Chapter 6: The Confession
The running water from the faucet was the only sound in the kitchen as Julian’s promise hung in the air. Clara stared at the suds clinging to her trembling hands. Her brother, Leo, was everything. For three years, she had scrubbed floors and polished silver just to keep his heart medication stocked. Julian was offering a lifeline she couldn't refuse, but the fear of crossing Mara still paralyzed her.
"She... she told me once that she has people who can make problems disappear," Clara whispered, her voice barely carrying over the hum of the refrigerator.
Julian stepped fully into the room, his demeanor shifting from imposing CEO to a protector. "You are not a problem, Clara. You are under my protection now. Who was in the courtyard?"
Clara finally looked up, meeting his eyes. The sincerity she found there gave her the strength she needed. "It was Marcus Thorne. I saw his face clearly in the moonlight when she handed him the silver flash drive through the window."
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The name hit Julian like a physical blow. Marcus Thorne. His former mentor and business partner, the man who had tried to execute a hostile takeover five years ago before Julian ousted him. The realization that Mara had aligned herself with Marcus—that she might have been his asset all along—was a bitter pill that burned on the way down.
Julian took a slow, deep breath, nodding once. "Pack your things. A car will be at the back gate in twenty minutes."
