Chapter 3 - THE MAN BESIDE THE WHITE CAR
Julian paced across the penthouse kitchen.
“You’ve built an entire conspiracy from a few seconds of blurred footage.”
“It isn’t blurred.”
“I met Alexander because he summoned me.”
“At midnight?”
“He wanted privacy.”
“And Daniel Cross?”
Julian stopped.
“You can’t prove Daniel was there.”
Elena changed the camera angle.
A second recording showed Daniel stepping from the white sedan and handing Julian a small metal case. Julian carried it toward Alexander’s car.
For the first time, genuine panic appeared in his face.
“That file was deleted.”
“You deleted the company copy.”
Julian lunged toward the laptop.
Elena stood, forcing the chair backward between them.
“Touch it and the police receive everything automatically.”
He froze.
The room remained silent except for his uneven breathing.
“What was in the case?” Elena asked.
Julian’s jaw tightened.
“A diagnostic tool.”
“For the brakes?”
“Your father’s car had been malfunctioning.”
“But you never mentioned that during the investigation.”
“Because it had nothing to do with the accident.”
Elena lifted the leather folder he had brought.
“These documents are backdated.”
“They are standard corporate agreements.”
“They claim I approved the transfer two weeks before my father died.”
Julian looked at the pages, realizing she had noticed the altered date.
Alexander’s death had left Elena with sixty-one percent of the company. If Julian could establish that she agreed to transfer those shares before inheriting them, he could argue the transaction remained legally binding.
The forgery would also give him control before investigators reopened the financial audit.
“You planned this before he died,” Elena said.
Julian’s voice became harder.
“Your father was going to destroy everything we built.”
“He discovered you were stealing.”
“He was going to blame me for Daniel’s decisions.”
“Daniel worked for you.”
“He worked for your father.”
Elena watched him carefully.
“You didn’t intend for the car to go through the barrier, did you?”
Julian said nothing.
“You only meant to frighten him. Make him miss the board meeting. Maybe put him in the hospital long enough to finish the transfer.”
“Stop.”
“But Daniel changed more than you agreed.”
“I said stop.”
“You tampered with the brakes, and then you lost control of what happened.”
Julian slammed both hands against the marble island.
“He was supposed to survive!”
The words echoed through the penthouse.
Elena did not move.
Julian seemed to hear his own confession only after the silence returned.
His face drained of color.
“You provoked me.”
“You just admitted it.”
“I admitted nothing.”
“You said he was supposed to survive.”
Julian pointed toward her. “Daniel caused the crash. I only wanted Alexander delayed.”
“You opened the hood.”
“Because Daniel told me which cable to disconnect.”
“And when my father died, you covered it up.”
“I protected us!”
“You protected the money you stole.”
Julian’s phone began vibrating inside his jacket. He ignored it.
Elena’s laptop displayed a new notification: AUDIO UPLOAD COMPLETE.
Julian saw it.
“Who is listening?”
May you like
Elena looked toward the small black speaker beside the window.
“Everyone who matters.”
