Chapter 71

Dominic

A maid stood trembling near the hallway, half-bowed and pale. Vivian’s shrieking rattled through the halls like a fire alarm, sharp and relentless. Maids scattered like deer under gunfire, and I approached one of them.

"What's going on?" I asked softly.

"Ms. Vivian is…" Something else crashed. "Searching for a dress, but she doesn't own a dress of the style she's talking about…"

I narrowed my eyes and stepped into the corridor just in time to see her corner an older made near the linen cart.

“You stole it, didn't you?” Vivian screamed, her face flushed red, hair flying wild around her shoulders. “That red dress was mine and you took it, you little thief!”

The maid looked near tears, hands trembling as she held them up. “Ms. Vivian, I swear --- I didn’t ---”

She drew back and I grabbed her wrist. She swung around as if she were going to strike me and went still as she looked up at me.

"Are you injured?" I asked, looking over at the maid. "Is anyone injured?"

One of the younger maids, cowering in the corner cupping her cheek flinched. I narrowed my eyes. I could smell the faint scent of blood.

"Gamma Dawson," I called. "Please take this young woman and the others to be seen for injuries, interview them about what happened, while I deal with my daughter."

“She stole from me! My dress, Daddy! She took it out of my closet!” She yanked at my arm. "She should be killed for it!"

I looked to the maid who had been struck, a younger girl I vaguely remembered seeing earlier this week.

“Go on," I said nodding to her. "You're fine."

An older maid, one who had been around for far longer came down the hallway. Her eyes wide as she looked around, then she drew her full height.

"You seem like you know something," I said as Gamma Dawson escorted the younger maids away. My headached just thinking about having to replace them if they chose to quit. Turn over in the time of my father had never been so high.

“Good evening, Alpha,” she said quickly, dipping her head. “I believe Ms. Vivian is speaking of Ms. Mountainhowl's dress from the Ceremony. She left it here. I recognized the label, it had her initials. I just packed it up and went to see if there was anything else she may have left."

I frowned at that.

"Don't listen to them, Daddy! She gave it to me!” Vivian snapped, wrenching her arm free and crossing her arms like a child. "They stole it!"

I blinked once. Renee giving Vivian a dress? I eyed Vivian, skeptically. Renee was more than a few sizes bigger, fuller, than Vivian. They couldn't share clothes even if Vivian bought something that was supposed to be over-sized and slouchy.

“You two don’t even wear the same size,” I said flatly.

Vivian scoffed, rolling her eyes. “I was going to have it taken in, Daddy. It was the least she could do after embarrassing Tyler and us the way she has."

I pulled out my phone and tapped Renee’s number, holding it to my ear.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Calling Renee." Her eyes bulged.

It rang once.

Twice.

No answer.

I sighed and lowered it. “She’s not picking up.”

Vivian’s nostrils flared. "How could you not believe me--"

"Because you lie too easily." She shut her mouth. I took a deep breath. "And it's ridiculous to think that Renee would give you anything. You don't even like to share clothes with friends you actually like to go out with." She flushed.

"I'm telling you she stole it!" Vivian shrieked. "Why are you listening to some maid over your own daughter? Are you sleeping with her?"

I grimaced at that. "Ms. Leon is perfectly, happily married, with children older than me and has been a part of Brightclaw since before you were an idea. You will not speak about her or to her, or about or to any other maid of this house with such disrespect ever again."

"I--"

"And if I even hear of another one of these ridiculous tantrums, Vivian, I will put you out and you'll be washing your own clothes, cooking your own meals, and cleaning your own space from now until you're married, am I clear?"

Her eyes watered. "Daddy--"

“Enough,” I said, sharper than I meant to. “Until I speak to Renee, no one is accused of anything. That dress will be packed and sent to its rightful owner. Is that clear?”

Vivian’s mouth opened, then closed. I scowled at her. My head starting to pound.

"The fact that you think it is appropriate for you to scream, assault, and otherwise terrorize the staff is appalling enough. And I'll deal with it shortly."

It was unnerving, Renee not answering her phone. Something about it twisted in my gut, and I didn’t like the feeling one damn bit. I tried to call Renee again, but she didn't answer. So I did the next best thing and planned to call Arielle.

"Could you bring me the dress?"

Ms. Leon nodded and hurried away, coming back quickly with it. I stood there staring at the dress bag in her hands, something about all of it gnawing at the edges of my thoughts. My unease had turned into something cold and sharp.

"Both of you follow me."

"I--"

"Vivian," I hissed. "Do not test me."

She huffed and stomped after me as I lead them both to my office. I stepped into my study and shut the door, thumbing through my contacts until I landed on Arielle’s name.

She answered on the second ring. "Yes?"

“It’s Dominic,” I said. “Is Renee with you?”

“She came in a while ago. Excellent gown choice, by the way. Why?”

“I tried to call her. She didn’t answer.”

A pause. “She’s probably sleeping. She hasn’t been eating much, and she’s been pushing herself too hard. All that rich food probably took her out.”

I hesitated, then said, “There’s a situation here. Vivian is claiming a red dress that was supposedly left behind belongs to her. My staff says it’s Renee’s. Apparently, it was found in Vivian’s closet.”

Another pause—this one loaded with heat. “Vivian has the red dress?”

“Yes.”

“That’s interesting,” Arielle said slowly, but her tone was razor-sharp. “Because that dress didn’t stay at Brightclaw when she left as it was in her suitcase when she left for Frostborne… And we did note it was missing from her things at the townhouse among all of her destroyed property. If Vivian has the dress, it means she either stole it while damaging all of Renee's belonging, or she had help doing it." I grimaced, remembering the expense report of the damanges. "Tell your daughter if she damaged it, she better pray it can be repaired, and I expect it here, immediately if not.”

The silence crackled between us. I rubbed my head. I felt the tension rise in my chest like a tide.

“It will be, thank you. And I agree with your conjectures. Have the damages hit your account?”

"Oh, I haven't finished filing them all, I needed the receipt from grandpa for the dress."

"Your grandfather?"

"Of course. He's the one who picked out. Custom design and all."

Meaning there was no way in hell someone would take it in to fit Vivian and Vivian knew that.

"I'll take care of it."

"I'm sure you will. Thanks for taking my little cub out for a whirl. Do it more often or she'll think you don't like her."

I hung up, with a slight chuckle, jaw tight, as I turned to Ms. Leon and Vivian. Vivian was sitting on the couch now, sulking.

"Ms. Leon, if you could assured it hasn't been damaged or tampered with and bring it back to me. I'll deliver it myself… since I can't seem to trust my own pack to follow my orders."

Vivian jumped to her feet. "Daddy, it's mine!"

"Leave us for now, Ms. Leon. And thank you."

She nodded and left. Vivian, at least, had the sense not to lunge at her to try and take the dress from her.

Instead, she glared at me.

“Vivian,” I said, and she looked up quickly.

“Why are you taking her side? You think I’m lying? Over a dress?”

I said nothing. She grew more red in the face.

“You’re not a child anymore,” I said, voice low. “And I’m not stupid. So unless you want to make this worse than it already is—start talking.”

She shrieked. "I already told you--"

"Before you go on," I cut her off, staring at her. "Know full well that what you say next will determine what happens next, for better or worse." She flinched. “You have one chance,” I told her quietly. “To tell the truth. Right now. Make a wise decision, Vivian because I've already made mine."