Chapter 9 - SIENNA'S CONFESSION
They returned to the estate at three in the morning.
Sienna was waiting.
She looked different.
No expensive confidence.
No smugness.
Just fear.
"I want an attorney."
Julian walked past her.
"You should get one."
"Julian."
He stopped.
She swallowed.
"I didn't steal the money."
He slowly turned.
Nobody had accused her directly.
Not aloud.
Sienna realized it.
Julian walked closer.
"Interesting choice of sentence."
She closed her eyes.
"Mother told me."
"Told you what?"
"That Dad suspected us."
"Us?"
"You and me."
Julian stared.
"When?"
"Years ago."
"Before he died?"
"Yes."
"And you never told me."
"He made Mother promise."
Julian laughed.
"Our family has a strange definition of protection."
Sienna looked toward Clara.
"I didn't know about Voss."
Clara said nothing.
"I knew about the room," Sienna continued. "I knew Mother watched Clara."
Julian's face hardened.
"Why?"
"Because Clara started asking questions."
"What questions?"
"About Dad's old files."
Julian looked at Clara.
She nodded.
Sienna continued.
"Mother thought Clara married you to investigate us."
"So you treated her like garbage."
Sienna's face twisted.
"I was angry."
"At her?"
"At everyone."
"That's convenient."
Sienna's eyes filled.
"You don't understand."
"Try me."
"Dad left you control of Hayes International."
Julian stared.
"This is about inheritance?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"He left me a trust."
"I know."
"The trust was empty."
Julian frowned.
"What?"
"Two months after he died, I discovered the accounts had been drained."
"How much?"
"Forty-one million."
Clara inhaled sharply.
Julian stared at his sister.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because the transfer records showed your authorization."
He went still.
Again.
His codes.
His signature.
His access.
Sienna whispered, "I thought you stole it."
"Forty-one million dollars."
"Yes."
"And instead of confronting me, you tortured my wife?"
Her mouth trembled.
"I thought she helped you."
Julian looked disgusted.
"You pushed her around a kitchen because you thought I stole money from you."
"It wasn't just money!"
Her voice cracked.
"It was proof Dad never loved me the way he loved you."
The room fell silent.
Julian stared at her.
For the first time he saw how deep her resentment went.
Not an excuse.
But an explanation.
He asked, "Did you remove the hard drive?"
"No."
"The notebook?"
"No."
"Did Lawrence?"
"I don't know."
"What did Mother tell him?"
Sienna hesitated.
Julian leaned closer.
"What?"
"She told Lawrence Clara had found the ledger."
Clara frowned.
"What ledger?"
Sienna looked at her.
"The one Dad kept."
Julian's blood ran cold.
"What was in it?"
"Every secret payment he discovered."
"Where is it?"
"I thought it was in the room."
Clara shook her head.
"The notebook was black. Small."
Sienna's face changed.
"No."
"What?"
"Dad's ledger wasn't black."
Julian stared.
"What color?"
"Red."
Before anyone could respond, a guard entered quickly.
"Mr. Hayes."
"What?"
"We found something behind the wall in your father's old bedroom."
May you like
Julian looked at Sienna.
The guard held out a red leather book.
