Chapter 64 Miscalculated Intentions
Sheila’s lips trembled before any sound could escape them.
For a moment, the bustling noise of the airport faded into hollowness, like she had been placed inside a glass box where only Julian’s presence existed. His gaze did not waver. It stayed fixed on her with a quiet intensity that felt suffocating.
She swallowed, her fingers tightening around the handle of her small luggage as if it was the only thing grounding her in that moment.
“I…” Her voice cracked slightly.
Julian remained composed, studying her. “You shouldn’t bother to lie,” he said evenly. “I saw you meet Talia yesterday- early in the morning to be precise, before you headed to the penthouse to prepare for the wedding.”
Color drained from Sheila’s face. This was the last thing she expected. At that moment of discomfort, she wondered— who was Julian, truly?
“I wasn’t snitching,” she blurted out at last, her words tumbling over each other. “I swear I wasn’t.”
Julian said nothing.
He only watched.
And that silence pressured her more than interrogation ever could.
“I only… pitied Sera,” she continued, her voice shaking now. “I’ve seen her so many times… retreat to herself. She always talks about her family, her late dad, late mother, and how she wished she had at least a family on her side.” Her eyes glossed over.
“I thought… if Talia knew she was alive… maybe they could reconcile. She’s her stepsister after all. I thought they could become family again. And maybe… maybe Seraphina would finally get a share of her father’s wealth instead of being completely shut out.”
She inhaled shakily.
“I urged Talia to reconcile with her. To work together as family. That was my intention. I didn’t snitch. I didn’t mean to create any trouble.”
Julian’s eyes narrowed slightly, measuring and calculating her words.
“And yet,” he said quietly, “you were with Talia yesterday.”
Sheila inhaled sharply.
Her heartbeat thudded in her ears as guilt flashed across her face before she could suppress it.
“I know how that might have looked to you. But that was because…” she hesitated, then forced the words out, “Seraphina told me everything. About Damien. About Talia. About how they planned to use her to get more of her father’s wealth. I hope you are aware of that, and I’m not the one breaking this to you.”
Julian continued to look.
“She was hurt,” Sheila continued, her voice lowering. “And I was disappointed…I was so angry. Because if not for me, Talia wouldn’t even know she was alive. If I had known she would twist that information for something evil, I would never have told her in the first place.”
Her fingers curled into fists.
“After Sera told me what they did, I had to confront Talia.”
— 24 Hours Earlier —
The wind carried dust across the narrow alley behind the abandoned shop Sheila was standing on.
She tapped her foot impatiently, glancing repeatedly at the time on her phone. She still had to return before the car left for Seraphina’s wedding. Every second mattered.
It wasn’t long before she heard the sharp sound of heels clicked against the concrete.
Her gaze lifted.
Talia Moreau emerged from the corner of the alley, her steps unhurried.
She was dressed in a fitted denim jumpsuit that hugged her frame flawlessly, blue heels striking the ground with intentional elegance. Her blonde hair was pulled into a sharp bun, not a strand out of place. Her lips curved into a slow, vicious smile the moment her eyes landed on Sheila.
“Well,” Talia started smoothly, folding her arms. “I never thought I would be seeing you this soon again. I hope you have some good news for me.”
Sheila did not return the pleasantries.
Her patience had already evaporated.
“Cut the pretense,” she snapped. “Why did you snatch my friend’s man and plan with him to use her to take all of her father’s wealth?”
For a brief second, Talia’s expression flickered with genuine surprise.
Then her lips stretched into a smug.
“I’ve always been with Damien before Seraphina,” she replied with a careless shrug. “And our father willed most of his wealth to me.”
She tilted her head, studying Sheila’s reaction with amusement.
“The only issue,” she continued lazily, “is that Seraphina’s thumbprint is the access key to a particular asset. That’s why we planned to lure her back. You letting me know she was alive was the universe way of guiding me to the wealth made for me.”
She shrugged again.
“I meant no harm.”
Sheila stared at her in disbelief.
“Do you hear yourself?” she demanded, her voice rising. “You sound insane. I thought I was helping my best friend. I thought you would welcome her back. Reconcile with her. Let her finally have a place in the family and a share of what belongs to her.”
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
“But instead, you used the information I gave you to…to try and destroy her. How can you be so wicked?”
Talia’s eyes glinted.
She said nothing.
Sheila continued anyways. “If anything happens to Sera because of this,” Her voice trembling with fury, “I will involve the police. Don’t you dare try anything.”
Talia’s brow lifted slowly.
“Are you threatening me?”
Sheila stepped closer.
“It’s more of a promise, Talia. Don’t underestimate the loyalty of a woman to a friend she had watched cried her eyes out because she lost everything. ”
Then she straightened, lifting her chin.
“And luckily for her,” she added coldly, “she got the better brother.”
She let her words burn Talia. Seeing her tense visibly was enough. Sheila brushed past her deliberately, their shoulders colliding in a subtle but intentional insult.
Talia remained standing there, stunned and wondering if Sheila had just really said those words to her.
—
— Back to Present —
Julian listened without interruption as Sheila finished speaking.
The boarding announcement echoed in the background just then, but neither of them moved immediately.
“So,” he said at last, “why didn’t you tell Seraphina that you were the one who informed Talia she was alive?”
Sheila’s eyes dropped.
“Because I was scared,” she admitted quietly. “I didn’t know how she would take it. I kept thinking… maybe I could fix everything first. Maybe if reconciliation actually happened, it would become a good surprise rather than getting on the other side of her.”
Her voice cracked.
“But instead, I caused more problems for her without even realizing it.”
Julian searched for inconsistencies in her words. He got none.
“I’m telling the truth,” she whispered. “Trust me”
Another boarding call rang out behind them.
Passengers began moving more urgently now.
Sheila turned toward the sound, then back at him, panic and guilt mixing in her eyes.
Julian held her gaze for a long second before finally speaking.
“Fly safe.”
The simplicity of it startled her.
She blinked. Then she exhaled shakily, relief and anxiety colliding in her chest.
“Please…do me a favor,” she said carefully.
Julian’s attention returned briefly to her..
She stepped closer, lowering her voice.
“Please don’t tell Sera any of these yet.” she pleaded. “I promise I’ll tell her myself after my plane touch down. She deserves to hear it from me.”
A beat of silence passed. Then Julian gave her a nod.
Behind them, Vincent leaned against the car from a distance, watching the interaction with quiet interest, though he couldn’t hear them.