Chapter 8 - Before Julian
The photograph had been taken outside a hotel in Boston.
Vanessa looked younger.
Maybe twenty-three.
Richard looked exactly as Julian remembered him from that period.
The two were walking together.
Not casually.
Richard’s hand rested at Vanessa’s lower back.
Claire stared at the photograph.
“She knew him before she knew you.”
Julian nodded.
Vanessa had told him they first met at a museum benefit two years earlier.
That was clearly a lie.
Julian asked security to pull every available file containing Vanessa’s name.
Two hours later, they found something.
Vanessa Cross had not always been Vanessa Cross.
Her birth name was Vanessa Bell.
Claire looked at Julian.
“Bell?”
Julian knew the name.
Everyone in Hale Industrial knew it.
Daniel Bell had founded Bellmont Engineering.
Twenty-five years earlier, Bellmont collapsed after a hostile acquisition battle.
Hale Industrial purchased its assets.
Daniel Bell lost everything.
Two years later, he died.
Julian opened an old newspaper archive.
Daniel Bell had one daughter.
Vanessa.
The photograph suddenly made sense.
But another question replaced it.
Why was Richard Vale meeting Daniel Bell’s daughter twelve years ago?
Julian called his private investigator, Marcus Reed.
Marcus had worked corporate intelligence before opening his own firm.
“I need everything on Vanessa Bell.”
Marcus was silent for a second.
“You mean Vanessa Cross?”
“You already know?”
Another pause.
“I ran a preliminary check before your engagement.”
Julian’s anger rose.
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“The records were legally changed.”
“Marcus.”
“I told Richard there were inconsistencies.”
Julian froze.
“You told Richard?”
“He was your family attorney.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Of course.
Every road led back to Richard.
“Find Emily Shore.”
“The paralegal?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll call you.”
Julian returned to Hale Manor near sunset.
Vanessa was sitting in the library.
A wedding planner had spread floral samples across the table.
She smiled when Julian entered.
“Eleven days.”
Julian sat across from her.
“Do you believe people can escape the past?”
Vanessa’s hand stopped over a bouquet.
“What kind of question is that?”
“A simple one.”
She smiled.
“Sometimes.”
Julian leaned back.
“What about Daniel Bell?”
The bouquet slipped from her fingers.
Only slightly.
But he saw it.
Vanessa recovered.
“I don’t know who that is.”
Julian smiled.
“Interesting.”
“Why?”
“Because his daughter looks exactly like you.”
Vanessa went completely still.
Then, to Julian’s surprise, she smiled.
Not the warm smile.
The other one.
The smile from the pool.
“So.”
May you like
She whispered.
“You finally started looking.”
