Chapter 6 - THE FALSE DEATH
My mother had prepared to announce my death.
The petition contained a forged report claiming my plane had crashed over the South China Sea.
A fabricated letter named Damian interim chief executive.
Another document claimed Clara had suffered a psychological breakdown after hearing the news.
The celebration at the estate was supposed to serve two purposes.
Publicly, it was Damian’s promotion party.
Privately, it introduced him to selected investors as the future head of Vale Global.
By the time anyone discovered I was alive, millions would have been transferred beyond recovery.
Clara would have been confined.
My company would have been divided.
My family would have controlled the story.
They had not expected me to return early.
My negotiations in Singapore ended after the opposing company accepted our terms unexpectedly.
I purchased the diamond necklace during a layover.
It contained a small blue stone at the center because Clara once told me blue diamonds reminded her of starlight trapped inside glass.
I spent the entire flight imagining her reaction.
While I was planning how to surprise her, my family was preparing to erase both of us.
Detective Monroe ordered Helena, Damian, and Sienna formally detained.
Damian attempted to flee through the wine cellar.
Marcus found him trying to unlock an old delivery tunnel.
He carried two passports, cash, and a flash drive containing company records.
Helena remained seated in the ballroom when officers approached.
She did not look frightened.
“You are making a terrible mistake,” she told them.
Detective Monroe placed handcuffs around her wrists.
“The evidence suggests otherwise.”
Helena looked at me.
“You would destroy your own family for that woman?”
“That woman is my wife.”
“I am your mother.”
“You stopped being my family when you poisoned Clara.”
Her eyes became cold.
“Everything I did was for you.”
“You forged my death.”
“You were becoming weak.”
“I became successful because Clara taught me loyalty.”
“You became successful because you are a Vale.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“I became successful despite being one.”
For the first time, Helena looked as though I had struck her.
Sienna began crying when officers handcuffed her.
“Julian, I never wanted Clara hurt.”
“You helped imprison Evelyn.”
“Damian said Evelyn was stealing.”
“You watched him drag her into the guesthouse.”
“I was scared.”
“So was Clara.”
Sienna reached toward me.
An officer stopped her.
“Please tell them I cooperated.”
“You cooperated when you were caught.”
As they led her away, she turned back.
“There is something you don’t know.”
I said nothing.
“Damian didn’t create the plan.”
Her eyes moved toward our mother.
“Mom did.”
Helena smiled.
Sienna shook her head.
“No.”
“You still don’t understand.”
May you like
Sienna looked directly at me.
“She has been planning to remove Clara since the day you married her.”
