Chapter 27 - The Revelation on the Edge
"You actually came," Julian shouted over the roar of the ocean, his green eyes gleaming with a manic, dangerous light as the flashlight beam illuminated his face. "I underestimated your loyalty, Adam. Or perhaps your foolishness."
Adam stepped forward, putting himself protectively between me and the edge of the cliff. "Hand over the blanket, Julian. It’s over. The authorities already know you're back in the country."
Julian laughed, a harsh, grating sound that was swallowed almost instantly by the wind. "The authorities? Adam, you still don't understand, do you? This entire empire—every ship, every bank account, every corrupt politician in Evelyn's pocket—was built on stolen blood. Thirty years ago, our uncle didn't die in a fire; Evelyn locked him in the family vault to steal his patent. And she did the exact same thing to my mother."
He held up the yellow blanket, letting the wind catch its frayed edges. "And do you know what’s woven inside this pathetic little piece of cloth? The original confession signed by your grandfather, detailing every single crime Evelyn committed to build the Vance dynasty. The moment this blanket hits the water, or the moment I hand it to the federal prosecutors waiting in my car down the road, the Vance name is wiped off the map forever."
"Then do it," I stepped out from behind Adam, my voice cutting through the wind with startling clarity.
Julian blinked, taken aback. "What did you say?"
"I said, do it," I repeated, walking steadily toward him, ignoring Adam’s desperate attempt to pull me back. "Evelyn spent her entire life terrorizing people with fear, control, and secrets. She threw me down a flight of stairs because she thought her name and her legacy mattered more than a human life. If the Vance empire is built on blood, lies, and stolen blankets, then let it burn to the ground. We don't want it. We never wanted it."
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Julian stared at me, his manic confidence faltering for a fraction of a second as he looked into my eyes and found no fear—only absolute, unyielding freedom.
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