Chapter 3 - Shadows of the Past
The gala arrived like a looming execution. Every flash of the paparazzi’s camera felt like a gavel hitting a desk. I held Julian’s arm, his grip firm and proprietary. To the world, I was the lucky girl who landed a billionaire. To me, I was a double agent in my own life.
Later that night, when Julian was occupied with a group of investors, I slipped away to his home office. I had seen him hide a thick manila folder there earlier—a file marked 'Project Reckoning.' I needed to know the extent of my father’s crimes.
The lock on the desk drawer was sophisticated, but I had watched Julian open it enough times to guess the sequence. Inside, I found files detailing illegal construction materials, bribery of city officials, and documents proving that my brother, Jaxson, had been laundering money for an underground syndicate.
My stomach churned. My family hadn't just collapsed due to bad luck; they were criminals. I held the evidence, my hands shaking. If I turned this in, I saved myself, but I destroyed my name.
“You shouldn't be here.”
I jumped, dropping the files. Julian stood in the doorway, his silhouette imposing against the light of the hallway. He didn't look angry; he looked disappointed, which was far worse.
“They’re monsters, aren't they?” I said, my voice trembling as I pointed to the papers.
Julian walked over, picking up a document. “I wasn't trying to destroy you, Felicia. I was trying to show you the truth so you would finally leave them. But you keep trying to justify their existence.”
“I’m not justifying them!” I cried, stepping toward him. “I’m trying to survive them! You think you’re the only one who has been hurt? My father and brother have treated me like a piece of property my entire life. I’ve been waiting for a reason to break free.”
He froze, his icy mask finally cracking. He reached out, his hand hovering over my cheek before he gently brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. The tension in the room snapped, shifting from cold hostility to a raw, aching intimacy.
“Then walk away with me,” he whispered. “Leave them to the fire they lit.”
At that moment, my phone rang—a notification from Jaxson. ‘We know who he really is, Felicia. If you don't bring us the access codes to his accounts tonight, we go to the press with the truth about his ‘fake’ illness. We’ll ruin him, and you’ll go down with him.’
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I looked at Julian, the man who had kidnapped me, but who had also shown me a version of truth I couldn't ignore. I held the phone out to him, my choice made.
“They’re coming for you, Julian,” I said steadily. “And I’m going to help you stop them.”
