CHAPTER 3: THE WEIGHT OF TRUTH

Sebastian's POV

I sat in the back of my Aston Martin, scrolling through my tablet for the daily hand exercise game I did when I was stressed out. It was the most peaceful thing right now. The numbers and patterns kept my mind occupied. Kept me from thinking about things I didn't want to think about.

I didn't involve myself in matters involving rivals. Dominic had been my rival since college. After what caused the accident of the Rossis, it separated the business deals between our families. Generational rivals. That's all we were supposed to be.

I didn't have anything to do with his personal life. The only thing that stayed between us was who was the top in the business world. But not until I saw her three years ago.

Sienna Rossi.

She had been at a business meeting, all at the beck and call of Dominic like she was nothing. Like she was invisible. She looked so naive. So pitiful. Just like the little girl I had seen in my mother's photo albums years ago. I remembered my parents discussing her in hushed tones after her parents died. A child left alone in the world. An orphan with no one to care for her.

I never knew she would end up in the hands of that bastard.

I didn't know if it was pity. Or if it was what I saw face to face all those years ago when that truck smashed into her parents' car. The moment that changed everything. I started investigating Dominic after that. Digging into his business dealings. His personal life. Seeing what he did to her on that video sent by my spies among his people got me angry. Seeing her so pale. So broken. Soaking wet and bleeding and humiliated.

Something unlocked in me. Something I couldn't understand. I wanted to bring Dominic Castellano down. Not just for business. Not just for power. For her.

"Sir?"

Miranda's voice cut through my thoughts. I looked up. She was looking at me from the front seat, her expression concerned.

"I have been calling you. You seemed spaced out," she said.

I set aside the tablet and picked up the bottle of water sitting on the seat divider.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Sir, the press conference has sparked a lot of buzz online. TX Textiles is requesting for collaboration," Miranda said, her pen poised over her notepad.

I nodded. "Schedule a time for them to meet up."

"More emails have been sent in. The board members have decided on the next move," she continued, writing notes.

"The movement is what I want. Schedule a meeting with board members and other branches. I want active movement," I said, my mind already shifting back to business.

"Yes sir," Miranda turned.

I picked up my tablet again, tapping on the screen as I remembered what I had told Sienna earlier this morning. The way she had looked at me when I handed her those papers. The way her hands had shaken slightly as she signed her name over and over again.

"What is the next thing on ground?" she had asked, her eyes blazing with fury and determination.

"You just have to prepare yourself," I had told her. "You would move in with me. I will have my lawyer document the agreement and make it public. If we want Dominic's world to burn, we have to make everyone believe we are truly married."

She had accepted it without hesitation.

"Put a call to my lawyer," I said to Miranda. "I need to meet him tomorrow."

"Ok sir, but tomorrow is tied already," she replied.

"Find a time for me," I said.

"Ok sir."

"And again, contact EcoMotors. I need a new car," I added.

"Sir? A new car?" Miranda's voice had a note of confusion.

I looked up and gave her a smile. "No, for my wife."

She squinted her eyes. "When did Mr. Sebastian have a girlfriend?"

"You will soon enough," I said.

I knew she had an idea already. Miranda was smart. She must have guessed seeing Sienna in my office this morning. But she knew when not to talk.

"Unless you know already," I added.

She didn't reply. Just nodded and faced forward , the driver concentrating in driving the car.

My private phone rang.

It was the private investigator I had hired to look into Dominic.

"What is the update?" I asked.

"Sir, there is something you need to know. You said I should find out what made Dominic's family murder the Rossis," the investigator said.

"Of course," I replied.

"Sir, I was shocked when I found out. Mr. Victor was involved also. Your father and Dominic's father were involved."

The world stopped moving.

I froze. The tablet fell from my hands.

What was I hearing?

No. No. No.

This was not true.

"Repeat that," I said quietly.

"Sir, the financial records show that payments were made from Ashford Holdings to shell companies. The timeline matches. And sir..." The investigator paused. "These payments were authorized by your father. Victor Ashford personally signed off on them."

My father. MY FATHER had been involved in the murder of Sienna's parents.

Not just Vittorio Castellano.

My father.

"Continue investigating," I said. "I need everything."

"Yes sir."

I hung up.

The car was silent. I sat there staring at nothing, trying to process what I had just learned.

My father had murdered Sienna's parents.

And I had just brought her into my life. I had just asked her to marry me. 

I had lied to her

I pulled out the tablet and opened the secure folder where I kept all my documents. Everything the private investigator had given me over the past three years.

I had been building a case against Dominic's family. But my father had been there too.

My father was just as guilty.