Chapter 9 - The Original Files
Leo opened the folder.
His mother stopped him.
“Let me.”
She took the phone.
Inside were photographs.
Contracts.
Bank statements.
Voice recordings.
And one video.
The date was seven years earlier.
Before Leo had been born.
Before Chloe.
Before the divorce conversations.
His mother looked at Julian.
“What is this?”
Julian said nothing.
She pressed play.
A younger Julian appeared on the screen.
He was sitting in an office with Richard Cole.
Richard was younger too.
The video had been recorded secretly.
Julian's voice was clear.
“If she ever discovers what we moved through the company, we're finished.”
Richard answered:
“She won't.”
Julian looked nervous.
“What about the trust?”
Richard smiled.
“That's why the divorce matters.”
The video ended.
The ballroom remained silent.
His wife stared at Julian.
Seven years.
The betrayal had begun before she even suspected anything.
But there was more.
Marcus looked at the file.
“That video was supposed to have been deleted.”
Julian turned toward him.
“How do you know?”
“Because I was the one who archived the original records.”
Julian’s expression hardened.
“You.”
Marcus nodded.
“I was scared.”
His wife asked:
“Scared of Julian?”
Marcus looked at her.
“No.”
He pointed toward the video.
“Richard.”
Everyone turned.
Marcus explained that Richard had been controlling the legal records for years.
He had convinced employees to destroy documents.
He had moved money.
He had created shell companies.
And Julian had trusted him.
Or perhaps Julian had needed him.
Then Leo found another file.
A photograph.
Richard standing beside Julian.
And beside them stood a third man.
His wife recognized him immediately.
“Who is that?”
Julian didn't answer.
Marcus did.
“Daniel Voss.”
“Who?”
“Richard's former business partner.”
Julian looked toward the ballroom entrance.
His face suddenly changed.
Daniel was standing there.
He had been watching the entire time.
May you like
👉 The man in the photograph had been listening from the shadows—and his presence suggested someone else knew exactly what Julian had done.
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