Chapter 16 - The Truth About Beatrice
Julian met Beatrice in the courthouse weeks later.
She looked smaller.
Older.
Without Arthur beside her, the confidence was gone.
“I don't expect forgiveness,” she said.
Julian sat across from her.
“You shouldn't.”
She nodded.
“But I want you to know the truth.”
Julian waited.
“Your mother trusted me.”
Beatrice began crying.
“She gave me evidence because she believed I would protect you.”
“But you didn't.”
“No.”
Her voice broke.
“I chose Arthur.”
Julian looked down.
“Why?”
“Fear.”
She admitted that Arthur had threatened her.
Then she revealed something unexpected.
“When I saw Elena being hurt, I knew I couldn't continue.”
Julian's expression softened slightly.
“That's why you let her escape?”
Beatrice nodded.
“I gave her the location of the storage box.”
Julian finally understood how Elena had found the evidence.
Beatrice hadn't been innocent.
But she had eventually helped stop the machine she helped build.
Julian stood.
“I can't call you my mother.”
“I know.”
“But I won't let you destroy yourself over what you did.”
Beatrice looked up.
“You're still protecting me?”
“No.”
Julian paused.
May you like
“I'm choosing not to become you.”
👉 For the first time, Julian stopped fighting his family's past—and started deciding what kind of family he wanted in the future.
