Chapter 9 - No More Masks
Vanessa stood and closed the library doors.
Julian remained seated.
For the first time since they met, she stopped pretending.
“My father built Bellmont from nothing.”
Julian watched her.
“He employed six thousand people.”
“He also committed accounting fraud.”
“That’s what your father told the world.”
“There were federal findings.”
“There were documents manufactured by men with expensive lawyers.”
Julian’s expression hardened.
“Richard?”
Vanessa laughed.
“You’re getting warmer.”
Julian stood.
“Did Richard recruit you?”
Vanessa walked toward the window.
“He found me after my father died.”
Julian felt a knot form in his chest.
“He paid for college.”
“Why?”
“Because guilt is expensive.”
Vanessa turned.
“Richard helped your father destroy mine.”
Julian’s mind raced.
“But my father said Richard betrayed him during the Bellmont acquisition.”
“He did.”
“Then why help you?”
“Because betrayal gets complicated.”
Julian stepped closer.
“Did you plan to kill my mother?”
Vanessa’s face remained calm.
“Martha fell.”
“I heard you.”
That was the moment the truth landed.
Vanessa’s confidence shattered.
Her face went pale.
“You were there?”
“Every word.”
Vanessa backed away.
Julian continued.
“You watched her drown.”
“She was ruining everything.”
“You pushed a seventy-eight-year-old woman into a pool.”
Vanessa’s breathing changed.
“She had no right.”
“No right to what?”
“To hide what your family did.”
Julian moved toward the door.
Vanessa grabbed his arm.
“You think Martha is innocent?”
Julian turned.
Vanessa’s eyes burned.
“She knew exactly what happened to my father.”
“Let go.”
“She signed papers.”
“Let go.”
“She helped bury him.”
Julian removed her hand.
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You still think this is about money.”
“What is it about?”
“Revenge.”
Julian stared at her.
Then Vanessa said something even worse.
“But Richard wants the money.”
Julian stopped.
Vanessa looked toward the study.
“He doesn’t care about Bellmont.”
“He never did.”
“He only cared about using me to get inside your family.”
Julian’s phone buzzed.
A message from Marcus.
FOUND EMILY SHORE.
SHE’S ALIVE.
SHE SAYS THE INSURANCE DOCUMENTS WERE FORGED.
Julian looked up.
Vanessa had already seen his expression.
“What happened?”
Julian slipped the phone into his pocket.
“Nothing.”
Vanessa studied him.
Then the front doors opened downstairs.
A man’s voice echoed through the mansion.
“Julian?”
May you like
Richard Vale had arrived.
And Vanessa’s face told Julian immediately that Richard was not supposed to be there.
