Chapter 5 - The Confrontation
Clara freezes, holding the stack of insurance papers tightly against her chest.
Julian slowly locks the study door behind him.
"Take off the mask," he orders coldly.
Clara lets the feathered mask fall to the carpet, refusing to look away from the barrel of the gun.
"I know everything, Julian," Clara says bravely.
She holds up the insurance policies for him to see.
Julian's expression changes from anger to absolute confusion.
"What are you talking about?" he demands, stepping closer.
"The fifty million dollars you will get when Vanessa finally kills your son," Clara spits back.
Julian lowers the gun slightly, his brow furrowing in genuine shock.
"I never took out life insurance on my son," Julian says softly.
Clara stares at him, realizing his confusion is not an act.
She looks down at the signature at the bottom of the policy.
The handwriting is a perfect forgery of Julian's signature, but the beneficiary listed is not Julian.
The beneficiary is Vanessa.
"She is playing you, Julian," Clara gasps.
Before Julian can process this shocking revelation, the glass balcony door explodes inward.
A high-caliber sniper bullet tears through the study.
Julian screams in agony as the bullet strikes his shoulder, spinning him around.
He collapses heavily onto the Persian rug, blood rapidly pooling beneath him.
Clara drops the papers and falls to her knees to help him.
The study doors burst open, and Vanessa rushes in surrounded by security guards.
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Vanessa points a trembling finger at Clara.
"Oh my god, the maid just shot Julian!" Vanessa screams hysterically.
