Chapter 22 - DOMINIC
Dominic testified.
He looked thinner.
No wedding ring.
He began with Leo.
Birth.
NICU? No, don't add.
First words.
Favorite train.
How he learned Leo’s sensory patterns.
He knew his son.
That hurt.
Then diagnosis.
“I was scared.”
“Of what?”
“That life would be hard for him.”
Reasonable.
Then:
“I became angry that Clara seemed to accept it faster.”
I stared.
I had not.
I cried for weeks privately.
Not because Leo was less.
Because I feared the world.
Dominic interpreted my effort as acceptance and his panic as care.
Then Liam.
“I knew.”
“Why hide?”
“Cowardice.”
At least.
“Did Clara’s travel justify taking her money?”
“No.”
There.
“Did you believe marital funds could support Liam?”
“Yes.”
“Did you believe Clara would agree?”
“No.”
Then why false invoices?
“I wanted both families to stay intact.”
Impossible.
“What does that mean?”
“I wanted Clara not to know. I wanted Liam provided for. I wanted Brooke to stop threatening to tell. I wanted my mother satisfied. I wanted Leo’s expenses not to keep climbing.”
There.
Leo’s expenses.
As burden.
Then child treatment.
“Did you believe your mother’s plan was good?”
“At first, some of it.”
“Did you call Leo defective?”
“Yes.”
His voice broke.
“Why?”
“I wanted Clara to stop looking at me like I had failed him.”
That was odd.
Then clearer:
“I thought if the diagnosis was the problem, I didn’t have to admit my reaction was the problem.”
Good.
Prosecutor cross.
“Did you see your son under table while your mother pushed food to floor?”
“Yes.”
“Did you pick him up?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I thought confronting my mother would make scene.”
“Who was five?”
“Leo.”
“Who were you protecting from the scene?”
Silence.
“Myself.”
There.
Then finances.
“Did you knowingly label Liam’s school as Leo educational services?”
“Yes.”
“Did you knowingly approve fake therapy invoices?”
“Yes.”
“Did Clara authorize?”
“No.”
“Did you submit false Meridian expenses?”
“Yes.”
The defense case had become mitigation more than denial.
He admitted core financial conduct.
The jury still had to decide charges.
Then final question:
“Did you love Leo?”
“Yes.”
“Did loving him stop you from harming him?”
Dominic looked at me.
May you like
“No.”
That was perhaps the only honest answer available.
