Chapter 5 - JULIANNE’S FIRST LIE
Julianne told Agent Reed she knew nothing about the money.
That was true for approximately fifteen minutes.
Then Reed placed photographs on the table.
Julianne entering a Nassau bank.
Julianne sitting beside David and a Swiss attorney.
Julianne signing a visitor ledger.
Her face changed.
“I thought it was an investment meeting.”
Reed remained expressionless.
“During a digital detox?”
She looked down.
David had apparently explained everything to her differently.
He told Julianne he was separating from me.
He said the yacht trip was partly a celebration.
He told her he was restructuring assets before filing for divorce because I was “financially vindictive.”
When Reed asked whether she knew Lily existed, Julianne nodded.
“Of course.”
“Did David talk about her?”
“Sometimes.”
“During the trip?”
She hesitated.
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
Julianne looked toward me through the conference-room glass.
I was watching from the adjacent room.
“He said Maya used Lily whenever she wanted attention.”
My hands went cold.
Reed asked.
“Did you see Maya calling?”
Julianne stared at the table.
“Yes.”
“How many times?”
“I don’t know.”
“More than ten?”
“Yes.”
“More than twenty?”
She closed her eyes.
“Probably.”
“What did David do?”
“He kept declining them.”
“Did he read any messages?”
“I don’t know.”
“Ms. Cole.”
Reed leaned forward.
“This is the moment where telling half the truth becomes a very expensive decision.”
Julianne began crying.
“He read one.”
My heart stopped.
“Which one?”
Reed asked.
“I only saw the preview.”
“What did it say?”
Julianne whispered.
“Lily is in the ICU.”
The room disappeared around me.
Reed remained completely still.
“What did David say?”
Julianne covered her face.
“He said Maya was probably exaggerating.”
Reed waited.
“What else?”
“He said Lily got sick all the time.”
She wiped her eyes.
“He said if it was truly serious, someone from the hospital would call.”
“And did the hospital call?”
Julianne nodded.
“His phone rang later from a Chicago number.”
“What did he do?”
“He sent it to voicemail.”
I stood.
Rebecca reached toward me.
“Maya.”
I could not stay in that room.
I walked down the hallway until I found a bathroom.
Then I locked myself inside.
For fourteen days, I had told myself David did not know.
That ignorance did not forgive him.
But it was something.
Now I knew he had seen enough.
LILY IS IN THE ICU.
He had read those words.
And chosen champagne.
When I returned, Julianne was still talking.
She admitted David had bought her a diamond bracelet that week.
$48,000.
Paid with a Vance corporate card.
She admitted he promised her a Manhattan apartment.
Then she said something else.
“David recorded some of the bank meetings.”
Agent Reed looked up.
“Why?”
“He didn’t trust the Swiss attorney.”
“Where are the recordings?”
May you like
Julianne swallowed.
“On my phone.”
