The Offer
Chapter 16 - The Offer
Dominic asked to meet Lily alone.
She refused.
So he came to her.
The once-powerful man stood outside Sarah's modest house looking smaller than Lily remembered.
"I made mistakes," he said.
Lily almost laughed.
"Mistakes?"
He offered her five million dollars.
She could keep the house.
Drop the fraud claims.
Walk away.
"No."
"Ten million."
"No."
"You think Ethan cares about you? He didn't raise you."
"He didn't know I existed."
"Sarah knew what kind of man he was."
Lily stepped closer.
"My mother was afraid of you."
Dominic's face changed.
For a second, she saw something beneath the arrogance.
Regret.
Maybe even shame.
But it was too late.
"You had twenty-four years to tell the truth."
Dominic looked at Ethan, who stood nearby.
"You'll leave eventually."
Ethan didn't respond.
Lily did.
"Maybe he will. Maybe he won't. But this time, that's his decision and mine."
Dominic left without another word.
Three weeks later, prosecutors announced criminal fraud charges.
The property was returned to Lily.
And suddenly, the young woman who had arrived at a café carrying nothing but an old photograph owned twelve million dollars of coastline.
Everyone expected her to sell it.
May you like
Instead, Lily called Ethan.
"I need your help building something."
