Chapter 7 - The Woman in the Dark Red Family

Sophia’s mother was named Evelyn Bell.

Fifty-eight.

Elegant.

Quiet.

She rarely spoke at public events.

By the time Julian returned to the estate, she was waiting in the library.

Michael stood beside her.

Sophia entered behind Julian.

Anthony came last.

Evelyn saw him.

Her hands began shaking.

Anthony stared.

“You.”

Julian looked between them.

“You knew Anthony.”

Evelyn whispered:

“Yes.”

“How?”

She looked at Michael.

Michael closed his eyes.

Evelyn answered:

“Before I married Michael, I worked for Dominic Russo.”

Julian frowned.

“In what role?”

“Accounting.”

Albert stepped forward.

“The Bell ledger.”

Evelyn nodded.

“I created part of it.”

Sophia stared at her mother.

“You knew about Rachel.”

“Yes.”

“You knew about Julian.”

“Yes.”

Sophia began crying.

“How much of our life was real?”

Evelyn flinched.

Julian interrupted.

“My mother said you arranged the brakes.”

Evelyn’s face collapsed.

Michael stepped forward.

“Julian.”

He raised a hand.

Julian looked at him.

“Don’t protect her.”

Michael stopped.

Evelyn sat down.

“I did arrange the car.”

Anthony moved toward her.

Julian blocked him.

“Why?”

Evelyn’s eyes filled.

“Dominic ordered it.”

Julian’s voice hardened.

“You obeyed?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because he had evidence against Michael.”

Michael looked away.

Sophia stared at her parents.

Evelyn continued.

“Dominic said Claire had copied the ledger.”

“If she gave it to federal investigators, all of us would fall.”

Anthony said:

“So you killed her.”

Evelyn shook her head.

“I told the mechanic to disable the car.”

“That is killing her.”

“I thought Robert would be driving.”

Silence.

Julian stared.

“You meant to kill Robert.”

Evelyn nodded.

“Dominic wanted Robert gone too.”

“Why?”

“Robert had decided to help Claire expose him.”

Julian stopped.

Everything shifted again.

Robert.

The man Julian had begun to hate.

The man who had participated in lies.

Had also tried to end them.

Evelyn continued.

“Robert planned to take Claire, Julian, and Rachel out of the country.”

Anthony stared.

“He was going to reunite them?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Guilt.”

Evelyn looked at Julian.

“He loved you.”

Julian said nothing.

“He knew you were not his son.”

“I know.”

“He never cared.”

Julian’s jaw tightened.

“Then why keep Anthony away?”

Evelyn answered:

“Because Dominic threatened all of you.”

Anthony looked at Michael.

“And you helped.”

Michael nodded.

“I did.”

Julian stared at them.

“So my mother got into Robert’s car instead.”

Evelyn whispered:

“Yes.”

“And died.”

“Yes.”

Silence.

Sophia sat down.

Her red gown pooled around the chair.

“Why did you let me get engaged to him?”

Evelyn looked at her daughter.

“Because Dominic’s old trust had one final condition.”

Julian frowned.

“What condition?”

Michael answered:

“If a Bell descendant married the controlling Russo heir, disputed ownership of Bell Financial’s offshore holdings would consolidate.”

Julian’s expression hardened.

“You pushed us together.”

Michael shook his head.

“Not at first.”

Sophia whispered:

“When did it become useful?”

Evelyn answered:

“When you fell in love.”

Sophia looked sick.

Julian stared at her parents.

“You saw love and turned it into a transaction.”

Neither denied it.

Albert suddenly looked at Claire’s key.

“The key.”

Julian looked at him.

“What?”

“If Claire planned to expose Dominic, she would not leave only a letter.”

Rachel’s key.

Small.

Brass.

Stamped:

R-17.

Albert’s face changed.

“I know where that goes.”

“Where?”

“The old Russo private archive.”

Julian’s eyes narrowed.

“Where is it?”

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Albert answered:

“Under this house.”