Chapter 8 - The Truth About JulianJulian stood in the doorway.
No anger.
No arrogance.
Only exhaustion.
I stared at him.
“You're my brother.”
His face tightened.
“Half-brother.”
My mother began crying.
Julian looked at her.
“You should have told her years ago.”
She shook her head.
“I was protecting her.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“You were protecting yourself.”
He stepped into the room.
I backed away.
“Don’t come near me.”
He stopped.
“I won’t.”
For the first time since I met him, he sounded honest.
“I never intended to marry you.”
I almost laughed.
“That’s supposed to make me feel better?”
“No.”
He swallowed.
“Because I did.”
“You lied to me.”
“Yes.”
“You used me.”
“Yes.”
“You humiliated me.”
His face twisted.
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because Victoria is about to kill you.”
Silence.
My mother closed her eyes.
“What did she do?”
Julian looked at her.
“She knows about the trust.”
My mother whispered:
“She shouldn’t.”
“She does.”
Julian turned toward me.
“And she knows where the original documents are.”
“I don’t.”
“Yes, you do.”
I frowned.
“You think I know?”
“Your father hid them somewhere only you could access.”
I thought of my childhood.
The old house.
My father’s study.
The piano.
The library.
Then I remembered something.
A sentence he used to repeat.
Some things are safest where nobody thinks to look.
I whispered:
“The blue piano.”
Julian’s eyes widened.
“You know?”
“My father taught me to play on it.”
He nodded.
“There’s a compartment.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I helped him build it.”
I looked at him.
“What exactly is inside?”
“The original trust deed.”
“And?”
“A ledger.”
“What ledger?”
“The ledger proving Blackstone stole billions.”
My stomach dropped.
“That’s why Victoria wants it.”
“Yes.”
I stared at him.
“So why did you marry me?”
He looked down.
“Because Victoria forced me.”
“How?”
“She threatened to expose my father.”
I frowned.
“Your biological father?”
He nodded.
“He is alive too.”
I stared.
“Where?”
“In federal custody.”
My mother covered her face.
Julian continued.
“Victoria used him to control me for years.”
“And the wedding?”
“She told me I had one job.”
“To marry me.”
“And get the trust.”
I looked at him.
“And when you failed?”
His eyes darkened.
“She would destroy everyone.”
A voice came from the hall.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t mention one important detail.”
Victoria entered the room.
My stomach turned.
She held a gun.
My mother froze.
Julian moved in front of me.
Victoria smiled.
“You see, Elena, Julian was always useful.”
She lifted the gun.
“But he was never essential.”
May you like
Her eyes met mine.
“You are.”
