Chapter 14 - JULIAN
Julian Whitmore had spent fifteen years avoiding the family business.
He taught architecture in Chicago.
He hated boardrooms.
He hated inherited money.
He especially hated Claire’s habit of calling his choices “simple.”
Nina claimed Julian had asked her for access to Eleanor’s archived signature files.
Claire called him.
He answered on the fourth ring.
“Before you accuse me, yes.”
Claire went silent.
“Yes what?”
“I accessed Mom’s files.”
“Did you forge the proxy?”
“No.”
“Why access them?”
“To prove the trust amendment was manipulated.”
Claire closed her eyes.
“Everyone has a secret project.”
Julian laughed bitterly.
“You never ask until the secret threatens you.”
That hurt because it was partly true.
Julian believed Eleanor had pressured him years earlier to waive certain trust rights.
He wanted evidence.
Nina helped him.
Then Nina copied the signature template.
“What did she do with it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you pay her?”
“No.”
“Did you tell anyone?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to hurt you.”
Claire stopped.
Julian’s voice cracked.
“You got the house. The company. Mom’s office. Her trust. Every photograph in the newspapers said you were the heir and I was the son who left.”
“You did leave.”
“Yes.”
“And you wanted me punished for staying.”
Silence.
“Yes.”
It was ugly.
At least it was true.
Julian flew to New York that night.
He handed Claire every file he had taken.
One document showed something neither expected.
Eleanor had not excluded Julian from the trust.
Julian had signed away his own voting rights.
The signature was his.
He stared at it.
“I don’t remember signing this.”
Claire looked at the date.
May you like
The day of their mother’s funeral.
