Chapter 3 - The Shadow of the Past
VIRAL HOOK: "The Dead Wife’s Sister Arrived, and Her First Words Exposed a Deadly Lie..."
"Get out of my house, Evelyn," Julian said, his voice dangerously calm.
Evelyn laughed, a dry, cold sound. "Oh, Julian. You always think you’re in control. But you forget, I still own thirty percent of Vance Enterprises. And more importantly, I have a duty to protect my nieces from a low-life criminal."
She stepped closer to Isabelle, her eyes scanning her contemptuously. "You think you’re safe here, Isabelle? You think this brooding billionaire saved you out of the goodness of his heart? Ask him. Ask him why he was really at Platform 7 that night."
Isabelle looked from Evelyn to Julian. Julian’s jaw was clenched so tightly a muscle twitched in his cheek. He didn't look at her.
"What is she talking about, Julian?" Isabelle asked, a cold dread pooling in her stomach.
"He knew you would be there," Evelyn mocked, crossing her arms. "Julian’s security team has been tracking Derek’s movements for months. They knew Derek had abandoned you at that station after stripping you of everything. Julian didn't rescue you because his daughters saw you. He rescued you because you are the ultimate bait."
Isabelle felt the ground slip out from beneath her. "Bait?"
"Derek is greedy," Evelyn explained, stepping closer. "Julian knew that if he took you in, dressed you up, and put you by his side, Derek wouldn't be able to resist coming back to finish the job—and to get to Julian’s money through you. You’re just a tethered goat, darling. Waiting for the tiger to bite."
Isabelle stumbled back, her heart breaking. She looked at Julian. "Is this true? Did you use me? Did you use your own daughters' grief to make it look real?"
Julian closed his eyes for a brief second. When he opened them, the cold, emotionless billionaire was back. "It was the fastest way to draw Derek out. He has the offshore accounts containing my late wife's stolen fortune. I needed him back in the country."
"You lied to me," Isabelle whispered, tears finally spilling over her cheeks. "You let me believe... you let your daughters believe..."
"My daughters love you, Isabelle. That part was not planned," Julian said, his voice cracking slightly. "But I have to find the man who destroyed my family. I have to."
"And you will," Evelyn interrupted, a strange, triumphant gleam in her eyes. "In fact, you won't have to wait long. I’m hosting the annual Vance Charity Gala tomorrow night at my estate. And I’ve invited a very special guest. A foreign investor who has just acquired a massive stake in our shipping division."
Evelyn leaned in, her whisper venomous. "His name is Christian Drake. But I think you, Isabelle, know him by a much sweeter name."
Evelyn turned on her heel and walked out, her laughter echoing down the hallway.
Isabelle stood frozen. Derek was here. He was in the city, operating under a new alias, and he was working with Evelyn to take down Julian.
Julian turned to Isabelle, his face pale. "Isabelle, I am sorry. I didn't want you to find out this way. But we have to play the hand we are dealt. Tomorrow night, you will come with me to the gala. We will face him together."
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"And if I refuse?" Isabelle asked, her voice hollow.
Julian looked at her, his eyes filled with a desperate, hidden pain. "If you refuse, Derek wins. He keeps your freedom, my wife's legacy, and our lives. Please, Isabelle. Help me end this."
