Chapter 6
Seeing how firm I was, Dominick tried to win some sympathy.
“My dad passed away early. I am the one who responsible taking care of Angie. For my sake, could you let this go, please?”
“You’ve lost that leverage with me,” I replied coldly.
Dominick was momentarily speechless, stunned by my response.
If he could distinguish right from wrong, I could accept his favoritism towards Angie.
But theft is a matter of principle. A lawyer who shielded a thief lacked integrity.
As we were at an impasse, Dominick went out to get us some drinks.
He still remembered my favorite.
“Lynda.” He tried to take my hand.
I pulled my hand away, signaling with my eyes for him to get to the point.
“I’ve been so busy with work lately, I haven’t had time for you. Once this case is over, how about we go on a beach vacation?”
It was the same in my past life.
And when I refused to compromise, Dominick would soften his stance to appease me.
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“Angie, you’ve gone too far this time. Apologize to Lynda.”
Dominick was smart. He knew that if I didn’t back down, Angie could be facing jail time, considering the value of the stolen bags.
“Hurry up. We’re family, just clear the air, and it’ll be fine.”
“Dominick, it’s not my fault. It was Lynda who said she’d give me the bags.”
Angie looked utterly wronged as she pulled out a recording.
In the recording, I seemed to say that I’d give her the bags and that she could use the car whenever she wanted.
“Lynda, I adore you so much, and yet you’re plotting against me like this.”
She clung tightly to Dominick’s hand, terrified he might side with me.
Dominick listened to the recording several times, then looked at me and asked if it was true.
“What do you think?” I countered.
“If it’s true, then Angie is innocent,” he said, his face lighting up with hope.
I was quick to snuff out that hope.
“It’s fake. I never said anything like that.”
“And besides,” I stared into Angie’s eyes, “your brother should know better than me how serious the consequences of fabricating evidence can be.”
I’d been busy, but I was sure I had never said such a thing.
With AI technology so advanced now, faking a voice recording wasn’t hard.
My tech company was full of experts who could discern the truth.
“It’s not fake; it’s real. You told me this on the second–floor balcony,” Angie continued to lie.
I had lost my patience.
“Then hand the evidence over to the police.”
I opened the door and signaled to the officers.
They understood and prepared to take us to the station for
statements.
“Wait.”
Dominick grabbed my arm.
He was on the phone, and I could hear my father’s voice on the other end.
“Mr. Rivera, Angie knows she was wrong, and I’ve already
“Could you ask Lynda to give her a break and not pursue this further?
“After all, this is a family matter. Blowing it up isn’t good for you or Lynda.”
Back then, my dad had praised Dominick to the skies.
He was afraid I would be wronged if I married into a wealthy family, so he carefully chose Dominick, who came from a modestly well–off family.
Dominick usually behaved well; his boss and colleagues all spoke highly of him.
But when it came to Angie, he became a completely different
person.
This was something my father didn’t know.
Dominick handed me the phone.
At this point, Angie started to panic. She kept apologizing, promising she’d never do it again.
My father was a businessman, always preferring to leave some room for negotiation.
He said that as long as I didn’t press charges, I could pick any handbag I wanted from the market.
The scandal had already spread throughout the city, and I knew Angie’s future in showbiz was essentially ruined.
I didn’t want my father to worry too much, so I agreed to settle.
However, I had one condition.
