Chapter 3 - The First Lie
Julian answered too quickly.
"Work."
Amelia remained seated.
"What work?"
"Her legal restructuring."
"At Hart Maritime?"
"Yes."
"You don't work for Hart Maritime."
"My firm does."
"Since when?"
Julian sat across from her.
"Amelia, don't make this something it isn't."
"That's usually what people say when something is exactly what it looks like."
He exhaled.
"Cassandra asked me to review corporate paperwork."
"Privately?"
"Professionally."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because every conversation about Cassandra turns into an argument with your father."
"We've never had an argument about Cassandra."
"You will."
That answer stayed with Amelia.
"Why?"
Julian looked away.
"Thomas doesn't trust her."
"Should he?"
Julian lifted his glass.
"Your father doesn't trust anyone."
"He trusts me."
The words escaped before Amelia could stop them.
Julian's face changed.
There it was.
A wound she had never noticed.
"Exactly," he said.
"What does that mean?"
"It means everything eventually comes back to you."
"That's not my decision."
"You don't even want the company."
"No."
"But you inherit it."
"If Dad chooses that."
"He already has."
Amelia leaned back.
"How do you know?"
Julian realized his mistake.
"I've seen older documents."
"Through Cassandra?"
He stood.
"We should leave."
"Sit down."
"Don't order me around like one of your soldiers."
Amelia's expression went still.
Julian immediately regretted it.
"That wasn't fair."
"No, it wasn't."
He sat again.
Amelia lowered her voice.
"Are you sleeping with Cassandra?"
People at the nearby table continued talking.
A waiter passed.
Julian looked directly at Amelia.
"No."
That was the first lie Amelia would later remember word for word.
She believed him.
Not entirely.
But enough.
Nine days later, Amelia boarded a military transport for Germany before continuing to a temporary assignment in Jordan.
Thomas hugged her at the airport.
"Call me."
"I always call."
"More."
"You're needier with age."
"One of the benefits."
Julian arrived late.
He kissed her quickly.
"I'll come see you if your schedule allows."
"It won't."
"Then I'll wait."
Cassandra did not come.
Amelia was relieved.
For several weeks life became familiar again.
Briefings.
Logistics meetings.
Long hours.
Uncomfortable beds.
Bad coffee.
She called Thomas every Sunday.
Julian less often.
At first she blamed time zones.
Then Julian began canceling planned calls.
A court filing.
A client dinner.
A conference.
One night he didn't answer at all.
The following morning, Amelia received a message.
Sorry. Fell asleep.
At the exact time Julian claimed to have been sleeping, Cassandra had posted a photograph from a fundraising gala.
She stood in front of a ballroom staircase.
Behind her, half-obscured by guests, was Julian.
Amelia zoomed in.
He was looking toward Cassandra.
Not casually.
Intimately.
Amelia closed the photograph.
She called him.
No answer.
She called again.
No answer.
Then she called her father.
Thomas answered immediately.
"You sound angry."
"Is Julian in Charleston?"
Silence.
"Dad."
"Yes."
"Have you seen him?"
Another pause.
"Yes."
"With Cassandra?"
Thomas exhaled.
"Amelia."
"Tell me."
"They attended a board dinner together."
"When?"
"Last night."
"Why?"
"Cassandra said Julian was advising her."
Amelia closed her eyes.
"Did you believe her?"
"No."
The honesty hurt.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I wanted evidence before I hurt my daughter."
"I asked you to tell me the truth."
"And I'm telling you now."
She walked to the window.
Outside, desert wind pushed dust along the perimeter road.
"Did you confront them?"
"I confronted Cassandra."
"What did she say?"
"That you're too suspicious."
Amelia laughed once.
"Convenient."
"Come home."
"I can't."
"Then I'll handle it."
"No."
Thomas became quiet.
Amelia continued.
"Don't do anything because of me. If Julian wants someone else, that's between Julian and me."
"She isn't just after Julian."
"What do you mean?"
Thomas lowered his voice.
"The trust amendment appeared again."
Amelia's heart dropped.
"This time it had my electronic signature."
"Was it yours?"
"No."
"Call Martin."
"I did."
"Call the FBI."
"Amelia."
"You're dealing with corporate fraud involving military logistics contracts."
"I know."
"Then stop protecting whoever this is."
"I'm protecting the company until I know how deep it goes."
Amelia pressed two fingers against her forehead.
"What changed in the amendment?"
"It creates a temporary control committee if I'm medically incapacitated."
"Who sits on it?"
Thomas didn't answer.
"Dad."
"Cassandra."
Amelia stared through the window.
"And Julian?"
"Legal adviser."
The desert suddenly felt colder.
"I'm coming home."
"You said you can't."
"I'll find a way."
Before she could, an explosion struck a supply convoy eighty miles from her base.
Amelia's unit was redirected.
For the next eleven days, she barely slept.
On the third night she met Nathaniel Kane.
He arrived aboard a civilian evacuation aircraft carrying medical equipment his company had donated.
Amelia first saw him arguing with an official beside the runway.
"You cannot land another plane here without authorization," the officer shouted.
Nathaniel pointed toward a row of injured civilians.
"Then authorize it."
"This isn't your country."
"No. But those are still people."
Amelia should have kept walking.
Instead she said, "Your aircraft is blocking our transport corridor."
Nathaniel turned.
Their eyes met.
"Then tell me where to move it."
No arrogance.
No charm.
Just exhaustion.
Amelia pointed.
"Bay four."
Nathaniel nodded.
"Thank you, Major."
"How do you know my rank?"
He glanced at her uniform.
"I read."
May you like
It was the first conversation of hundreds.
Neither of them knew it yet.
