Chapter 68

Julian did not call first.

If he called, Katherine would prepare. She would soften her voice. Choose her words. Decide what version of the truth she wanted to sell.

So he showed up instead.

It was late, the kind of evening where the city felt restless but tired at the same time. Katherine’s building looked the same as always. Clean. Quiet. Secure. Everything about it said control.

Julian pressed the buzzer.

There was a pause.

Then her voice came through, too calm, too quick. “Julian?”

“I’m downstairs.”

Another pause. Longer this time.

“Come up.”

The elevator ride felt longer than it should have. Julian stood still, hands relaxed at his sides, jaw tight. He was not angry in the way people expected anger to look. He was past that. This was colder. Sharper.

The doors opened.

Katherine stood waiting. Perfect posture. Hair neat. Expression carefully neutral.

“You could have called,” she said lightly.

“So could you,” Julian replied, stepping past her into the apartment.

The door closed behind them.

Silence settled. Thick. Heavy.

“You look tense,” Katherine said, walking toward the kitchen. “Wine?”

“No.”

She turned slowly. Studied him. “What’s this about?”

Julian faced her fully now. “Isabel confessed.”

For the first time, Katherine’s mask slipped. Just a fraction. A blink too slow. A breath she did not control.

Then it was gone.

“She’s unstable,” Katherine said. “You know that.”

“She told us everything.”

Katherine smiled faintly. “Everything is a big word.”

Julian took a step closer. “You knew she came here because of Liam.”

“Yes.”

“You encouraged it.”

“I facilitated an opportunity.”

“You pushed Adele out.”

Katherine’s eyes sharpened. “Adele was already fragile.”

Julian’s voice dropped. “Do not talk about her like she is a flaw.”

Katherine crossed her arms. “You are emotional. That makes you careless.”

“No,” Julian said quietly. “You underestimated how much I would notice.”

She laughed softly. “You always notice too late.”

Julian held her gaze. “You interfered with medical information.”

Her smile did not reach her eyes. “Allegedly.”

“You manipulated Isabel using fear.”

“She was already compromised.”

“You watched Adele suffer and did nothing.”

“That is not true,” Katherine snapped, then stopped herself.

Julian tilted his head slightly. “You slipped.”

For a moment, Katherine said nothing. Then she walked past him, poured herself a glass of wine anyway. Her hand trembled just enough to matter.

“You want to blame me because it is easier than accepting that things fell apart on their own,” she said.

Julian followed her with his eyes. “Things do not fall apart this precisely by accident.”

She turned to face him again. “What do you want, Julian?”

“The truth.”

She scoffed. “You already decided what the truth is.”

Julian stepped closer. “I want to hear you say it.”

Katherine stared at him. Her jaw tightened. The room felt smaller.

“You chose Adele,” she said suddenly. “That is what this is about. You chose her over everything you built with me.”

Julian’s voice stayed even. “This is not about jealousy.”

“Yes it is,” she said sharply. “Because she does not belong in your world. She weakens you.”

He leaned in slightly. “You do not get to decide who belongs in my life.”

Her eyes flashed. “I protected you.”

“No,” Julian said. “You controlled me.”

That landed.

Katherine’s breath hitched. Her grip tightened around the glass.

“You think Isabel betrayed me,” she said. “But she only did what you and I have done our entire lives. Position. Influence. Leverage.”

Julian shook his head. “You crossed a line.”

“You think lines exist at this level?” she asked bitterly. “They do not. There are only consequences. And I handled them.”

Julian straightened. “Not anymore.”

Silence fell again. This one heavier.

“You will stay away from Adele,” Julian said. “Completely.”

Katherine laughed, brittle. “You cannot erase me.”

“I am not trying to,” he replied. “I am containing you.”

Her eyes darkened. “You think she will survive the truth?”

Julian’s jaw tightened. “She will survive without you near her.”

Katherine took a step back, then another, until her back hit the counter. The control she wore like armor was cracking now.

“You are making a mistake,” she said quietly.

Julian turned toward the door. “So did you.”

He left without looking back.

Adele was folding laundry when Selene called.

She almost did not answer. Her body still felt tired in ways sleep did not fix. Recovery was not a straight line. Some days felt normal. Some days felt heavy for no reason at all.

She picked up.

“Adele,” Selene said carefully. “Are you sitting down?”

Adele frowned. “What is it?”

There was a pause. Then, “I need to tell you some things. Not everything. But enough that you are not blindsided.”

Adele’s stomach tightened. “Tell me what?”

Selene exhaled. “Some of what happened around your illness was not random.”

Adele sat slowly on the edge of the bed. “What do you mean?”

“There were people interfering,” Selene said. “Not with your treatment directly. But with information. With access. With stressors around you.”

Adele felt cold. “Who?”

Selene hesitated. “Katherine. And Isabel.”

The room felt like it tilted.

Isabel. The name hit harder than Katherine’s.

“Isabel?” Adele whispered. “Why would she do that?”

Selene chose her words carefully. “Because she wanted Liam. And Katherine used that.”

Adele’s chest tightened. Memories surfaced suddenly. Isabel’s forced smiles. Her absence at the hospital. The way she had looked at Adele sometimes. Like she was studying her.

“I thought I was imagining it,” Adele said quietly.

“You were not,” Selene replied.

Adele closed her eyes. Her breathing quickened. “Did Julian know?”

“He knows now.”

Adele’s voice shook. “How long?”

Selene did not answer immediately. That told Adele enough.

A tear slid down her cheek.

“I trusted them,” Adele said. “I trusted her.”

“I know,” Selene said softly.

Adele pressed a hand to her mouth. Her thoughts raced. Every moment replayed itself with new meaning. Every odd silence. Every unexplained delay. Every feeling that something was off.

“Was I ever in danger?” Adele asked.

Selene paused. “Not physically. Emotionally, yes.”

Adele laughed weakly. “That feels worse.”

There was a knock at the door.

Adele froze. “Someone’s here.”

Selene’s voice sharpened. “Do not open it unless you are sure.”

Adele stood slowly, heart pounding. She moved toward the door and looked through the peephole.

Julian.

She unlocked it immediately.

He stepped inside, his expression unreadable until his eyes met hers. Then something shifted. Concern. Regret. Guilt.

Selene stayed silent on the phone.

“Hey,” Julian said quietly.

Adele searched his face. “I just found out.”

His shoulders dropped slightly. “I was coming to tell you.”

“About Isabel,” Adele said. “About Katherine.”

“Yes.”

Adele swallowed. “How much did you know?”

“Enough now,” he replied honestly. “Not soon enough.”

She nodded. That hurt more than an excuse would have.

“Why did they do this?” Adele asked.

Julian hesitated. “Control. Fear. Obsession.”

Adele shook her head. “I thought I was weak. I thought my body was failing me.”

Julian stepped closer. “You were targeted.”

Her eyes filled. “I trusted them with my vulnerability.”

“I know,” he said.

Adele sat down heavily. “I feel stupid.”

Julian crouched in front of her. “You are not.”

She looked at him. “I need time.”

“I will give you all of it.”

She studied his face. “No secrets anymore.”

“Never again,” he said.

Outside, the city kept moving.

Inside, everything had changed.

And this time, the truth was not waiting politely. It was already tearing through what was left.