Chapter 12 - Julian’s OfferJulian did not deny it.
That hurt.
Celine waited until Bryce left.
Then she found her brother in the library downstairs.
“Three hundred thousand dollars.”
Julian closed his eyes.
“Hannah told you?”
“Bryce.”
Julian nodded once.
So it was true.
Celine stood across from him.
“You offered my fiancé three hundred thousand dollars to leave me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I was desperate.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Julian stood.
“I had the debt report. I had the property searches. I confronted Bryce. He said I was paranoid.”
“So you tried to buy him.”
“I tried to test him.”
Celine stared.
“People always say that when a test turns ugly.”
“I know.”
“What happened?”
Julian rubbed his hands together.
“I told him that if money was what he wanted, I’d give him three hundred thousand to walk away before the wedding.”
“And?”
“He asked if I could make it five.”
Celine’s stomach turned.
“What?”
“He said three wasn’t enough to disappear.”
“You never told me that.”
“I tried.”
“No. You told me Bryce was using me. You didn’t tell me you offered him money.”
“Because I knew how it looked.”
“It looked controlling because it was controlling.”
“Yes.”
Celine’s voice rose.
“You decided I was too stupid to choose my own husband, so you created a test behind my back?”
“I was trying to protect you.”
“There it is.”
Julian winced.
“You don’t get to use the same sentence Bryce used.”
“I know.”
“You both decided you knew what I needed without telling me the truth.”
“That’s fair.”
“No, it isn’t fair. It’s awful.”
“I know.”
Celine turned away.
She was tired of men admitting guilt only after being cornered.
Julian spoke softly.
“I didn’t tell you because after I made the offer, Bryce used it against me.”
“The fake email.”
“Yes.”
“He showed you the screenshot two days later.”
Celine remembered.
She had called Julian screaming.
He had denied everything.
But because he had already been behaving secretively, his denial sounded false.
Bryce had built the lie around a real mistake.
That made it stronger.
Celine faced him again.
“Did Bryce accept your money?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“He said he loved you.”
That almost made her laugh.
Julian continued.
“Then he said if I ever approached him like that again, he would tell you.”
“He did anyway.”
“Not accurately.”
Celine paced the room.
“Do you have proof?”
“Of the offer?”
“Yes.”
“Bank records showing I withdrew nothing. Notes from the investigator. An email I sent my attorney that day describing the conversation.”
“Hannah?”
“No. Separate counsel. I didn’t want your lawyer involved.”
“Because everyone was protecting me by keeping things from me.”
Julian lowered his head.
“Yes.”
Celine sat down.
Biscuit rested his chin on her knee.
She scratched behind his ears automatically.
“Why three hundred thousand?”
Julian answered quietly.
“Because I thought that number was big enough to reveal him and small enough that I could actually pay it.”
“Did you intend to pay if he agreed?”
“Yes.”
“And what would you have told me?”
Julian hesitated.
“That he changed his mind.”
Celine stared.
“You were going to lie to me.”
“Yes.”
The honesty hurt.
But it also changed something.
Julian was not trying to rewrite himself as the perfect brother.
He had made a terrible choice.
He admitted it before being shown a document.
That difference mattered.
Celine said, “I’m not ready to forgive that.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
“I am glad you’re here.”
Julian’s eyes reddened.
“Those can both be true.”
“Yes.”
Hannah entered.
“I hate to interrupt.”
Celine wiped her face.
“What happened?”
“Atlas Crest produced additional records.”
They moved to the study.
The loan broker had uploaded a recorded telephone verification with the supposed borrower.
Celine’s pulse quickened.
“They recorded me?”
“Not you.”
Hannah played the file.
A woman answered questions.
Name.
Date of birth.
Property address.
Loan purpose.
Her voice sounded nothing like Celine’s.
But she knew the personal information.
The representative never asked an open-ended question that would be difficult for an impersonator.
Hannah stopped playback.
“Elise said Nolan had someone.”
Celine whispered, “Who is she?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Bryce?”
“Detective Ortiz is working on it.”
The recording continued.
The supposed Celine stated that the loan proceeds would be used for “estate liquidity and property improvements.”
Then the representative asked whether the borrower understood that the mansion would secure the debt.
The woman answered:
“Yes.”
Celine felt ill.
A stranger had said yes for her.
Hannah paused again.
“There’s more.”
“What?”
“The caller made one mistake.”
Celine listened.
Near the end, the representative asked for confirmation of Celine’s mother’s maiden name as a security question.
The caller gave the correct answer.
But before answering, a man’s voice could be heard faintly in the background.
One word.
Prompting her.
Robert enhanced the audio.
The voice became clearer.
A man whispered the maiden name.
Celine closed her eyes.
She recognized the voice.
Bryce.
Julian swore under his breath.
Celine opened her eyes.
“Play it again.”
Hannah did.
The whisper came through.
Bryce.
There was no ambiguity.
No explanation.
No Nolan to blame.
No mistake.
Bryce had been in the room while someone impersonated his wife.
Celine felt strangely calm.
“Can the police use that?”
“If authenticated.”
“Good.”
Her phone vibrated.
A message from Mara.
Mara had gone to stay with a cousin after being formally terminated.
I remembered who the woman might be.
Celine showed Hannah.
Then called.
Mara answered immediately.
“Who?” Celine asked.
“I don’t know her last name.”
“First name.”
“Tessa.”
“Who is Tessa?”
“Nolan’s assistant.”
Celine’s eyes moved toward Hannah.
Mara continued.
“I met her once at the house.”
“When?”
“About a month ago.”
“Was Bryce there?”
“Yes.”
“What were they doing?”
“I thought it was business.”
“What did she look like?”
Mara described the woman.
Hannah typed notes.
Celine asked, “Why didn’t you remember her before?”
“I never heard the verification recording.”
“What else do you know?”
Mara hesitated.
“Tessa called Bryce something strange when she left.”
“What?”
“She said, ‘After Friday, you finally get your freedom.’”
Celine’s throat tightened.
“Freedom from what?”
May you like
Mara’s answer was quiet.
“She looked upstairs when she said it.”
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