Chapter 8: Julian Finally Told Me the Truth
I called Julian.
He didn't answer.
I sent one message.
*If you have original documents, preserve them. Do not alter or destroy anything. My attorney will contact you.*
Three minutes later, he replied.
*I don't want to get involved.*
I stared at the screen.
He'd already been involved.
Ninety-six thousand dollars had been transferred to him.
A luxury apartment had apparently been purchased for his benefit.
And now he wanted to pretend he was an innocent bystander.
I typed:
*Then tell me why you contacted me.*
His answer came quickly.
*Because Dad said the bank might come after me.*
I leaned back in my chair.
There it was.
Fear.
Not guilt.
Not remorse.
Fear of losing the money.
I called Dana and explained the exchange.
"Don't pressure him," she said.
"If he has documents, we want them preserved and obtained properly.""
"He's my stepson.""
"That doesn't change the legal position.""
"I know.""
"And Charlotte, don't promise him anything in exchange for information.""
"I wouldn't.""
"Good.""
An hour later, Julian agreed to speak with Dana present.
The call began at 3:10 p.m.
His face appeared on the screen.
He was sitting in a modern apartment with floor-to-ceiling windows.
The furnishings looked expensive.
A leather sofa.
A glass coffee table.
A large television mounted on the wall.
I recognized the apartment from his photograph.
"Where are you?"" I asked.
Julian shrugged.
"At home.""
"Your home?""
He looked uncomfortable.
"Dad helped me get it.""
"With whose money?""
He rolled his eyes.
"Can we not start like this?""
Dana interrupted.
"Julian, we're here to establish what documents you possess and what you know about the transactions. Please answer directly.""
He rubbed his face.
"Okay.""
I folded my hands.
"Why did you message me?""
"Because Dad said the lender was going to investigate everything.""
"And?""
"He told me to say you knew about the loans.""
I stared at him.
"Did you believe that?""
Julian looked away.
"I don't know.""
"Julian, you were at the dinner table when your father told me I was grounded because I refused to give you a government vehicle.""
He sighed.
"What does that have to do with this?""
"Everything. You knew he was using my money and property to support you.""
He shifted in his seat.
"That's not fair.""
"Then explain the ninety-six thousand dollars.""
He swallowed.
"Dad said it was an advance.""
"An advance on what?""
"Family money.""
I almost laughed.
"Family money?""
"Yes.""
"Money from which account?""
He didn't answer.
Dana leaned toward the camera.
"Julian, did you receive ninety-six thousand dollars from a company associated with Richard's business?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know the funds came from a commercial loan?""
He hesitated.
"Not at first.""
"When did you find out?""
"A few weeks ago.""
I looked at him.
"And you kept the money?""
"I already spent some of it.""
"On what?""
He looked irritated.
"Rent, the apartment deposit, furniture, my car.""
"Your car?""
"Yes.""
I remembered the BMW payments Richard had been making.
"How much did you spend?""
"I don't know. Maybe twenty thousand.""
I stared at him.
"Where is the rest?""
"Most of it is still in an account.""
Dana immediately spoke.
"Do not move those funds. We will provide instructions through the appropriate legal process.""
Julian nodded reluctantly.
I took a breath.
"Did Richard tell you that I had authorized the loan?""
"Yes.""
"When?""
"Before the money arrived.""
"What exactly did he say?""
Julian scratched his jaw.
"He said you were helping him get financing because you wanted to invest in commercial property.""
"Did he show you anything I signed?""
"Some documents.""
"What documents?""
"A loan agreement. A company registration. Something about the house.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Did you see my signature?""
"Yeah.""
"Did it look like mine?""
He paused.
"Honestly? Not really.""
I looked at him.
"Why didn't you say anything?""
He shrugged.
"Dad said you had signed electronically.""
"And you believed him?""
"I didn't think it mattered.""
I sat back.
For five years, I'd tried to treat Julian like family.
I'd attended his college orientation.
I'd helped him move apartments.
I'd taken him to the hospital after he broke his wrist.
I'd defended him when Richard complained about his lack of direction.
And now he was admitting he'd seen suspicious documents and accepted nearly a hundred thousand dollars anyway.
"Julian, did your father tell you what the money was for?""
"Mostly the business.""
"Mostly?""
He glanced toward the door.
Then lowered his voice.
"He said some of it was to make sure we were taken care of if things went bad.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"He said the company was going to be reorganized. He wanted the properties separate from the business.""
"Why?""
"Because creditors were coming after him.""
I looked at Dana.
She was writing something down.
"Which creditors?"" she asked.
Julian shrugged.
"Suppliers. The warehouse landlord. A bank.""
"Did you see any notices?""
"Some.""
"Do you have copies?""
"Maybe.""
Dana instructed him to preserve them.
Then I asked the question that had been bothering me.
"Why did you ask for the government vehicle?""
Julian looked annoyed.
"Because Kayla's car broke down.""
"You had ninety-six thousand dollars.""
He flushed.
"That money wasn't supposed to be touched.""
"Then why didn't you rent a car?""
"Because Dad said you could lend us the Explorer.""
I stared at him.
"Did he tell you I was legally prohibited from doing that?""
Julian said nothing.
"Did he tell you that I had an official inspection the next morning?""
He looked away.
"No.""
I felt a bitter smile form.
"So he knew exactly what he was asking me to do.""
Julian finally looked at me.
"Charlotte, I didn't know all this was going to happen.""
I held his gaze.
"But you knew enough to understand that the money wasn't yours.""
He didn't answer.
Then he said something unexpected.
"There's a folder in Dad's office.""
"What folder?""
"The one with the original paperwork.""
I leaned forward.
"Where?""
"In the locked filing cabinet behind his desk.""
"How do you know?""
"Because I helped him move it last week.""
"What did you see?""
Julian swallowed.
"Your real driver's license copy. The company documents. A bunch of bank statements.""
I felt my pulse quicken.
"Was there anything else?""
He nodded.
"A list of payments.""
"To whom?""
"I don't know all the names.""
"Did you see mine?""
He hesitated.
"Yes.""
My chest tightened.
"What was next to my name?""
He looked directly at me.
"Two hundred thousand dollars.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"That's what Dad wrote next to your name.""
"Two hundred thousand for what?""
"I don't know. But he said it was the amount you could afford to take responsibility for.""
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Dana broke the silence.
"Julian, did you hear Richard say that himself?""
"Yes.""
"When?""
"Last Tuesday.""
"Was anyone else present?""
"Grandma.""
I looked at the screen.
Patricia.
Again.
"Did she say anything?""
Julian nodded.
"She told him he needed to make sure Charlotte didn't find out until everything was finalized.""
My hands went cold.
Dana asked him to repeat the sentence.
He did.
Then he added:
"Grandma said Charlotte would never abandon the family if she thought Julian was in trouble.""
I looked away.
The room seemed suddenly too small.
Richard hadn't simply believed I would eventually accept the debt.
He had apparently calculated how much he could make me responsible for.
And he intended to use my love for the family as leverage.
"Julian," I said quietly, "do you understand what your father was planning?""
He looked down.
"I think so.""
"Then why are you still protecting him?""
His eyes reddened.
"Because he's my father.""
I stared at him.
"He's my husband.""
Neither of us spoke.
Finally, Julian said, "There's something else you should know.""
I waited.
"Last week, Dad asked me to sign a document saying I was receiving the ninety-six thousand dollars as a gift from you.""
I sat upright.
"Why?""
"He said it was for tax purposes.""
"Did you sign it?""
Julian looked toward the floor.
"Yes.""
My stomach dropped.
"Julian, what did the document say?""
"I don't remember exactly.""
"Did it say I gave you the money?""
He nodded.
I closed my eyes.
Another document.
Another false statement.
Another attempt to make it appear that I had authorized something.
Dana immediately asked him to preserve the signed copy.
He agreed.
Then the call ended.
I remained at the desk long after the screen went dark.
At 5:26 p.m., Dana called.
"Charlotte, we've requested the relevant records and will need to assess the gift document separately.""
"What if Julian has already submitted it?""
"Then we'll address that too.""
I stared at the apartment photograph.
"Richard bought him a home with money borrowed using my identity.""
"That's what the records currently suggest.""
"And he made Julian sign a document claiming I gave him the money.""
"Yes.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"How much more is there?""
Dana didn't answer.
Then she said:
"I've just received a preliminary response from the first lender. There's an additional account connected to the original loan.""
"What kind?""
"A reserve account.""
"How much?""
"Approximately one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.""
I stared at the wall.
"Where is it?""
"That's what we're trying to establish.""
My phone buzzed.
A message from Julian.
*I found the folder. There's a photograph you need to see.*
Then an image arrived.
It showed a page from Richard's filing cabinet.
At the top was a handwritten heading:
*EXIT PLAN — BEFORE CHARLOTTE DISCOVERS THE LOANS.*
Beneath it were several bullet points.
The first one read:
*Transfer properties.*
The second:
*Protect family accounts.*
The third:
*Make Charlotte responsible for remaining debt.*
May you like
And the final line was underlined twice.
*If she refuses, use her career against her.*
