Chapter 11 - The Truth About Julian
Julian sat in silence.
For thirty-nine years, he had believed he was a Cross.
Now that identity was collapsing.
Noah explained that Elena had been pregnant before marrying Julian's father.
Her biological father was a man named Michael Grant.
A former attorney who had uncovered the same financial fraud.
Michael disappeared before Julian was born.
Elena had married Julian's father shortly afterward.
The Cross name became Julian's.
The fortune became his inheritance.
But the truth had been buried.
Ava looked at Julian.
“So you're not my brother.”
“No.”
The relief was complicated.
Neither of them celebrated.
There was too much pain.
Julian had spent his life believing he was his father's son.
Now he discovered he wasn't.
The man who raised him had lied.
The man who might have been his real father had vanished.
And the woman he had thought was his mother had died protecting secrets.
Lily sat quietly nearby.
She had lost her mother too.
For the first time, the three women connected by Elena's story sat together.
Ava reached for Lily's hand.
“We didn't deserve any of this.”
Lily squeezed it.
“No.”
Julian watched them.
Something softened in his face.
Then Marcus entered.
“There is one final file.”
Julian looked up.
“What?”
“Michael Grant.”
Marcus placed a sealed envelope on the table.
“He didn't disappear.”
Julian opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Michael stood beside Elena.
And beside them was a newborn baby.
Julian.
On the back was a date.
The day Julian was born.
But there was another photograph.
Michael holding a second infant.
Ava.
Julian stared.
“That means he knew about both of us.”
Marcus nodded.
“Michael was alive when Elena died.”
“Where is he?”
Marcus hesitated.
“He was in hiding.”
“For thirty-nine years?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked at Ava.
“Because Richard wasn't the only person hunting him.”
Julian stood.
“Who else?”
Marcus handed him another document.
A government-style report.
Michael Grant had been listed as deceased.
But the death certificate had been forged.
Julian stared at the signature.
He recognized it.
“No.”
Ava looked over.
“What?”
Julian's voice was barely audible.
“This signature belongs to my father's attorney.”
Marcus nodded.
“Exactly.”
Julian's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Then an older man's voice.
“Julian.”
Julian froze.
“Who is this?”
The man whispered:
“You have your mother's eyes.”
Julian's heart stopped.
“Michael?”
The line went silent.
Then the man spoke again.
“Don't trust the person standing beside you.”
Julian slowly looked around the room.
Ava.
Lily.
Marcus.
Noah.
Everyone was watching him.
May you like
Then the caller said one final sentence:
“He is already in the building.”
