Chapter 8 - Kendrick couldn't move.Julian stood beneath the broken church window.
Older.
Harder.
Alive.
“You died.”
Julian smiled.
“You watched me drown.”
“I saw your body.”
“No.”
Julian took one step forward.
“You saw our father's man throw a body into the lake.”
Kendrick's face went pale.
“Why didn't you come back?”
“Because you were safer believing I was dead.”
Willa watched the brothers.
“Why?”
Julian looked at her.
“Ask her.”
Kendrick turned.
“What does she have to do with this?”
Julian's expression softened.
“She is the reason I disappeared.”
Willa stared.
Julian explained.
Six years ago, he had discovered the Ashford syndicate was being manipulated by an international network.
The network wanted Penny.
Not for ransom.
For blood.
Penny was the last heir of a dynasty whose existence could destabilize several criminal empires.
Elena had taken the child to protect her.
Willa's family had helped.
Julian had joined them.
But someone betrayed them all.
Willa's mother.
“She sold us out,” Julian said.
Willa shook her head.
“No.”
“She believed she could control them.”
“She was protecting us.”
“She was protecting you.”
Julian pulled out a small box.
Inside was a second pendant.
Identical to Willa's.
“The real Willa wore this.”
Willa stared.
“Then who am I?”
Julian looked at her.
“You are her sister.”
Her entire identity collapsed.
“I told you.”
Julian nodded.
“You survived the fire.”
Willa shook her head.
“No. Barrett said my sister survived.”
“Barrett lied.”
Kendrick stepped between them.
“Why?”
“Because he was protecting the wrong woman.”
Julian looked at Kendrick.
“The woman you knew as Willa was actually someone else.”
Kendrick frowned.
“Who?”
Julian's eyes turned cold.
“Your wife's killer.”
Willa went numb.
“No.”
Julian continued.
“She used Willa's identity to infiltrate your family.”
Kendrick looked at Willa.
Everything suddenly fit.
Her strange knowledge.
Her courage.
Her ability to enter restricted areas.
The pendant.
The way Titan trusted her.
But then Penny walked into the church.
Everyone froze.
“Kendrick,” Julian said.
“You brought Penny?”
Kendrick turned.
“No.”
Penny stood alone.
“How?”
She walked toward Willa.
“I followed Mommy.”
Kendrick's heart stopped.
“Penny.”
The child looked at Julian.
“Uncle.”
Julian knelt.
She ran to him.
Kendrick stared.
“You know him?”
Penny nodded.
“He took me away the night Mommy died.”
Willa's eyes widened.
“You were there?”
Julian nodded.
“I carried her out.”
Kendrick stared.
“Then why did everyone say Elena died?”
Julian's expression darkened.
“Because the woman who died wasn't Elena.”
Silence.
Kendrick shook his head.
“No.”
Julian whispered:
“Elena escaped.”
The entire world seemed to freeze.
“She's alive?”
Julian didn't answer.
Instead, he looked at Willa.
“She has been waiting for you.”
Willa's throat tightened.
“Where?”
Julian smiled.
“Closer than you think.”
Then a woman stepped out from behind the church curtain.
Willa turned.
The woman pulled off her hood.
Same eyes.
Same face.
Only older.
Willa couldn't breathe.
Her sister was standing ten feet away.
May you like
And the first thing she said was:
“You stole my life.”
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