Chapter 6 - WHERE DID YOU HIDE HER?
The ballroom had become a battlefield.
People were standing.
Phones were recording.
Julian's partners were arguing in whispers.
Victoria was crying.
The wedding coordinator had disappeared.
Someone had called security.
And Noah was still standing beside the microphone.
But none of that mattered to me.
I was staring at Julian.
At the photograph in my hand.
At the words written across the back.
ASK YOUR EX-HUSBAND WHERE HE HID HER.
"Where did you hide her?"
I said it loudly.
The ballroom went quiet again.
Julian looked at me.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
I held up the photograph.
"Then explain this."
His eyes moved to the picture.
For one second, he looked confused.
Then terrified.
Not surprised.
Terrified.
That was the moment I knew.
He knew exactly who the man was.
And exactly what the photograph meant.
"Claire," he whispered.
"Who is he?"
Julian looked toward the doors.
Someone was missing.
Evelyn.
She had disappeared.
Victoria noticed it too.
"Where did she go?"
Julian didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"Who is that man?"
Julian lowered his voice.
"Not here."
I laughed.
"Not here?"
I looked around the ballroom.
"Your wedding has just turned into a public investigation. I think we're well past 'not here.'"
One of his partners approached.
"Julian, we need to leave."
"No."
"Your firm is already receiving calls."
"I said no."
Another man whispered:
"The police are outside."
Julian looked at him.
Then at me.
Then at Noah.
His face hardened.
"Give me the drive."
Noah stepped backward.
"No."
Julian's voice became colder.
"Give it to me."
I moved between them.
"You will not speak to him like that."
Julian stared at me.
"You have no idea what you've done."
I almost smiled.
"That's funny."
He frowned.
"You spent three years telling me I was the problem."
I pointed toward the ballroom.
"Now everyone knows what you were hiding."
Victoria suddenly shouted:
"What account?"
Julian turned.
"Victoria—"
"What account did you put in Noah's name?"
He didn't answer.
She walked toward him.
"You told me there was nothing."
"Because there wasn't."
The room erupted again.
One of the lawyers behind him muttered:
"That's not true."
Julian turned sharply.
"What did you say?"
The lawyer looked pale.
"The trust exists."
Victoria froze.
"Trust?"
The lawyer swallowed.
"An irrevocable trust."
"For whom?"
He looked at Noah.
"For your son."
I felt dizzy.
Julian's face went white.
Victoria whispered:
"How much?"
Nobody answered.
Then the lawyer said:
"Approximately four-point-eight million dollars."
Silence.
I looked at Noah.
Four-point-eight million dollars.
In an account I didn't know existed.
In my son's name.
Julian had never mentioned it.
Not once.
I turned toward him.
"Where did that money come from?"
He didn't answer.
"Julian."
Nothing.
Then I saw something.
His eyes had moved toward the exit.
He was going to run.
I grabbed his sleeve.
"Where did you hide her?"
His body went rigid.
"What?"
"The woman in the photograph."
He looked at me.
Then whispered:
"She's dead."
I stared at him.
"Who?"
He shook his head.
"I never killed her."
My blood went cold.
"I didn't ask whether you killed her."
Julian said nothing.
I repeated:
"Who is she?"
He finally looked at Noah.
And whispered:
May you like
"Your mother."
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