Chapter 26: Sour Grapes

Less than a month had passed since the scandal dominated the headlines. Within that same period, Dominic had moved back to the Sebastian Estate, back to his old, unrenovated room.

The public had already begun chasing the next controversy.

The business world hadn’t.

Dominic Sebastian refused to let the story die.

Every interview, magazine feature, and televised discussion pushed essentially the same narrative. Dominic was the obedient son who had sacrificed his own happiness for his family, the company, and everything expected of him as its heir.

According to the carefully crafted story, he had never intended to hurt Alexander.

He had simply been trapped.

One interview in particular spread quickly online.

The interviewer sat across from Dominic and Andrew, who had been introduced simply as the man Dominic had loved long before everything fell apart.

"Do you regret what happened?"

Dominic lowered his gaze.

"I regret that Alex was hurt. He didn’t deserve to find out the way he did."

"But you’ve said the engagement wasn’t entirely your choice."

A pause.

"My family needed the alliance."

Dominic glanced toward Andrew before continuing.

"And there were expectations. Alex and I grew up together, so I think everyone assumed getting married was simply the natural thing to do."

"What’s in it for Alexander Vance?"

Dominic gave a small, almost helpless smile.

"You’d have to ask him what was at stake if he didn’t marry me."

The interviewer raised a brow.

As if on cue, Andrew reached over and quietly took Dominic’s hand.

Dominic gave him a small smile.

"I tried to do what everyone expected of me for a long time," Dominic continued.

The interviewer looked toward their joined hands.

"And Andrew?"

Dominic’s expression softened.

"He was the person I chose for myself."

"What was it like being in love with someone engaged to another man?"

Andrew immediately shook his head.

"I never wanted to come between them. But the last two years have also been the happiest years of my life."

"Mine too," Dominic said, squeezing his hand.

Andrew looked at him before his expression became a little more troubled.

"I just wish Alex had eventually understood."

The interviewer turned toward him.

"Understood what?"

"That you can’t force someone to love you just because your families expect you to be together."

Dominic sighed.

"Andrew."

"What?" The blond looked almost distressed. "I don’t want to say anything bad about him. I know Alex must’ve had his reasons for holding on."

"Holding on?" the interviewer repeated.

Andrew seemed to realize how that sounded.

"I only mean... Dom had been unhappy for a long time."

Dominic gave his hand another reassuring squeeze.

"Alex and I had a lot of history. Sometimes history makes it difficult to admit that something isn’t working anymore."

"And yet Alexander apparently believed it was working well enough to marry you."

Neither man answered immediately.

The interviewer continued.

"He arrived at the Marriage Bureau before opening and remained there until closing. According to the records we’ve seen, the appointment was confirmed by both parties."

Dominic’s smile became noticeably tighter.

"I can’t speak for what Alex believed."

"But surely you can speak for what you told him."

A pause followed.

Andrew shifted beside him.

Dominic finally said, "Relationships are complicated."

"I’m sure they are. But whether you told your fiancé that your relationship was over before beginning another one seems considerably less complicated."

Silence.

For the first time since the interview began, Andrew’s carefully sympathetic expression faltered.

Only briefly.

"I think that’s a little unfair," he said quietly. "Dominic was under tremendous pressure. Alex is a very powerful man, and Vance Holdings was important to the Sebastian family."

The interviewer stared at him.

"Are you suggesting Alexander Vance used his company to force Dominic to remain in a romantic relationship?"

"Oh, no." Andrew immediately shook his head. "I would never accuse him of something like that."

Which was rather impressive, considering he’d practically just done exactly that.

"I only think," Andrew continued carefully, "that it can be difficult to walk away when the other person has so much to lose."

Dominic lowered his gaze.

"I’ve never wanted Alex portrayed as the villain."

"No," Andrew murmured. "Of course not."

The interviewer glanced between them.

"But the two of you have now suggested that Mr. Vance held on to a man who didn’t love him, benefited from the engagement, and may have made it difficult for Dominic to leave because of his corporate influence."

Dominic looked up.

"That isn’t what I said."

"Then perhaps you should clarify what you are saying."

Another silence.

Dominic eventually sighed.

"I cared about Alex. I still do. But perhaps we’d outgrown our feelings, and it was time to acknowledge that."

The interviewer nodded slowly.

"Did Alexander know you’d outgrown those feelings?"

Dominic didn’t answer.

"And did he know about Andrew?"

Again, nothing.

"But Alexander believed you were still in a relationship strongly enough to spend the entire day waiting for you."

This time, Dominic had an answer.

"Andrew had a medical emergency that day. I had to make a choice."

The interviewer frowned.

"Was there something preventing you from calling Alexander?"

Dominic’s expression stiffened.

Andrew quickly spoke.

"I actually encouraged Dom to go to the Marriage Bureau that day. I didn’t want Alex getting hurt because of me."

Dominic immediately turned toward him.

"Andrew."

"It’s true."

The blond gave him a fragile smile.

"But I also couldn’t keep asking you to sacrifice your own happiness."

Dominic’s expression softened.

"You never asked me to sacrifice anything."

"I know, but..."

Andrew lowered his gaze.

"I sometimes felt guilty. Like maybe if I weren’t there, Alex could’ve had the life he wanted."

"You can’t blame yourself for that."

"But he lost so much because of us."

Dominic shook his head.

"Alex made his own choices afterward."

The interviewer caught that immediately.

"Are you referring to Vance Holdings ending its alliance with Sebastian Group?"

Dominic hesitated.

"I just find the timing unfortunate."

"Unfortunate?"

"I don’t want to speculate about Alex’s motives."

Again, rather impressive considering that seemed to be exactly what he was doing.

"But," Dominic continued, "our personal relationship ended, and almost immediately afterward, Vance Holdings began distancing itself from Sebastian Group. People can draw their own conclusions."

Andrew looked uncomfortable.

"I just hope none of this was done because Alex was angry."

Dominic sighed.

"Andrew, don’t."

"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that."

The interviewer stared at the pair for a moment before setting down her notes.

"With respect, Mr. Sebastian, I think it’s important to point out that Mr. Vance has publicly described the withdrawal as a risk-management decision, and Vance Holdings has stated that all existing agreements are being reviewed according to their contractual terms."

"Of course," Dominic said.

"And considering the circumstances surrounding the end of your engagement, some might argue that reviewing the exposure between the two companies was simply responsible governance."

Dominic’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

"I suppose everyone is entitled to their interpretation."

"Indeed."

The interviewer glanced down at her notes.

"But Mr. Vance isn’t here to defend himself, so I think we should be careful about assigning motives to him that he hasn’t expressed himself."

Andrew’s lips pressed together.

Dominic merely nodded.

"That’s fair."

Except judging from his expression, he didn’t seem to find it particularly fair at all.

And just like that, Alexander Vance had somehow become the unwanted third person in a love story involving his own fiancé, while simultaneously being blamed for refusing to continue financially supporting the happy couple afterward.

Apparently, getting cheated on was one thing.

Having good sportsmanship about it was another.

Analysts sympathetic to Sebastian Group nevertheless questioned whether Alexander’s so-called risk management was anything more than revenge dressed in corporate language.

Other commentators went further, suggesting rival corporations had seized the opportunity to weaken Sebastian Group at its most vulnerable.

One company appeared repeatedly.

Mercer Group.

The headlines became increasingly sensational.

MERCER GROUP MOVES WHILE SEBASTIAN STUMBLES

IS THIS A CORPORATE TAKEOVER IN DISGUISE?

WHO BENEFITS MOST FROM THE COLLAPSE OF THE VANCE-SEBASTIAN ALLIANCE?

Dominic welcomed every article.

As long as people were talking about corporate maneuvering instead of his affair, he considered the campaign a success.

What few people understood was that Dominic’s resentment toward Giovanni Mercer hadn’t begun with Alexander.

It had begun years earlier.

Back when they were children.

Teachers praised Giovanni’s discipline. Classmates admired the quiet confidence that somehow never seemed to disappear whether he won or lost.

And unfortunately for Dominic, Giovanni won often—academic competitions, debates, and Student council elections.

Even outside the classroom, Giovanni had an irritating habit of being good at almost everything he bothered taking seriously.

Worse, he rarely celebrated for long.

He won, accepted whatever medal or certificate came with it, and moved on to whatever came next.

Somehow, that made losing to him even more irritating.

The one thing Dominic had eventually managed to claim for himself was Alexander’s attention.

Even that had come more through circumstance than triumph.

When the Mercer family left their old neighborhood to pursue opportunities elsewhere, the three boys naturally drifted apart. College eventually sent them down different paths, and for several years, their childhood friendship became little more than an occasional greeting.

Business brought them together again.

Unfortunately for Dominic...

So did competition.

Mercer Group expanded rapidly under Giovanni’s leadership.

Sebastian Group made the shortlist for enough major infrastructure projects, only for the final announcement to carry another familiar name.

Awarded to Mercer Group.

Not every project.

Just enough of the important ones to matter.

Every lost bid became another reminder that when Sebastian and Mercer competed directly, Giovanni was someone Dominic couldn’t afford to underestimate.

Then came Alexander.

For once, Dominic had something Giovanni didn’t.

He had believed becoming engaged to Alexander Vance was the one victory Giovanni could never take from him.

Now the engagement was gone. So was the ring. Dominic sent the family heirloom to Alex’s father.

And somehow...

Giovanni Mercer was standing beside Alexander again.