Chapter 11 - BLOODLINES
Clara couldn’t speak.
Her mother’s words made no sense.
Julian was fifty.
Clara was twenty-seven.
It was possible.
But Vanessa said Richard was her father.
Richard’s video said Richard was her father.
“Mom, are you sure?”
June’s expression twisted.
“I wish I wasn’t.”
Marcus sat down slowly.
“Then why did my father claim Clara was his daughter?”
“To protect her.”
“From Julian?”
June nodded.
She began telling the story.
At twenty-two, she had worked as Richard’s assistant.
Julian was already close to the Blackwood family because his adoptive father did business with Richard.
Julian became obsessed with June.
At first he was charming.
Then controlling.
When she tried to leave him, he became violent.
Clara and Derek were conceived during that relationship.
Richard helped June escape.
He publicly allowed rumors of an affair because if Julian believed the children were Richard’s, he might leave them alone.
But Julian learned the truth years later.
“He wanted Derek,” June whispered. “He said a son could be useful.”
Clara felt sick.
“So Richard arranged the adoption?”
“To hide him.”
“And me?”
“I kept you.”
June began crying.
“I changed towns. Changed jobs. Changed everything.”
Marcus asked, “How did you end up here?”
“Julian found us.”
Clara remembered the car crash from six years ago.
The crash that supposedly killed her mother.
June survived.
Julian arranged false identification.
Dr. Grant signed psychiatric paperwork.
And Clara buried an empty casket.
Clara stood abruptly.
“I’m going to kill him.”
Marcus caught her arm.
“No.”
“He stole nineteen years from her.”
“I know.”
“He stole my brother.”
“I know.”
“He murdered Elena.”
Marcus’s face changed.
“I know.”
For a second, neither spoke.
Then Leo called Marcus.
“Dad?”
“What is it?”
“Where are you?”
“With Clara.”
“Come home.”
Marcus heard something in his voice.
“Leo?”
A pause.
“There’s someone here.”
Marcus stood.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Where’s security?”
“They’re downstairs.”
“Lock your door.”
“I did.”
A knock sounded through the phone.
Leo whispered, “Dad…”
Marcus’s blood froze.
Another knock.
Then Vanessa’s voice came through the phone.
“Leo? Open up. It’s me.”
Marcus exhaled.
“Leo, it’s okay. Let Vanessa in.”
Leo unlocked the door.
Then screamed.
The line went dead.
Marcus called back.
Nothing.
He dialed security.
A guard answered.
“Mr. Blackwood, Vanessa never returned to the house.”
Marcus stared at Clara.
“Then whose voice did Leo hear?”
June suddenly stood.
For the first time, she looked fully alert.
“Julian can mimic voices.”
Clara looked at her.
“What?”
“He used recordings. He used them on me.”
Marcus was already running.
His phone buzzed.
A video arrived.
Leo sat tied in the back seat of a car.
Beside him was Julian.
He smiled into the camera.
“Last chance, Marcus.”
Then he held up the gold ring.
The real ring.
Marcus looked at his empty pocket.
He had never noticed it was gone.
Julian continued.
“Bring me the Blackwood trust documents by midnight.”
He smiled.
May you like
“Or this time, your son doesn’t come home.”
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