Chapter 2 - OUTSIDE THE GATES
The rain struck the pavement like falling glass.
Sarah walked past the wrought-iron gates without looking back.
Her heels clicked against the wet stone.
Each step felt lighter than the last.
A black sedan idled fifty yards down the dark suburban street.
Its headlights cut through the heavy downpour.
The rear door opened slowly.
A familiar face leaned out into the rain.
“Get in, Sarah.”
It was Julian, Alessandro’s estranged younger brother.
He had vanished from family gatherings three years ago.
Rumor said he had crossed Alessandro over business.
Now he held an umbrella angled toward her.
“You knew,” Sarah said, standing by the car door.
Julian looked at her wet hair, her steady eyes.
“I knew enough to watch,” Julian said quietly.
She slipped into the leather backseat.
The heater blasted warm air across her shivering skin.
Julian closed the door, sliding in beside her.
“He thought you would cry,” Julian muttered, handing her a dry towel.
“He thought I would stay,” Sarah replied, taking the towel.
“Staying was never an option tonight,” Julian said.
“Valeria didn’t just appear out of nowhere,” Sarah said.
“No,” Julian agreed. “She’s been living in his downtown penthouse for six months.”
A cold knot tightened in Sarah’s chest.
“And the family?”
“They all knew,” Julian said grimly. “Uncle Marco helped arrange the LLC under Valeria’s name.”
Sarah stared out the rain-streaked window.
Eleven years of marriage.
Eleven years of believing she was his equal partner.
She had managed his public charity foundations.
She had signed documents without reading them.
Because she trusted him.
“What do you want, Julian?” Sarah asked, turning to him.
“To help you burn his empire to the ground,” Julian said.
“Why?”
“Because he killed our father to take the throne,” Julian whispered. “And he thinks I forgot.”
Sarah’s breath hitched in her throat.
“Prove it,” she said.
Julian reached into his coat pocket.
He pulled out a heavy manila envelope.
He tossed it onto the center console between them.
“Open it,” Julian said.
Sarah untied the red string.
Inside were bank transfer receipts, medical records, and a signed confession.
Signed by Uncle Marco.
“This was executed three days ago,” Julian said.
Sarah scanned the lines.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
The mansion she had just walked out of?
It wasn’t registered in Alessandro’s name.
It was in hers.
Her father had deeded it to her before he died.
Alessandro had tricked her into signing a power of attorney last year.
He thought he had transferred ownership to his own shell company.
But Julian had intercepted the filing at the county clerk's office.
“He doesn’t own the estate anymore,” Sarah whispered.
May you like
“You do,” Julian smiled grimly. “And tomorrow morning, eviction notices go out.”
THE END OF CHAPTER 2
