Chapter 5 - My Husband Answered My Lawyer
I stopped breathing.
Julian held my phone to his ear as if Peter had called him directly.
"Yes," Julian said. "She's still here."
My stomach turned.
I crossed the foyer.
"Give me the phone."
He stepped away.
Peter said something I couldn't hear.
Julian's expression tightened.
"No. Dad showed up."
Another pause.
"Tonight."
Arthur stared at him.
Evelyn whispered, "Julian."
He turned his back.
"Peter, I said I'll handle it."
I lunged for the phone.
Julian grabbed my wrist with his free hand.
"Let go!"
Peter's voice suddenly came through the speaker.
"Sophia?"
I shouted, "Peter, what the hell is going on?"
Julian ended the call.
Silence.
I looked at the man I'd trusted with my father's estate for eleven years.
Not in person.
Not yet.
But suddenly I saw every Christmas card, every tax meeting, every birthday email differently.
"How long have you been talking to him?" I asked Julian.
He slid my phone into his tuxedo pocket.
"You're in no condition to have this conversation."
"How long?"
Evelyn stepped between us.
"You're making yourself hysterical."
I stared at her.
Then I laughed.
"I see it now."
Her eyes narrowed.
"See what?"
"You need me to look unstable."
Julian didn't react.
That confirmed it.
"If I refuse to sign something, I'm hysterical. If I find a forged document, I'm confused. If you assault me, suddenly I'm drunk."
Evelyn's expression hardened.
Arthur murmured, "Sophia."
But I was looking only at Julian.
"Was that the plan tonight?"
"No."
"Then tell me the plan."
He smiled faintly.
"I don't owe you anything."
"You married me four hours ago."
"Exactly."
The word was soft.
Cold.
Final.
Arthur's head lifted.
"What does that mean?"
Julian looked at his father.
"You really don't know?"
Evelyn said, "Enough."
Julian laughed.
"He's the one who started this."
"Julian."
"What?" He turned on her. "She has the page. Peter knows. Dad's here. You think this is still going according to plan?"
Evelyn grabbed his arm.
"Stop talking."
I saw panic beneath her anger.
And for the first time, I understood something important.
Evelyn knew more than Julian.
Julian knew more than me.
But neither of them knew exactly what Arthur knew.
That gap was the only power I had.
I stepped toward Julian.
"Give me my phone."
"No."
I held his gaze.
"If I'm as unstable as you say, you should want evidence of everything I'm doing."
His smile disappeared.
Arthur almost smiled.
Then Julian grabbed my upper arm.
"Come with me."
I resisted.
"Where?"
"Upstairs."
"No."
He pulled harder.
Arthur moved toward us.
Julian snapped, "Stay out of this."
"You assaulted her."
"My wife."
The words made my skin crawl.
I twisted my arm free.
"I'm not property."
Julian caught me again.
This time he dragged me toward the side staircase.
Evelyn opened the guest suite door.
I realized what they were doing.
"No."
Julian shoved me inside.
I spun around.
"Arthur!"
He reached the doorway.
Evelyn stepped in front of him.
Julian slammed the door.
The lock clicked.
I threw myself against it.
"Open this door!"
Julian's voice came through the wood.
"Calm down."
"Give me my phone!"
"Sleep it off."
I pounded the door.
"Julian!"
His footsteps moved away.
Evelyn's followed.
Then Arthur's voice came faintly through the door.
"Sophia."
I pressed my ear against the wood.
"Arthur?"
"The camera backup."
"What about it?"
A pause.
Then he whispered, "The second drive is behind the portrait in my study."
My heart kicked.
"How do I get there?"
"The old service corridor connects the guest rooms."
I turned.
The room was dark except for moonlight through the window.
I searched the walls.
"Where?"
"Behind the wardrobe."
Footsteps returned outside.
Arthur lowered his voice.
"Don't trust Peter."
Then Julian said from the hallway, "Dad, who are you talking to?"
Silence.
I heard a scuffle.
Arthur cursed.
Evelyn said, "Take him to his room."
I moved toward the wardrobe.
My hands shook as I pulled at the heavy furniture.
It barely shifted.
Then I heard something behind it.
A faint vibration.
A phone.
Not mine.
I shoved harder until a narrow gap opened.
There was a service door.
And on the floor behind it was a black cell phone.
The screen lit up with an incoming message.
I picked it up.
The preview showed five words.
SHE STILL HAS THE FORGED PAGE.
The sender was saved under one name.
May you like
PETER.
📖 Find out whose hidden phone was receiving Peter's messages—and why it had been left behind the locked guest suite in CHAPTER 6. 👇
