Chapter 5 - Julian Vale’s Convenient Lies
Roman's estate outside Boston wasn't what Nora expected.
She imagined iron gates, armed guards, marble lions, something theatrical enough to fit the rumors.
Instead, the house sat behind acres of trees beside a dark lake.
Stone.
Wood.
Large windows.
Quiet.
The security was there, of course.
Nora simply would not have noticed most of it if she hadn't known to look.
Roman gave her the main bedroom.
He took a guest room.
She noticed that too.
By midnight, Whitmore had moved Celeste's documents into a secure office, while Roman's people began tracing the threatening messages.
Nora should have slept.
She couldn't.
At 1:17 a.m., she found Roman in the kitchen.
He was standing barefoot in black trousers and a white undershirt, making tea.
For one dangerous second, the past returned.
This was how she remembered him.
Not feared.
Not surrounded by men.
Just Roman.
He glanced over.
“You should be sleeping.”
“So should you.”
“I don't sleep much.”
“I remember.”
He poured her chamomile without asking.
She accepted it.
They sat opposite each other.
Nora turned the mug slowly between her palms.
“Did you know Julian before me?”
Roman shook his head.
“I knew the name Vale. Not Julian personally.”
“What about Selene?”
“I'd met her at two charity events.”
“She seemed terrified of you.”
“Selene is afraid of losing control.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
Roman sighed.
“My reputation makes some people uncomfortable.”
Nora gave him a look.
He almost smiled.
“Fine. Afraid.”
“Why?”
“Because her father owes my companies money.”
Nora raised her eyebrows.
“How much?”
“Twenty-eight million.”
She nearly dropped her tea.
Roman continued as though discussing groceries.
“The March family expanded too quickly. Hotels in Florida, London, Montreal. Several failed.”
“And you're buying this hotel because they owe you?”
“Partly.”
“What's the other part?”
Roman hesitated.
Nora folded her arms.
He corrected himself.
“I've wanted the property for years.”
“Why?”
“My mother worked here.”
That surprised her.
“As what?”
“Housekeeping.”
Nora stared.
Roman looked around the kitchen.
“She came from Sicily at seventeen. Barely spoke English. Cleaned rooms during the day, worked at a bakery at night.”
“Did my mother know her?”
“Maybe.”
Roman gave a small shrug.
“My mother died when I was twelve.”
Nora's anger softened.
“How?”
“Cancer.”
“I didn't know.”
“I don't talk about her.”
“Maybe you should.”
“Maybe.”
Silence.
Then Roman asked, “Why did you take a job at the March Grand?”
“Health insurance.”
He nodded.
“After Mom died, I was drowning in medical bills. Julian had already destroyed my credit. The hotel had benefits.”
“You could have called me.”
“I didn't know you yet.”
“I mean later.”
Nora understood.
“I didn't want your money.”
“I know.”
“You offered to pay everything.”
“I remember.”
“And I said no.”
“I remember that too.”
She studied him.
“You respected it.”
“I wanted to throw your bills into the fireplace.”
Nora laughed unexpectedly.
Roman smiled.
The sound faded.
Then headlights swept across the distant driveway.
Roman's expression immediately hardened.
One of his men entered.
“Julian Vale is at the gate.”
Nora stood.
Roman shook his head.
“You don't need to see him.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Nora.”
“He married me knowing something about my mother.”
“Probably.”
“I want to hear him lie.”
Roman studied her.
Then nodded.
Julian entered ten minutes later.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His hair looked as if he'd spent the drive running his fingers through it.
He saw Nora first.
Then Roman.
“You're actually staying here?”
Nora's expression remained flat.
“Why are you here?”
Julian looked toward Roman.
“I want to talk to my ex-wife privately.”
Roman glanced at Nora.
Her choice.
“No.”
Julian exhaled.
“Nora, he's manipulating you.”
Nora nearly laughed.
“You came here at one in the morning to warn me about manipulation?”
“I came because Selene is furious.”
“That sounds like Selene's problem.”
“She thinks you orchestrated today.”
“Orchestrated being slapped?”
Julian rubbed his forehead.
“I didn't mean that.”
“You never mean anything once people call you on it.”
Roman remained silent.
Julian hated that.
His gaze kept flicking toward him.
Nora stepped closer to Julian.
“Did you know my mother before you met me?”
“No.”
“Did your father?”
Julian paused.
There.
Small.
Almost invisible.
But Nora had lived with this man for six years.
She knew his pauses.
“Yes.”
Nora's chest tightened.
“How?”
“Business.”
“What business?”
“My father consulted for the March family.”
“You never told me.”
“It wasn't important.”
“My mother's entire life was destroyed by those people.”
“I didn't know that.”
“You knew enough to intercept her attorney.”
Julian's expression changed.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Henry Whitmore called me when Mom was dying.”
“No.”
“He has recordings.”
Julian's face tightened.
Nora continued.
“You told him I didn't want anything from my mother.”
“No.”
“Then somebody used your phone.”
“Maybe.”
“You also filed a claim on her ownership shares two days ago.”
Julian went silent.
Roman finally moved.
He leaned against the kitchen counter.
“I'm curious about that too.”
Julian looked at him.
“This is between Nora and me.”
Roman's voice stayed conversational.
“You filed a legal claim using my wife's forged signature.”
Julian went pale.
“Your wife?”
“You saw the license.”
“That marriage isn't real.”
Nora's anger flared.
“Excuse me?”
Julian turned to her.
“You ran straight into another marriage after our divorce. You weren't thinking clearly.”
“You cheated on me for two years.”
“That isn't—”
“With Selene.”
Silence.
Selene had always insisted their relationship began after the divorce.
Julian looked away.
Nora smiled bitterly.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For finally answering that question.”
“Nora.”
“How long?”
He said nothing.
“How long?”
“About eighteen months before we separated.”
Nora nodded slowly.
She expected pain.
Instead, she felt relief.
The ghost of her old marriage finally looked as ugly as it had actually been.
“Did Selene know you married me because of my mother?”
Julian's expression hardened.
“I didn't.”
“Then why did you approach me at the Bellamy Foundation event?”
“It was a museum fundraiser.”
Nora froze.
She had deliberately named the wrong event.
Julian had corrected her.
Roman noticed.
Nora continued softly.
“I never told you where we first met.”
Julian realized his mistake.
Too late.
Nora stepped closer.
“You researched me.”
Julian said nothing.
“You knew who I was.”
“I knew your name.”
“Because your father told you?”
No answer.
Roman's security chief appeared quietly in the doorway.
He held a tablet.
Roman read the screen.
His eyes narrowed.
“What?”
Nora asked.
Roman showed her.
An old email recovered from Peter Sloane's company archives.
Sender: Julian Vale.
Recipient: Peter Sloane.
Dated seven years earlier.
Subject line:
BELLAMY GIRL
Nora's stomach twisted.
The email contained only four sentences.
I found her.
She doesn't know anything.
Her mother never told her.
I'll handle the rest.
Nora looked at Julian.
He stopped pretending.
His shoulders dropped.
His face changed.
For the first time she saw the man beneath the charm.
“You don't understand,” Julian said.
“Then explain.”
“My father believed Celeste had hidden financial records.”
“So you married me?”
“I was supposed to find out what you knew.”
Nora couldn't speak.
Julian rushed forward.
Roman moved between them.
Julian stopped.
“I didn't expect to fall in love with you.”
Nora almost laughed.
“You cheated on me.”
“I was weak.”
“You left debt in my name.”
“I was trying to keep my father satisfied.”
“You intercepted my mother's attorney.”
“I was afraid you'd find out.”
“You forged my signature.”
Julian looked away.
That was answer enough.
Nora's eyes filled with tears.
Not because she loved him.
Because an entire section of her life had been manufactured.
Roman's voice was cold.
“Leave.”
Julian looked at Nora desperately.
“You have no idea what Roman Calder is.”
Nora wiped her eyes.
“Maybe not.”
Julian's expression sharpened.
“He's worse than my family ever was.”
Roman didn't react.
Julian continued.
“Ask him why he was really negotiating to buy the March Grand.”
Nora looked at Roman.
Julian smiled.
“You think it's coincidence he appeared today?”
Nora's pulse accelerated.
“What are you talking about?”
Roman's face became unreadable.
Julian pointed toward him.
“He knew about Celeste's hidden ownership months ago.”
Nora stared at Roman.
Roman didn't deny it.
Her stomach dropped.
“Roman?”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“Go ahead. Ask your husband.”
Nora's voice became very quiet.
“Did you know?”
Roman met her eyes.
“Yes.”
One word.
The kitchen seemed to tilt.
Nora stepped backward.
“How long?”
“Six months.”
Nora stopped breathing.
Six months.
Before their wedding.
Before he promised her there were no more secrets.
Before she discovered who he was.
Julian walked toward the door.
Then he delivered the final blow.
“He didn't meet you by accident either.”
Roman's eyes flashed.
“Julian.”
But Nora had already heard.
She turned to Roman.
“What does he mean?”
Julian smiled without warmth.
“Ask him why the most powerful man in Boston suddenly started drinking coffee at the diner where Celeste Bellamy's daughter worked.”
May you like
And when the front door closed behind Julian, Nora realized there was only one person left in the room who could tell her whether her second marriage had begun with a lie too.
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