Chapter 11: The Precipice Revisited
Vincent followed the phantom sounds of snapping twigs all the way to the jagged cliff where they had stood the day before. The ocean below roared like a thousand starving beasts, waves crashing violently against the black basalt rocks.
The fog parted slightly under the moonlight, revealing Julian standing alone on the highest ledge, his back turned to the drop, facing the path.
He was no longer wearing his sunglasses. He stood tall, his eyes clear, sharp, and blazing with righteous fury.
Vincent stumbled onto the clearing, gasping for breath, the revolver trembling in his right hand. He raised the flashlight directly into Julian’s face.
Julian didn't flinch. He didn't squint. He looked directly down the barrel of the flashlight, his gaze locking straight into Vincent’s eyes.
Vincent froze. The realization hit him like a physical blow to the chest. "You... your eyes. You can see."
"I saw you forge Dad’s signature," Julian said, his voice cutting through the roar of the surf with chilling clarity. "I saw the paralytic in your coat. And I saw the greed that turned my brother into a monster."
Vincent’s breath hitched. "You were faking it... this entire time?"
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"I wanted to see if there was a single shred of humanity left in you," Julian replied, taking a slow step forward. "I wanted to give you a chance to turn back. But you never stopped, Vincent. Not once."
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