Chapter 7 - The Man Behind Me
I turned.
Victoria stood behind me.
Her face was pale.
Julian saw her.
“Victoria?”
She raised both hands.
“It isn't me.”
The phone remained against my ear.
Andrew's voice whispered:
“Don't trust her.”
I looked at Victoria.
She looked at me.
Then the call ended.
Julian stared.
“What did he say?”
I couldn't answer.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Give me the phone.”
I didn't.
“Claire.”
“No.”
Her expression broke.
“I know what Andrew said.”
“How?”
“Because I've heard that recording before.”
Julian looked at her.
“You spoke to Andrew.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
Victoria swallowed.
“The night you crashed.”
Julian stared.
“Why?”
“Because Andrew called me.”
“And?”
“He told me someone was coming for you.”
“Who?”
“I never found out.”
Julian's eyes hardened.
“You lied to me.”
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“By letting me believe my father betrayed me?”
Victoria began crying.
“Your father did betray you.”
Julian went silent.
“But he wasn't the one who ordered the accident.”
“Then who?”
Victoria looked at me.
“Your mother.”
The words seemed impossible.
Julian's face emptied.
“My mother died.”
“No.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“Your mother survived.”
“Where?”
Victoria hesitated.
“Here.”
A noise came from the warehouse roof.
Gabriel returned.
“Everyone out.”
He looked at Victoria.
“You were followed.”
“How many?”
“Three.”
We escaped through the rear exit.
Outside, the marina was empty.
Julian's wheelchair moved over the wooden dock.
The boathouse waited ahead.
Claire saw movement inside.
Someone had left the door open.
Julian stopped.
“That's a trap.”
Gabriel nodded.
“Definitely.”
Then Julian looked at me.
“But Andrew called.”
I understood.
He wasn't afraid of the trap.
He was afraid of losing his brother-in-law—no, his friend.
We entered.
A projector switched on.
A video appeared.
Andrew sat in a chair.
Alive.
Older.
Tired.
Claire stepped forward.
“Andrew?”
His eyes lifted.
He looked directly into the camera.
“If Claire is watching this, it means I failed.”
Julian moved closer.
Andrew continued.
“Julian, if you're alive, listen carefully.”
The image flickered.
“The people who caused your accident were not trying to kill you.”
Julian stared.
“They wanted you to remember.”
The video stopped.
A second clip started.
Julian's father appeared.
He was speaking to someone off-camera.
“I can't let him know the truth.”
A woman's voice answered.
“He already knows.”
Julian whispered:
“Mother.”
The woman stepped into frame.
Her face was older.
But unmistakable.
Elena Vescari.
Alive.
Then she said:
“Julian is not my son.”
The screen went black.
Julian stopped breathing.
Behind us, the boathouse door locked itself.
May you like
A voice came from the darkness.
“Now you finally know.”
