Chapter 2 - The Doppelgänger Deception
The brass candlestick slipped from Clara’s grip, hitting the hardwood floor with a deafening clatter.
"That's a lie," Clara whispered, shaking her head. "I saw you. I saw your face. I saw the watch I bought you for your anniversary on his wrist."
Dominic’s jaw clenched so hard a muscle feathered in his cheek. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his phone, pulling up a highly encrypted corporate travel log. He shoved the screen toward her. It displayed timestamped photos of him in a Tokyo boardroom on the exact date and time she had fled New York.
"I was six thousand miles away," Dominic said, his voice deadly quiet. "I never touched Vanessa. I have never touched another woman since the day I put a ring on your finger."
Clara’s mind reeled. The memory was seared into her brain. The low lighting of his private office. The man’s back, the exact shape of Dominic’s shoulders, the distinctive Patek Philippe watch.
"If it wasn't you..." Clara breathed, her knees going weak. "Then who was it?"
"My brother," Dominic said, the realization hitting him like a physical blow. "Julian. He’s the only one with the same build. He’s the only one who had access to my office and the code to my personal safe where I kept that watch."
Before Clara could process the horrific betrayal, the front window of the cottage shattered.
A suppressed bullet tore through the living room, burying itself into the drywall inches from Dominic’s head.
"Get down!" Dominic roared, tackling Clara to the floor as a second shot shattered the vase on the mantel.
Outside, chaos erupted. Dominic’s security team drew their weapons, returning fire toward the dense tree line bordering Clara’s property.
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"Leo!" Clara screamed, crawling toward the hallway.
"I’ve got him," Dominic commanded, his executive authority taking over. He pulled a compact sidearm from a concealed holster at his waist. "We need to move, Clara. Now."
