Chapter 8: The Visitor at the Gate
Julian stood up from his desk, sliding the titanium flash drive and documents into the inner pocket of his tailored suit jacket. He walked briskly down the grand hallway, motioning for Mrs. Gable to keep Clara and Lily secure in the reinforced panic room located behind the library’s false bookshelf. Clara protested briefly, recognizing the urgency in his eyes, but she complied, pulling the sleeping baby into her arms and disappearing behind the closing wood panel.
Stepping out onto the front steps, Julian felt the cold night air hit his face. The rain had cleared, leaving a damp mist clinging to the wrought iron gates. Parked directly outside the perimeter was a sleek black sedan, its high beams cutting through the fog. Standing beside the driver’s side door was a man in an expensive charcoal overcoat. As Julian approached the gates, the man stepped forward into the glow of the security lights. A jagged, faded scar traced a path from the collar of his shirt up along the side of his neck, disappearing beneath his ear line.
"Julian," the man said smoothly, his voice carrying an oily confidence. "It’s been a while. I hope I’m not interrupting anything important."
"Victor," Julian replied, his voice completely devoid of emotion as he stopped three feet from the iron bars. "You've grown remarkably bold, coming directly to my residence uninvited."
Victor Thorne smiled, though his eyes remained cold and calculating. "Let’s not play corporate games tonight, Julian. You know why I’m here. Sarah Vance—or whatever name she was using lately—passed away yesterday. And she left something behind. Something that belongs to the corporation. Or more specifically, something that belongs to me."
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Julian kept his posture relaxed, his hands resting naturally at his sides near the pocket containing the flash drive. "Sarah hasn't been part of my life for over a decade, Victor. Whatever she had, I know nothing about it."
Victor’s smile faltered slightly, replaced by a harder, more dangerous edge. "Don't insult my intelligence, Julian. We know she walked to your gates last night. We tracked her every step before her heart finally gave out. And we know the little girl she was carrying isn't just a random stray. Hand over the blue envelope and the drive, and we can pretend this entire unfortunate family matter never crossed your path."
