Chapter 7: The Man Who Thought He Owned Everything
Julian's footsteps moved slowly across the hardwood floor.
Not rushed.
Not nervous.
Slow.
That was the first thing I noticed.
A person who had just been exposed should have been panicking.
They should have been yelling.
Explaining.
Making excuses.
Julian did none of those things.
He walked through my mother's house like he still belonged there.
Like nothing had changed.
Like he was the one in control.
My mother grabbed my arm.
"Natalie.""
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"He knows.""
I looked at her.
"Good.""
She shook her head.
"No.""
I frowned.
"What?""
Her eyes filled with fear.
"You don't know how he reacts when he feels cornered.""
That sentence made me stop.
Because my mother wasn't afraid of confrontation.
She had survived things I couldn't imagine.
She raised two daughters alone.
She worked through illness.
She rebuilt her life after my father walked away.
My mother was not afraid of difficult people.
But she was afraid of Julian.
And that told me everything.
I stepped in front of her.
"Stay here.""
"Natalie.""
"Mom.""
She looked at me.
"I'm not letting him scare you anymore.""
I walked out of the bedroom.
Julian was standing at the bottom of the stairs.
His hands were in his pockets.
His expression was calm.
Almost friendly.
That made it worse.
"Where's Khloe?"" I asked.
He smiled slightly.
"Interesting.""
"What?""
"You don't ask how I am.""
I stared at him.
"Where's Khloe?""
"She went for a drive.""
"Why?""
"Because she was upset.""
I almost laughed.
"Upset?""
I walked down the stairs.
"Your wife is upset because I found out you were trying to take my mother's house?""
His expression didn't change.
"You need to be careful with accusations.""
"I need to be careful?""
"Yes.""
He stepped closer.
"You're emotional.""
There it was.
The same tactic.
Make me angry.
Make me seem unreasonable.
Make everyone forget what he had done.
I looked at him.
"I'm not emotional.""
He smiled.
"You flew across the world, came into this house, changed the locks, and threatened your family.""
"I protected my mother.""
"You humiliated us.""
I stared.
"Humiliated you?""
"Yes.""
He pointed toward the upstairs hallway.
"You made your sister feel like a criminal.""
I shook my head.
"No.""
I stepped closer.
"Your actions made her look like one.""
His jaw tightened.
For the first time, his calm expression slipped.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
"You have no idea what happened here.""
"Then explain.""
He was silent.
"Go ahead.""
I crossed my arms.
"Tell me why my mother signed documents transferring control of her home.""
His face hardened.
"She didn't transfer control.""
"Then what did she do?""
"She made arrangements.""
"With your company?""
Silence.
That was all I needed.
I already knew.
But I wanted him to say it.
I wanted him to hear himself.
"You created a company using your address.""
He looked at me.
"Where did you hear that?""
"Answer the question.""
"You've been talking to people.""
I smiled.
"That's usually what people do when they discover someone is hiding something.""
He walked toward the kitchen.
"You don't understand business.""
"No.""
I followed him.
"I understand family.""
He stopped.
"You think I don't care about Martha?""
I almost couldn't believe what I heard.
"You call her Martha now?""
His face changed slightly.
"What?""
"My mother.""
I emphasized the words.
"Not Martha.""
He looked away.
"That's what she prefers.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"That's what you prefer.""
He turned back.
"You're trying to paint me as a monster.""
"I don't have to.""
The room went quiet.
"The things you did are doing that for you.""
He laughed once.
A bitter sound.
"You really think you're the hero here.""
"No.""
I looked at him.
"I'm the daughter who came home.""
Something changed in his expression.
A flicker of anger.
Then something colder.
"You should ask your mother what happened before you left.""
I froze.
"What does that mean?""
He smiled.
"Ask her why she didn't tell you everything.""
My stomach tightened.
"What are you talking about?""
"She told you about the money.""
"Yes.""
"She told you about the documents.""
"Yes.""
"Did she tell you about the debt?""
I stared at him.
"What debt?""
He looked satisfied.
Like he had been waiting to use that word.
"The house wasn't the only thing she was struggling with.""
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know.
And he knew I didn't know.
"You don't know everything, Natalie.""
I hated that he was right.
But I hated more that he was using it.
"What debt?""
He walked toward the counter and poured himself a drink.
"Your mother had medical bills.""
I frowned.
"She never told me.""
"Exactly.""
"How much?""
He took a sip.
"Enough.""
I stared.
"How much?""
He looked at me.
"About $40,000.""
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Not because of the amount.
Because of the possibility.
My mother would hide pain.
She always did.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
Julian shrugged.
"Maybe because she knew you would come running.""
I looked at him.
"And you used that.""
"No.""
"You used her fear of burdening me.""
His silence answered.
I turned toward the stairs.
"Mom.""
She was standing there.
She had heard everything.
Her face was pale.
"Is it true?""
She looked down.
"Natalie...""
"Is it true?""
Slowly, she nodded.
I felt my chest tighten.
"Why?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Because you were finally happy.""
I stared.
"What?""
"You called me from Dubai and you sounded so proud.""
Her voice shook.
"You told me about your promotion. You told me you were finally doing well.""
She wiped her cheek.
"I couldn't call you and say I was drowning.""
I walked toward her.
"Mom.""
"I thought I could handle it.""
She looked at Julian.
"Then he offered to help.""
My eyes moved back to him.
"With what?""
Julian answered.
"The medical debt.""
I looked at him.
"By taking control of everything?""
"I helped solve a problem.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"You found a vulnerable person and made yourself necessary.""
His expression darkened.
"Careful.""
"No.""
My voice became steady.
"I finally understand.""
I looked at my mother.
"They didn't take the house first.""
She looked confused.
"What?""
"They took your confidence.""
The silence that followed was heavy.
Because everyone knew it was true.
Julian had not forced his way into my mother's life.
He had slowly convinced her that she needed him.
Then he used that need.
My phone buzzed.
I looked down.
A message from my attorney.
I opened it.
The first sentence made my blood run cold.
We found the original transfer agreement.
I read the next line.
The signature appears to be valid.
My heart stopped.
I looked at my mother.
"Mom.""
She looked terrified.
"What?""
I swallowed.
"The signature is real.""
She covered her mouth.
"No.""
Julian smiled faintly.
I noticed.
And that scared me.
Because he wasn't surprised.
He knew.
My attorney sent another message.
This time, it contained an attachment.
I opened it.
A scanned document appeared.
At the bottom were two signatures.
My mother's.
And another.
A witness signature.
I zoomed in.
Then I froze.
Because I recognized the name.
I looked up at Julian.
My voice barely came out.
"Who is this?""
He said nothing.
I held up the phone.
"Why is your name on my mother's transfer agreement?""
The calm disappeared.
Finally.
For the first time all night, Julian looked afraid.
And then the front door opened.
Khloe walked in.
She saw my face.
She saw the phone in my hand.
Then she whispered:
"You found it.""
I stared at my sister.
"Found what?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"The reason I couldn't stop him.""
The room went silent.
Because for the first time since I came home...
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Khloe didn't look like someone defending Julian.
She looked like someone who had been trapped too.
