Chapter 6: The Brother Who Chose War
For a moment, I didn't speak.
I just listened to the silence after Rachel's words.
Julian was suing me.
The same brother who begged me to help him create his dream wedding.
The same brother who called me his favorite sister when he needed money.
Now he was taking legal action against me because I refused to let him erase me.
"Claire?"" Rachel asked.
"I'm here.""
"What are you going to do?""
I looked at the stack of documents on my desk.
The same documents that proved everything.
"I guess I finally stop protecting him.""
After hanging up, I called Victoria.
She answered immediately.
"Tell me you heard.""
"I did.""
She sighed.
"I was hoping he wouldn't go this direction.""
"Why?""
"Because now everything becomes public.""
I understood what she meant.
The family embarrassment they feared wasn't because I exposed them.
It was because their own choices were impossible to hide.
Later that morning, Victoria and I reviewed everything.
She placed the timeline on my desk.
"Let's go through it carefully.""
She pointed at the first document.
"You paid the venue deposit.""
Next.
"You paid the catering company.""
Next.
"You covered the photography and floral contracts.""
Every page was another reminder.
I hadn't just helped plan a wedding.
I had built one.
Then Victoria placed the final document down.
"The attempted transfer.""
I looked at it.
"Can we prove it wasn't me?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"How?""
"Your signature.""
I frowned.
"My signature?""
She smiled slightly.
"Theirs is the problem.""
I looked closer.
The authorization form had my name typed at the bottom.
But the signature wasn't mine.
It was close.
Very close.
But not mine.
"They thought nobody would check.""
Victoria nodded.
"They assumed because you're family, you wouldn't fight.""
That sentence stayed with me.
Because it was true.
They had built their entire plan around one belief.
That I loved them too much to protect myself.
At noon, my mother arrived at my office without an appointment.
My assistant tried to stop her.
But I allowed her in.
She walked inside looking exhausted.
"Claire.""
I didn't offer her a seat.
"Why are you here?""
She looked hurt.
"Because this has gone too far.""
I almost smiled.
"Mom, he sued me.""
She looked away.
"He didn't mean it.""
I stared at her.
"Then why did he do it?""
Silence.
Finally she whispered:
"Because he panicked.""
I nodded slowly.
"So when he panicked, he attacked me.""
She didn't answer.
"Mom, do you understand what hurts the most?""
Her eyes became watery.
"I know.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"You don't.""
I walked toward the window.
"The money was never the important part.""
She looked at me.
"Then what was?""
I turned around.
"I wanted to know if my family loved me when I had nothing to give.""
That broke something in her expression.
But I couldn't stop.
"Instead, I learned exactly what I was worth to them.""
"Claire...""
"I was worth $110,000.""
She started crying.
But I didn't move.
Because for years, I had comforted everyone else.
Nobody had comforted me.
My mother left thirty minutes later.
And for the first time, I didn't feel guilty.
That evening, Julian called.
I almost ignored it.
But I answered.
"Hello.""
His voice sounded different.
Not angry.
Not confident.
Scared.
"Claire.""
I waited.
"Can we talk?""
"We are talking.""
"No. I mean really talk.""
I leaned back.
"About what?""
A long pause.
Then he said:
"I made a mistake.""
I closed my eyes.
There it was again.
The word they loved.
Mistake.
Not choice.
Not betrayal.
A mistake.
"Julian.""
"Please.""
I heard desperation in his voice.
"The wedding is falling apart.""
I looked at the clock.
"The wedding is tomorrow?""
"Yes.""
"Then maybe you should have thought about that before removing the person who paid for it.""
He was silent.
Then quietly:
"I never thought you would actually leave.""
That sentence hit me.
Because it revealed everything.
He didn't respect my kindness.
He depended on my inability to walk away.
"That's your problem, Julian.""
"What?""
"You thought I would always be there.""
My voice softened.
"But you forgot something.""
"What?""
"I was there because I loved you.""
I paused.
"Not because I had to be.""
Neither of us spoke.
Then Julian whispered:
"Claire... there's something you don't know.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"I didn't come up with the plan alone.""
My hand tightened around the phone.
"What are you talking about?""
He hesitated.
Then said:
"Chloe's father knew about everything.""
I stood up.
"What?""
Julian's breathing became uneven.
"He told me how to move the contract. He said once we were married, nobody could challenge it.""
I felt cold.
"Why?""
Another pause.
Then Julian said the one thing I never expected.
"Because they didn't want your money.""
May you like
I waited.
"They wanted your company.""
