She Promised Her Best Friend She’d Never Love His Brother — Then He Found the Photograph She Hid for Ten Years
Chapter 6
Marcus was furious when he discovered Clara had gone with Julian to meet Anna.
“You promised you’d tell me.”
“I know.”
“But you didn’t.”
Clara couldn’t explain why.
Maybe because every time Julian looked at her, something inside her became harder to control.
Marcus noticed.
His expression changed.
“Is this about him?”
Clara said nothing.
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“Of course it is.”
Julian stepped between them.
“Marcus.”
“No.”
Marcus pointed at him.
“You always take something from me.”
Julian stared at him.
“That’s not what this is.”
“Then tell me what it is.”
Silence.
Marcus looked at Clara.
She finally whispered:
“I care about him.”
Marcus looked devastated.
But then he said something neither of them expected.
“I’ve known for years that Julian didn’t destroy our family.”
Julian froze.
“What?”
Marcus reached into his jacket.
He removed an old folder.
“My father left this with me.”
Inside was evidence showing that the financial collapse had been engineered.
Julian stared at the documents.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I thought keeping the truth from you would protect you.”
Clara looked at Marcus.
He understood the irony.
They had all been lying for the same reason.
They thought silence was protection.
