Chapter 6 - JULIAN’S AWAKENING
By Saturday evening, the fallout from the salon incident had triggered a massive chain reaction.
The story of what Vanessa had done—stoling my card during my labor, trashing my house, and publicly humiliating herself—had spread through the grapevine like wildfire. In small-town high-society circles, news travels fast.
At 7:00 PM, my doorbell rang.
Daniel looked at the camera. "It's Julian," he said quietly. "He's alone."
I nodded. "Let him in."
Julian walked into our foyer nervously. He looked exhausted. His tie was loosened, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was holding a white legal folder. He looked around our spotlessly restored living room, his eyes lingering on the newly repaired dining chair and the clean, polished floors.
"Chloe... Daniel," Julian began, his voice cracking slightly. "I... I come alone. Vanessa and your mother don't know I'm here."
"Sit down, Julian," Daniel said, offering him a seat at the dining table.
Julian sat down and placed the folder on the table. He took a deep breath. "I came to apologize. From the bottom of my heart. I had no idea... I swear to God, Chloe, I had no idea what really happened that night."
"What did Vanessa tell you?" I asked gently.
"She told me you offered the house happily because you wanted to save her money," Julian said, shaking his head in self-disgust. "She told me the credit card charge was an agreed-upon gift from you for the strippers. She told me you only got mad after the baby was born because of postpartum mood swings. I believed her. I feel like an absolute idiot."
"She lied to you, Julian," Daniel said firmly. "She stole from my wife while she was screaming in pain upstairs."
"I know that now," Julian said, rubbing his face with his hands. "Yesterday, after you left the salon, one of the bridesmaids—Jessica—came to my house. She felt so guilty about what happened that she showed me video clips from the party."
Julian pulled out his phone with shaking hands and played a video.
My heart hammered as I watched the screen. It was a video taken at 11:30 PM on the night I went into labor. Vanessa was standing on my kitchen counter, holding a bottle of tequila, drunkenly screaming into the camera: “My crazy sister is upstairs having her stupid baby, but who cares?! Free alcohol on her card all night, bitches!”
The room went completely quiet as the video ended.
Julian closed his eyes, tears of embarrassment welling up. "My father saw the video too, Chloe. My family is deeply respected in the local commercial real estate business. My father was appalled. He told me that if I marry a woman who steals from her own sister during childbirth, he will disinherit me immediately and remove me from the family firm."
"What are you going to do, Julian?" I asked.
Julian opened the white legal folder on the table. Inside were two cashier's checks.
He slid them across the table toward me.
"This first check is for six thousand nine hundred dollars," Julian said clearly. "Four thousand seven hundred to reimburse your credit card, and two thousand two hundred to cover the deep cleaning and furniture repairs. It comes directly from my personal savings account."
I looked at the check, then at Julian. "Julian, you don't owe me this money. Vanessa does."
"She's my responsibility—or at least, she was," Julian said quietly. "I cannot allow my name to be associated with theft. Please, take it."
He slid the second check forward. It was made out for ten thousand dollars.
"What is this?" I asked, frowning.
"That is to reimburse you for the non-refundable venue deposit you paid three months ago," Julian stated firm. "You shouldn't lose a single penny because of her. You were trying to be a good sister, and she took advantage of you."
I stared at the two checks on the wooden table. For the first time in this entire nightmare, someone on their side of the family was taking accountability.
"Thank you, Julian," I said softly, taking the checks. "That shows true character."
Julian stood up, buttoning his suit jacket. His expression was grim, settled, and resolute.
"The wedding at The Grand Bellevue is gone," Julian said quietly. "And after what I saw on that video... I think the wedding itself is gone too."
"Are you calling it off?" Daniel asked.
May you like
Julian looked toward the hallway, looking at the quiet, peaceful nursery where Lily slept.
"I wanted to build a family with a woman of integrity, Daniel," Julian whispered. "Vanessa showed me who she really is when she thought no one was watching. I'm going to her house right now."
