Chapter 8 - The Billionaire Who Came BackJulian Maro had spent three months pretending he was fine.
He wasn't.
His parents had blamed Emily.
His friends had blamed her.
His social circle had quietly whispered that she had humiliated the Maro family over a misunderstanding.
Julian had repeated the same story until he almost believed it.
Then his father summoned him to Paris.
Phipe Maro sat behind a massive desk overlooking the Seine.
Isabelle stood beside the fireplace.
“You've made a disaster of everything,” Phipe said.
Julian stared at him.
“You wanted me to marry her.”
“Yes.”
“You said she was acceptable.”
“She was.”
Julian frowned.
“Then why did you let Mother insult her parents?”
Isabelle's eyes sharpened.
“Don't rewrite history.”
“I heard what you said.”
“You understood French.”
“So did Emily.”
Silence.
Phipe leaned back.
“Your marriage would have created useful connections.”
Julian stared.
“Useful?”
“You're being emotional.”
“No.”
Julian's voice hardened.
“For the first time in my life, I'm thinking clearly.”
His father looked irritated.
“The Carter family has become a liability.”
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“You sent them a legal demand.”
“That matter is unrelated.”
Julian stepped closer.
“You're lying.”
Isabelle interrupted.
“Enough.”
Julian turned toward her.
“What happened in 1998?”
She went still.
That was enough.
Julian understood.
“You know.”
Phipe stood.
“This conversation is over.”
“No.”
Julian's voice became louder.
“You've spent my entire life telling me the Maro name represents honor.”
“It does.”
“Then why are you terrified of a retired electrician?”
Phipe's face hardened.
“Because Robert Carter knows something he should never have known.”
Julian's heart began pounding.
“What?”
His father said nothing.
Julian walked out.
He flew back to America that night.
The first thing he did was drive to Robert Carter's house.
Robert opened the door.
When he saw Julian, his expression became cold.
“You shouldn't be here.”
“I know.”
“Then leave.”
“I need to ask you something.”
Robert stared at him.
“About 1998.”
Julian's face revealed enough.
Robert stepped back.
“You knew.”
“I just found out.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
Julian lowered his voice.
“But I'm not here as a Maro.”
Robert laughed bitterly.
“You were born a Maro.”
“I know.”
“And you chose them.”
Julian looked down.
“I did.”
That admission surprised both men.
Julian continued.
“I thought I was protecting Emily.”
“You weren't.”
“I know.”
He swallowed.
“I was protecting myself.”
Robert said nothing.
Julian looked at him.
“I want to fix that.”
“You can't.”
“Maybe not.”
He turned to leave.
“But I can tell her the truth.”
Robert watched him walk away.
For the first time, he wondered whether Julian was finally becoming the man Emily had once believed he was.
Later that night, Julian called Emily.
She almost didn't answer.
When she did, he said:
“I know about Daniel Mercer.”
Her entire body went still.
“How?”
“My father.”
“What does he have to do with him?”
“I don't know everything.”
“Then why are you calling?”
“Because I think someone is trying to destroy my family.”
Emily laughed bitterly.
“Now you care?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Julian paused.
“Because I finally realized that being loyal to my family doesn't mean protecting everything they do.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“Where are you?”
“Outside your building.”
Her eyes opened.
“You what?”
“I won't come upstairs.”
He stood beneath the streetlight.
“I just need you to know something.”
“What?”
“If you're going after the truth, I'm coming with you.”
Emily looked through the window.
Julian was standing alone in the rain.
For the first time since the wedding disaster, she didn't see the polished finance executive.
She saw a man who finally looked ashamed.
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But forgiveness was not the same thing as trust.
And Emily wasn't ready to give him either.
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