Chapter 4 - The Fortune Julian Wanted To Steal
I always knew Julian loved money.
Everyone did.
He built his reputation around it.
But I never believed he would choose money over his own child.
Until that night.
The FBI agents explained the investigation.
Months before the baby shower, Julian had created documents designed to remove my control over my family trust.
A trust my father created before he died.
A trust Julian could never access.
Unless I was declared unable to manage it.
Unless he could prove I was unstable.
The baby shower was supposed to be the final performance.
A public humiliation.
A way to make me look emotional and unreliable.
Arthur looked uncomfortable.
Beatrice looked away.
They knew.
They all knew.
“You helped him,” I said.
Beatrice whispered:
“We thought it was temporary.”
Temporary.
That word almost broke me.
My pain was temporary to them.
My fear was temporary.
My daughter being used as a weapon was temporary.
Julian stepped closer.
“You don’t understand the pressure I was under.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
My voice was calm.
“You don’t understand what you did.”
The agent interrupted.
“Mr. Vance, there is one more issue.”
Julian looked over.
A photograph was placed on the table.
It showed Julian meeting someone.
Someone from inside my family.
Someone who had provided information about my trust.
I stared at the picture.
Because I recognized the person immediately.
May you like
My own brother.
📖 Chapter 5 reveals the family betrayal behind Julian’s plan and why Clara’s brother helped bring down her marriage. 👇
