Chapter 14 - THE UNMASKING OF JULIAN
I slowly lifted my head, staring at Julian. The room felt suddenly devoid of oxygen.
"You knew," I whispered. "You’ve known about the blind trust for twenty-five years."
Julian’s face remained an unreadable mask, his gray eyes reflecting the warm amber light of the desk lamp.
"My father was your mother’s personal wealth manager, Emma," Julian explained smoothly. "When Arthur was injured in 1999, your mother couldn't hold the company alone against Katherine. She gave my father the voting rights to act as a shield. When my father passed away six years ago, those voting rights inherited to me."
"You held twenty-five percent of the voting power of this company all along," I said, my voice rising as the truth materialized. "When Nathan started losing money... when he forged my signature... when he went to Aegis Capital... you were watching every single step."
"I was waiting," Julian corrected coldly.
"Waiting for what?"
"Waiting for Nathan to destroy himself," Julian confessed, taking a step closer to the desk. "Nathan was my brother, but he was reckless, arrogant, and dangerous. He was going to bankrupt the family estate. I let him sign the agreements with Aegis because I needed him to commit a felony so severe that no lawyer could save him."
"You used me as bait," I said, tears of anger stinging my eyes. "You stood by while he struck me in that jewelry store! You knew he was going to hit me on camera, didn't you?"
"I knew Nathan’s temper," Julian admitted softly, showing the first crack in his stone veneer. "I was sitting in a car outside the store, Emma. If he had done anything worse, I would have walked in and put a bullet in his chest myself."
"Get out," I spat, pointing toward the door.
"Emma, listen to me—"
"GET OUT!" I screamed, slamming my hand onto the mahogany desk. "You are no different than Nathan or Celeste or Katherine! You all looked at my mother’s legacy like a carcass to be picked clean!"
Julian looked at me for a long, silent moment. He reached into his coat, pulled out a small black velvet box, and set it gently on the edge of the desk.
May you like
"Your mother left this with my father in 1999," Julian said quietly. "She told him to give it to you on your twenty-ninth birthday if the house ever caught fire. Tomorrow is Friday, Emma. Happy birthday."
He turned and walked out, closing the door behind him.
