Chapter 9 - JULIAN’S LETTER

I read his letter.

Not because he deserved it.

Because I wanted answers.

Sophia,

I knew who you were before I met you.

There it was.

No excuses.

My mother wanted access to your father. I agreed to meet you.

Then:

I expected you to be spoiled.

You weren’t.

I expected not to care.

I did.

He described first date.

Things only we knew.

Then:

I should have told you then.

Correct.

I didn’t because I was afraid you would leave.

Then Dad went to Switzerland.

Evelyn realized communication disruption could isolate me.

Julian participated.

Then came fake death.

He wrote:

That was the moment I became someone I don’t recognize.

I disagreed.

People don’t become strangers in one moment.

They make choices.

Again and again.

Then:

I watched you cry for your father and still didn’t tell you.

That is the worst thing I did before wedding night.

Maybe.

Then he explained wedding-night attack.

He opened envelope.

Saw trust changed.

Realized Dad had suspected him.

Evelyn told him everything was lost.

He drank.

I asked why he was acting strange.

Argument escalated.

He called me useless.

I slapped him.

That detail I remembered.

Then he grabbed me.

Then spray.

He wrote:

Nothing you did caused what I did.

Important.

True.

Then final paragraph:

I loved you. I also used you. Both are true, and I understand if that makes the first sentence meaningless to you.

It did.

For then.

I folded letter.

Dad asked:

“How do you feel?”

“Stupid.”

“No.”

“I married him.”

“You were deceived.”

“I missed things.”

“Everyone misses things when someone they love is deliberately creating another reality.”

I cried.

Then Dad said:

“Don’t turn his dishonesty into your shame.”

That helped.

Not immediately.

But eventually.

Then attorney called.

Evelyn wanted deal.

She would provide complete financial records.

In exchange, she wanted Julian protected as much as possible.

Even now.

After everything.

Her entire life still revolved around saving her son from consequences she helped create.

But Julian surprised everyone.

He refused her help.

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For first time in his life—

he stopped letting Evelyn rescue him.