Chapter 9 - The Gathering at Cliff Walk

Friday morning broke over Newport with a sky as clear and sharp as cut sapphire.

The storm had washed the Atlantic coastline clean, leaving the ocean churning in brilliant navy blue against the rocky bluffs below the Mercer estate. The grand ballroom of the mansion, which had been set for two hundred wedding guests with white orchids, crystal chandeliers, and silk runners, stood empty.

Dominic Mercer stood on the sweeping rear terrace, overlooking the shoreline. He wore a simple black cashmere sweater and dark trousers, his hands resting on the stone balustrade.

Behind him, the terrace doors opened softly.

Natalie walked out, holding two porcelain mugs of steaming coffee. She looked different. The hollow, haunted exhaustion that had shadowed her face for six months had receded, replaced by a quiet, steady strength. She wore a warm wool cardigan and Catherine’s silver locket around her neck.

She handed one mug to Dominic. "Morrison called an hour ago."

Dominic took the coffee, keeping his gaze on the ocean horizon. "I know."

"Mark didn't just lose control in the rain, did he?" Natalie asked. Her voice didn't break. It was steady, tempered like hardened steel.

"No," Dominic said quietly. "Arthur Harrington had him killed to hide his own theft."

Natalie looked out over the crashing waves, taking a slow, deep breath of the salt air. A single tear slipped down her cheek, but she did not break down.

"All this time... Brooke sat at our dinner table," Natalie whispered. "She played with Noah in the garden. She helped me pick out funeral flowers... while her family had Mark's blood on their hands."

Dominic turned to his sister, his dark eyes fierce with protective fury. "They will never see the outside of a federal penitentiary, Natalie. Not Arthur. Not Brooke. I have five legal teams ensuring that every single asset they ever touched is liquidated and transferred into a trust fund for Noah's education and Mark's memorial foundation."

May you like

The housekeeper was supposed to be invisible. Instead, Sophia Hale becam...

The housekeeper was supposed to be invisible. Instead, Sophia Hale became the only person who could expose a massive conspiracy in...

My Husband Hit Me at Dinner—Then His Sister-in-Law Whispered, “Tell the...

"“You and Adrian can rent somewhere smaller,” he said. “A young married couple does not need two bedrooms.” Several relatives nodd...

A federal judge thought his power could cover up a murder. He didn't exp...

"A federal judge thought his power could cover up a murder. He didn't expect her to survive the 20-foot fall. ⚖️🩸The pristine whi...

Natalie reached out, placing her hand over Dominic’s on the stone rail. "Thank you, Dom. For coming back before dawn. For protecting Noah."

"I made a promise to Catherine," Dominic said softly. "And I made a promise to you. Mercer blood stays on the hill."