His Double Standards, My Final Goodbye Chapter 04

His Double Standards, My Final Goodbye Chapter 04

Three years ago, I’d entered the European Emerging Architects Competition.

The night before the final round, my submission had been leaked online. Chloe entered an almost

identical design and won the Gold Award.

I filed a formal complaint.

But the organizing committee and its financial backers said there wasn’t enough evidence and pressured me to settle.

That was when Dominic appeared, right when I had no one else to turn to.

He found me an attorney, helped me organize the evidence, and stayed with me all night when I

came down with a high fever.

Later, the encrypted hard drive containing my evidence was mysteriously corrupted, leaving me

unable to pursue the complaint.

He’d told me, “Let it go. Don’t let one competition keep you trapped in the past. You still have me.”

That was when I started falling in love with him.

For three years, it was also the one thing I’d held onto as proof that he’d once loved me too.

But the email was dated seven days before we’d supposedly met for the first time.

I kept turning the pages.

Chloe had messaged him.

“Astrid may have backups. If this blows up, it could hurt the Vance family’s next financing round and their whole push to go legit.”

Dominic had replied.

“I’ll approach her.”

“She’s guarded. You sure you can handle her?”

“People starved for affection are the easiest. Give her a little patience and she’ll drop it on her

own.”

The last exchange was dated the day after we’d officially become a couple.

Chloe had asked him,

“Did she withdraw the complaint?”

Dominic answered,

“Almost. She’s easy to handle.”

The pages trembled between my fingers.

Right then, my phone lit up.

It was Mom.

She was having surgery to remove a tumor that day.

Dominic had promised he would be there.

By the time I reached the hospital, a nurse had already come by twice to tell us they were waiting.

Mom lay pale and exhausted in the hospital bed.

“Is Dominic stuck in traffic?”

“Yeah. He’ll be here soon.”

I stepped into the stairwell and called him.

The first call went unanswered.

He declined the second.

On the third, Chloe picked up.

“Astrid, Dominic can’t talk right now.”

“Put him on.”

“Cannoli got out. We’re looking for him. He spooks easily, and it’s pouring outside. He could get

hurt.”

I tightened my grip on the phone.

“My mom goes into surgery in thirty minutes. He promised he’d come.”

Chloe went quiet for a moment.

“But your mom has doctors, and she has you. Cannoli only has us.”

A second later, Dominic took the phone from her.

He was breathing hard, rain hissing in the background.

“Astrid, I remember your mom’s surgery, but Cannoli’s missing.”

“If you leave now, you can still make it.”

“Chloe’s asthma is acting up because she’s panicking. I can’t leave her here alone.”

“What about my mom?”

“It’s a routine procedure. The risk is low. You’re already there with her.”

He paused, then softened his voice.

“Just listen to me. As soon as we find Cannoli, I’ll come straight over.”

Just listen to me.

That was exactly how he’d spoken three years ago when he’d convinced me to drop the complaint.

“Astrid, just listen to me. Let it go. You’re going to create better work than this someday.”

Leaning against the cold wall, I asked, “Dominic, did you first approach me because of Chloe?”

The other end of the line went dead quiet.

All I could hear was rain drumming against an umbrella.

His silence was answer enough.

“What did you find?”

“You only need to answer yes or no.”

“What happened back then was complicated. I can’t explain it over the phone.”

“So yes.”

Dominic’s voice dropped.

“At first, it had something to do with her. Later, it didn’t. Astrid, don’t get hung up on this.”

“Who destroyed my evidence drive?”

“I don’t know.”

He answered too quickly.

In the background, Chloe cried out Cannoli’s name.

Dominic cut in immediately. “I have to go. I’ll call you later.”

The line went dead.

A nurse pushed open the stairwell door.

“Ms. Sterling, we’re ready to take your mother into surgery.”

I wiped my face.

Even as they wheeled Mom away, she was still trying to reassure me.

“Don’t be mad at Dominic. Work is important.”

I held her hand, smiled, and nodded.

Four hours later, the surgery was over. Everything had gone smoothly.

Only then did Dominic finally text me.

“Found the cat. How’s your mom?”

I didn’t answer.

I scanned every page of the old complaint and logged into an encrypted email account I hadn’t touched in three years.

In the recipient field, I entered the email addresses for the International Association of Architects, the joint project’s investors, and the Mafia Commission’s Compliance Committee.

I attached my original designs, Dominic’s internal emails, and the cloud backup records I’d just

recovered.

Then I logged into the joint project’s online portal.

I withdrew authorization to use my design and intellectual property.

I removed my digital signature.

Two warnings flashed on the screen, one after the other.

“Withdrawing authorization will make the project ineligible to continue in the bidding process.

“Confirm withdrawal?”

I clicked confirm.

At the same time, a voice message from Dominic came through.

“Astrid, I’ll give you access to the penthouse. Enough. I’ll pick you up from the hospital tonight.”

I didn’t finish listening.

On my screen, the progress bar on the report reached the end.

Sent.