Chapter 12 - Security was doubled.My location was changed again.
The police warned that Julian might try to flee.
Instead, he did something more dangerous.
He appeared on television.
A local news station broadcast a story about a grieving husband being falsely accused by his estranged wife.
Julian called the allegations “fabricated.”
He said I was mentally unstable.
He claimed grief had made me suspicious.
He even cried on camera.
I watched in silence.
Millions of people would see a devastated husband.
Not a man who had planned everything.
But then the interviewer asked one question.
“Do you regret asking Clara to leave the home so soon after the funeral?”
Julian looked down.
Then he said:
“I was trying to protect her.”
Protect me.
The word made my stomach turn.
Then the segment ended.
Marcus entered the room.
“We found Ethan.”
I stood.
“Where?”
“Airport.”
My heart raced.
“Alive?”
“Yes.”
“Then arrest him.”
“We're trying.”
Ethan had been attempting to leave the country.
Police intercepted him before boarding.
But before they could question him, he demanded one thing.
A private meeting with me.
“No.”
Marcus agreed immediately.
“You don't owe him anything.”
But I knew Ethan possessed answers.
I went.
He was handcuffed at a table.
Older than he looked in the photographs.
Tired.
Not remorseful.
“You ruined everything,” he said.
“No.”
I sat down.
“You did.”
He laughed.
“You think Julian was in control?”
“What?”
“Julian was a pawn.”
My pulse quickened.
“Whose?”
Ethan stared at me.
“You still haven't figured out what your grandfather did.”
“My grandfather is dead.”
“Death doesn't erase debt.”
“What debt?”
Ethan leaned closer.
“Your grandfather stole the company.”
“No.”
“He destroyed Henry Cole.”
“He fought him legally.”
“He cheated.”
I slammed my hand on the table.
“You killed my son.”
Ethan went silent.
“I didn't say that.”
“You changed his medication.”
“I accessed the system.”
“Why?”
“To scare Julian.”
I froze.
“What?”
“Julian wanted Leo gone.”
“He told you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the boy had inherited rights.”
I stared at him.
“What rights?”
“Your grandmother's trust.”
My mind raced.
“Leo inherited something?”
“He was named successor.”
“To what?”
“The property.”
I shook my head.
“That makes no sense.”
Ethan smiled bitterly.
“Read your grandmother's original trust.”
“We have it.”
“No.”
He leaned back.
“You have a copy.”
My blood chilled.
“The original is still hidden.”
“Where?”
“In the house.”
My heart raced.
“Where?”
Ethan said:
“Beneath the floor.”
I remembered the basement.
The hidden archive.
“Anything else?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“Your husband never arranged the surgery.”
I stared.
“Then who did?”
Ethan looked directly into my eyes.
“Your uncle.”
Silence.
“My uncle is dead.”
“Officially.”
I couldn't speak.
Ethan's voice dropped.
“He isn't.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“What are you saying?”
“Alexander Sterling survived.”
I stared.
“That's impossible.”
“He disappeared thirty years ago.”
“Why?”
“Because your grandfather wanted him dead.”
My blood ran cold.
“Why?”
“Because Alexander discovered the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That your grandfather's company wasn't built legally.”
Ethan looked at me.
“He took money from people.”
“Whose money?”
“Everyone.”
I felt sick.
Then Ethan said something else.
“And your grandmother helped him hide it.”
I stood.
“No.”
“She regretted it.”
“No.”
“She spent the rest of her life trying to protect you.”
“Why didn't she tell me?”
“Because she knew someone would come.”
“Who?”
Ethan smiled.
“You already know.”
I stared at him.
“Who?”
He looked toward the glass wall.
A figure stood outside.
My heart stopped.
It was Julian.
He was not there to threaten Ethan.
He was there to watch me.
May you like
And when our eyes met through the glass...
he smiled.
