Chapter 6 - Celeste’s Brother Changed Sides

Celeste stopped breathing.

“Julian.”

Her brother looked at her.

For half a second, the gun lowered.

Then Thomas moved.

Julian raised it again.

“Don’t.”

Thomas looked almost bored.

“You were never good at this.”

Julian’s face twisted.

“You made me good at it.”

Roman stepped between them.

“Where is Mr. Price?”

Julian answered.

“Safe.”

Thomas laughed.

“No one is safe with you.”

Julian ignored him.

He looked at Michael.

“You should have stayed dead.”

Celeste flinched.

“Julian.”

He shook his head.

“That is not what I mean.”

Michael watched him carefully.

Julian continued.

“The second Thomas learned you were alive, he started cleaning every account connected to the old network.”

Roman frowned.

“When?”

“Three years ago.”

Celeste stared.

“That’s when you asked me for foundation money.”

“Yes.”

“You told me Father left debts.”

“He did.”

Julian swallowed.

“But Thomas owned them.”

Roman looked at Thomas.

“Explain.”

Thomas said nothing.

Julian did.

“After Lorenzo died, Thomas took control of the shell companies.”

Celeste’s eyes filled with tears.

“You let me think you were continuing Father’s work.”

“I was trying to keep Thomas from coming after you.”

She looked furious.

“So everyone was protecting everyone by lying.”

Roman gave a bitter laugh.

“Welcome to the family.”

Julian lowered the gun slightly.

“I moved money because Thomas demanded it.”

Michael asked:

“And the photograph of Roman sleeping?”

Julian looked at him.

“I sent it.”

Roman stepped forward.

Julian raised both hands.

“Not to threaten you.”

“What would you call it?”

“A warning.”

“You entered my bedroom.”

“No.”

Roman stopped.

Julian looked at Thomas.

“He did.”

The hallway went silent.

Thomas smiled.

“You expect him to believe you?”

Julian pulled something from his pocket.

A small flash drive.

“I have the townhouse security archive.”

Roman frowned.

“Our archive deletes after ninety days.”

“The official one does.”

Thomas’s expression changed.

Very little.

But enough.

Julian saw it.

“So did I.”

Celeste whispered:

“What’s on it?”

“Three years of hidden camera feeds.”

Roman stared at Thomas.

“You filmed my house?”

Thomas said:

“Security.”

“Inside my bedroom?”

Thomas did not answer.

Roman moved so fast I barely saw him.

He hit Thomas once.

Then again.

Michael grabbed him.

“Roman.”

Roman shoved him away.

Thomas touched his lip.

Blood appeared.

He smiled.

“Your father hits harder.”

Roman lunged again.

I stepped in front of him.

I do not know why.

Maybe because someone had to stop the room from becoming another secret no one could undo.

Roman looked at me.

His breathing was hard.

I said quietly:

“Mr. Price.”

Roman closed his eyes.

Then stepped back.

“Where is he?”

Julian answered.

“At the townhouse. I left him in the library.”

“Alone?”

“With two guards I trust.”

Thomas laughed.

“You trust?”

Julian looked at him.

“No.”

“Good.”

Roman took out his phone.

Thomas said:

“If you call the police, half that ledger becomes public before sunrise.”

Roman looked at him.

“Threatening me with the truth?”

“Threatening your employees. Your foundation. Your wife.”

He looked at Celeste.

“Her signatures are everywhere.”

Celeste went pale.

Julian said:

“He forged some.”

Thomas looked at him.

“Prove it.”

Julian held up the flash drive.

“I can.”

Michael stepped closer.

“What else is on there?”

Julian hesitated.

Roman noticed.

“What?”

Julian looked at Celeste.

Then at Roman.

“The night your mother died.”

Roman’s face emptied.

Michael whispered:

“That footage doesn’t exist.”

“It does.”

“From where?”

“A garage camera across the street.”

Thomas turned toward Julian.

“You have no idea what you are holding.”

Julian smiled.

“For once, I think I do.”

Roman said:

“Show me.”

Julian inserted the drive into an old laptop in the bridal suite.

The screen flickered.

A grainy video appeared.

Date.

Seventeen years ago.

Roman’s mother walked from the Arden office toward her car.

A black sedan stopped behind her.

Thomas stepped out.

Roman stared.

Thomas on the screen spoke to her.

No audio.

She looked angry.

Then Lorenzo Vale exited the passenger side.

Celeste covered her mouth.

Roman leaned closer.

The three argued.

Roman’s mother turned away.

Thomas grabbed her arm.

Lorenzo shoved him back.

Roman frowned.

“What is happening?”

The footage jumped.

Twenty minutes later.

Roman’s mother drove away alone.

Thomas and Lorenzo remained in the street.

Then another car followed her.

Roman pointed.

“Who is that?”

Julian paused the video.

The driver’s face was barely visible.

Michael stepped closer.

He went pale.

“No.”

Roman looked at him.

“You know him.”

Michael did not answer.

Roman grabbed his shoulder.

“Who?”

Michael looked at Thomas.

Thomas closed his eyes.

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Then Michael whispered:

“Mr. Price.”