Trial 5

I have been on this case for weeks now, and something about it was starting to gnaw at me. The more I uncovered, the more the puzzle pieces scattered, but none of them seemed to fit together quite right. For every person who spoke highly of Dominic Hayes, there was someone else whose eyes told a different story. It was as if they all held their tongues, as though there was something unspeakable buried just beneath the surface. And as much as I hated to admit it, I was beginning to feel like I was walking on the edge of something much larger than just a corporate scandal. I had uncovered financial irregularities, hidden transactions, and even whispers of backdoor deals, but no one was willing to go on the record with anything concrete. They were all too careful, too controlled. It was clear they knew something, but they weren’t saying it.

It was during one of my late-night sessions, flipping through emails, financial statements, and interview notes, that I first stumbled across Adrian Hayes. His name appeared in a series of emails between Dominic’s former colleagues—ones that didn’t quite make sense in the context of their business dealings. But what struck me the most was the subtle tension in the way the emails referenced him. The mention of Adrian Hayes was always followed by a quick change of subject, as though people were trying to steer the conversation away from him.

I had to know more. The name lingered in the back of my mind like an unanswered question. And I knew that if I was going to fully understand the situation I was tangled in, I would need to know about the relationship between Dominic and Adrian. It wasn’t just a side issue—it was a part of the puzzle I couldn’t ignore any longer.

The following morning, I called in a favor from one of my trusted sources. He was someone I had worked with before, a private investigator named Alex. We had crossed paths on several cases over the years, and I knew I could count on him to dig up information that wasn’t easily accessible through the usual channels.

After a few hours of waiting, my phone buzzed with a message from Alex. He had come through for me, as always.

"Adrian Hayes. Nephew of Dominic’s late father, Lawrence Hayes. Exiled from the company years ago under mysterious circumstances. Allegedly, a power struggle. No one’s really sure what happened, but his removal was ugly. He’s been laying low since, but he’s been involved in a few shady businesses in the last few years."

I stared at the message for a long time, trying to piece together the implications. Adrian Hayes had been removed from the company under murky circumstances? And he had a history of shady business dealings? This was the kind of thing that could destroy reputations, the kind of thing that could fuel an entire scandal. Was he involved in Dominic’s current situation? Was there a grudge, a vendetta that was being played out in the shadows?

I wasn’t sure, but I had a feeling I was about to uncover something that would change everything. I knew where Adrian Hayes lived—somewhere just outside the city, in a secluded area where the rich and powerful often sought refuge from the world. I didn’t have all the answers yet, but I had the feeling that meeting him would bring me closer to the truth.

---

The drive to Adrian’s estate was long, and my mind raced the entire way. I had no idea what I was walking into. Was he even going to agree to meet with me? Would he be cooperative, or was he going to shut me down the moment I mentioned his cousin’s name? I tried to prepare myself for every possible scenario, but it didn’t make my heart race any less as I pulled up to his large, imposing house.

Adrian’s home was a sprawling estate, nestled behind gates that screamed both luxury and seclusion. The driveway curved in a way that gave the impression of an entrance to a fortress. As I parked, I found myself wondering if Dominic had ever set foot here, if their family history haunted these halls just as much as it did in my mind.

I rang the doorbell, and after a few moments, the door creaked open. A man in his mid-forties, tall and broad-shouldered, stood before me. His face was rugged, but there was a sharpness to his eyes that suggested someone who had lived through their share of battles. His dark hair was beginning to show signs of gray at the temples, and his expression was unreadable.

“You must be Serena Caldwell,” he said, his voice low but firm. “I’ve heard about you. Dominic’s lawyer, right?”

I nodded, trying to keep my composure. “I’m here to talk to you about Dominic. I think there’s a lot about his past that could shed light on his current situation. And I believe you might know more than you’re letting on.”

Adrian studied me for a moment, his gaze intense and calculating. “You think I’m some kind of expert on my cousin, huh?” He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms. “What makes you think I have any interest in helping you—or him?”

“I don’t expect you to help me, Adrian,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “But I do think you can help me understand what happened between you two. Because whatever’s going on now... it feels like there’s more to it than just business. There’s history here. And it’s a history I need to understand if I’m going to help Dominic clear his name.”

He paused, and for a moment, I thought he was going to slam the door in my face. Instead, he stepped back, gesturing for me to come inside.

“Fine,” he said gruffly. “I’ll give you an hour. But you better have more than just accusations. Because if you think I’m going to help you drag Dominic through the mud, you’re sorely mistaken.”

---

As I stepped into Adrian’s home, I immediately noticed how much it contrasted with the corporate world Dominic inhabited. It was elegant, but in a way that screamed isolation rather than opulence. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with leather-bound books, some of which looked centuries old. The furniture was plush, but it had the distinct air of being lived in—used, worn, yet carefully curated to exude a sense of power.

We sat down in a sitting room with a view of the surrounding countryside, the air heavy with the scent of aged wood and something else—a lingering bitterness that seemed to seep into the very atmosphere. Adrian motioned for me to take a seat on the couch, then poured himself a drink before settling into the armchair across from me.

“You want to know about Dominic and me, huh?” Adrian began, his voice hard. “Let me tell you something, Serena. Dominic never was the man he pretended to be. He was always about power—always about control. When my father, Lawrence, passed away, Dominic thought he could take over everything. The company, the estate, the legacy. But that’s not how it works. There’s more to a family than just money and power.”

I listened closely, sensing the underlying resentment in his words. But I needed more than bitterness—I needed facts, details, anything that could give me a clearer picture of what had happened between them.

“Why were you removed from the company?” I asked, watching him carefully. “What happened, really? I’ve heard rumors, but I need to know the truth.”

Adrian’s expression darkened, his fingers tightening around the glass of whiskey he held. “It’s not as simple as you think. Dominic made sure I was pushed out. And I fought back. I didn’t have the same taste for ruthless business tactics that he did. I didn’t want to play his game. But that didn’t matter. He had all the power, all the influence, and I... I had to leave. It was either that or watch the company fall apart under his control.”

“So, you’re saying it wasn’t just a matter of business? There was a personal vendetta there?”

Adrian chuckled bitterly, the sound echoing in the room. “Oh, it was personal. And it still is. Do you know what it’s like to watch your own family tear itself apart? To see someone you grew up with suddenly become a stranger, driven by nothing but greed and ambition? That’s Dominic. And I have a feeling you’re starting to see it for yourself.”

I stared at him for a long moment, weighing his words. There was a lot of truth in what he was saying, but how much of it was his version of events? How much was shaped by his anger and bitterness? I couldn’t be sure, but one thing was clear: there was more to this story than I had realized.

“Adrian, I’m not here to take sides,” I said, my voice steady. “I’m here to understand what happened. Because whatever it is, it’s affecting Dominic now. And if we’re going to figure this out, we need to understand the past.”

He studied me for a moment, then let out a long sigh. “You really think you can help him, don’t you? You think you can fix everything. But some things are broken beyond repair, Serena.”

I didn’t have a response. He was right about one thing—this wasn’t going to be easy. But I wasn’t about to give up.

“We’ll see,” I said quietly. “We’ll see.”

---

As I left Adrian’s estate, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. His version of events was damning, but I knew there was more to the story. The complicated history between Dominic and Adrian, the corporate power struggle, and the growing sense that something much darker was lurking beneath the surface—it all pointed to one thing: this case was far more complicated than I had ever imagined.

And the past, it seemed, wasn’t just haunting Dominic. It was haunting all of them.