotics.”
I knew it.
Consumer platform.
Massive.
“Martin is leaving?”
“No.”
I frowned.
“Then?”
“They want me as executive chairman with public leadership.”
I laughed.
“Of course they do.”
Dominic did not.
“What?”
“You finally behave like a human being in front of cameras and capitalism rewards you.”
“Apparently.”
“Are you taking it?”
Silence.
There.
“Dominic.”
“I don't know.”
I stared through my windshield.
Grace was inside with Dr. Chen.
Dominic had waited outside because Grace still preferred sessions alone.
“What do you want?”
“I miss it.”
Honest.
Good.
“I miss building.”
“Making decisions.”
“The speed.”
“I miss walking into a room and knowing exactly why everyone is there.”
I understood that.
Power could become home.
“Then what is stopping you?”
“Grace.”
I went still.
He continued.
“Every Tuesday and Thursday.”
His visits.
“Saturday mornings.”
“School things.”
“Therapy if she wants me.”
He laughed softly.
“The board meeting is Tuesday afternoon.”
“Move it.”
“I said that.”
“And?”
“They said global investor schedules.”
I smiled faintly.
“And?”
“I said my daughter is four.”
Something moved inside my chest.
“They offered Thursday.”
“Your other visit.”
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“Friday.”
I laughed.
“What happened?”
“They agreed.”
Of course they did.
Billion-dollar companies often discovered flexibility when powerful men demanded it.
Women had been explaining this for decades.
“So what's the problem?”
Dominic hesitated.
“They want a statement.”
I immediately disliked that.
“What kind?”
“About Julian.”
I became cold.
“Explain.”
“They want me to say the press mischaracterized my role.”
“Did it?”
“Not entirely.”
“What else?”
“That I have no continuing responsibility for Brooke or Julian.”
I stared.
“Legally true.”
“Yes.”
“Why do they need it?”
“Brand separation.”
I laughed once.
“Of course.”
Dominic continued.
“They're worried the custody story creates uncertainty around my personal life.”
“Your personal life produced the company’s name.”
“I know.”
“What do you think?”
“I think they want me to publicly abandon Julian a second time.”
Silence.
He said it.
Not me.
“What are you going to do?”
“I wanted your opinion.”
“No.”
He went quiet.
I continued:
“This has to be your decision.”
“I know.”
“Then why call?”
“Because you know what it cost when I made the wrong one.”
That hurt.
I softened.
“Dominic.”
“Yes?”
“Grace will eventually know what you choose.”
Silence.
“That is my opinion.”
The next afternoon, Dominic met the board.
I did not attend.
Northcrest still had rights in certain matters, but this was not one.
Good.
At 3:40, Leo texted.
YOUR EX-HUSBAND IS CAUSING PROBLEMS.
I called.
“What happened?”
Leo sounded amused.
“He rejected the statement.”
“Okay.”
“And the interim CEO role.”
I stopped.
“What?”
“He told them to keep Martin.”
“Why?”
“Apparently he prefers product adviser.”
“That sounds unlike him.”
“Exactly.”
Dominic accepted a limited consulting position.
No CEO title.
No executive authority.
Two days per month.
No disruption to Grace’s schedule.
The board hated it.
Then accepted because they wanted him badly enough.
For the first time in his career, Dominic chose less power.
Not none.
Less.
That mattered.
Olivia did not agree.
She arrived at his townhouse Sunday.
I knew because he called later.
“She said I was throwing away my comeback.”
“What did you say?”
“That I have already had a comeback.”
I frowned.
“When?”
“Grace asked me to play tea party last Thursday.”
I went silent.
Dominic laughed.
“I know how that sounds.”
“No.”
My voice softened.
“I think you finally know how it sounds.”
Olivia did not.
She had begun sending Grace gifts again.
Expensive.
Unrequested.
I returned most.
Then one arrived addressed to Julian.
At my house.
A custom navy blazer.
Inside:
FOR MY GRANDSON, ALWAYS.
I stared at the card.
Dominic saw it later that afternoon.
His face went hard.
“She is not learning.”
“No.”
Brooke stood beside us.
She looked conflicted.
“Julian likes her.”
“That is not the same as her being healthy for him,” I said.
Brooke nodded.
“I know.”
Dominic picked up the card.
“I’m speaking to her.”
“Not angry,” I said.
He looked at me.
“Why?”
“Because if your goal is to punish Olivia, she will become defensive.”
“If your goal is to protect the children, set the boundary.”
Dominic stared.
“Therapy is making you unbearable too.”
“Mine started before yours.”
“Show-off.”
He met Olivia at a café.
Public.
Neutral.
She arrived carrying Grace’s photograph in her purse.
Dominic told me afterward.
“I said she could not call Julian her grandson unless Brooke agreed.”
“Good.”
“She said love should not need permission.”
I almost laughed.
“What did you say?”
“That access to children does.”
Better.
“And Grace?”
“I told her no gifts outside agreed visits.”
“How did she react?”
“She cried.”
“Did you change your mind?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Dominic became quiet.
Then:
“She said I was punishing her for raising me wrong.”
“And?”
“I told her I was protecting Grace from learning it too.”
That night, something else happened.
Caleb Sterling called Dominic.
Not Brooke.
Dominic.
“Why?”
I asked.
“He wants to meet.”
“About?”
“Julian.”
“Do you want to?”
“No.”
“Then don't.”
Dominic smiled faintly.
“I said yes.”
I stared.
“Why?”
“Because I think he is trying.”
That surprised me.
“How?”
“After Wellington, he told his parents they cannot see Julian without Brooke's approval.”
Interesting.
“He moved out of his father's guest property.”
“Why?”
“Jonathan threatened the inheritance.”
There it was.
“And Caleb?”
“He said fine.”
I went still.
Money.
Legacy.
Blood.
Maybe another man was learning.
Dominic continued.
“His father removed him from the family foundation.”
“How much?”
“Probably millions.”
“And he still did it?”
“Yes.”
Maybe children were educating everyone.
The following week, Dominic and Caleb sat at the same table.
I attended because Brooke requested it.
No lawyers.
No parents.
Just adults.
Caleb looked at Dominic.
“I don't like you.”
Dominic nodded.
“That saves time.”
Brooke almost laughed.
Caleb continued.
“I think you helped create confusion for Julian.”
“Yes.”
Dominic did not defend.
Caleb looked surprised.
“But I did worse.”
Silence.
“I knew he existed.”
“I stayed away.”
“I told myself Brooke created the mess.”
“She did some of it.”
Brooke nodded.
“Correct.”
Caleb continued.
“But I liked the excuse.”
He looked toward his hands.
“I didn't want a scandal.”
“I didn't want my ex-wife using it against me.”
“I didn't want my parents deciding they owned my choices.”
“So I let a child grow up without me because adults were inconvenient.”
Dominic looked at him.
Recognition.
Deep.
“What do you want now?”
Caleb swallowed.
“To be his father.”
Dominic’s face changed.
“And what do you think that means?”
Caleb looked up.
“Showing up.”
“Even if he never calls me Dad.”
Good answer.
Dominic leaned back.
“Then start there.”
Caleb stared.
“You're not fighting me?”
“For what?”
“My son.”
Dominic’s expression hardened.
“Julian is not a prize.”
Silence.
“I don't get to keep him because I once thought he was mine.”
“You don't get to take him because a DNA test says he is yours.”
Brooke looked at both men.
Then said quietly:
“He gets to know who stays.”
That became the rule.
No adult would demand a title.
No adult would tell Julian who belonged.
They would show up.
He would learn the rest.
It was the healthiest thing any of us had done.
May you like
Then, two months later, Brooke broke that rule.
And the betrayal nearly destroyed everything we had built.
