Chapter 8 - WHY EVELYN CHOSE ME
It wasn’t because I was weak.
Evelyn chose me because she thought grief made me manageable.
Mother dead.
Father frequently traveling.
Private personality.
Few close relatives.
Financially connected but personally isolated.
Perfect.
She misunderstood one thing.
My relationship with Dad.
We argued.
Sometimes badly.
But we loved each other.
So she needed him removed emotionally.
Fake death solved that.
Then Evelyn’s assistant, Laura, cooperated.
She had conducted research believing it was due diligence for potential business relationship.
When Evelyn shifted to personal surveillance, Laura became uncomfortable.
She saved emails.
One read:
Sophia needs to trust Julian more than Charles.
Another:
Once Charles is out of picture, marriage should happen quickly.
Then:
Do not let her delay wedding.
I felt sick.
My wedding planning had felt strangely accelerated.
Venue suddenly available.
Dress appointment moved.
Julian insisted Dad would have wanted me to move forward.
Every obstacle mysteriously disappeared.
Because Evelyn was clearing them.
Then Laura gave us another email.
Julian to Evelyn:
Stop. I’ll handle Sophia.
Evelyn:
Then handle her.
That was two months before wedding.
I wanted to know context.
Laura had it.
Julian had suggested telling me truth.
At least part.
He wrote:
She deserves to know why we met.
Evelyn responded:
Tell her and lose everything.
Julian didn’t tell me.
That choice haunted me.
He had stood at crossroads.
He chose Evelyn.
Then Dad asked:
“Do you want to know everything?”
“Yes.”
“You sure?”
“No.”
But I needed it anyway.
We kept going.
Then discovered my engagement ring had been purchased using Vance Development corporate funds.
Improper expense.
Small compared with rest.
But emotionally devastating.
Even ring was transaction.
I removed wedding band in hospital.
Now I removed engagement ring too.
Placed both in evidence bag.
May you like
For first time since meeting Julian—
there was nothing on my body he had chosen.
