Chapter 18 - EVELYN’S SECOND SON
Evelyn Hamilton slapped Damian before Caitlyn had even finished explaining.
The sound cracked through the library.
Vincent looked down.
Marco pretended to study the fireplace.
Noah, stitches above his eyebrow, whispered, “I’m starting to understand this family’s communication style.”
Caitlyn gave him a look.
“What?” Noah muttered. “I got hit with a lamp tonight. I’m allowed one joke.”
Evelyn’s hand trembled.
“You told her nothing?”
Damian touched his cheek.
“No.”
“You married her.”
“I know.”
“You stood beside that river and promised truth.”
“I know.”
“Apparently you don’t.”
Evelyn turned away.
For sixty-two years she had carried herself like a woman who considered weakness an expensive habit.
Now Caitlyn watched her grip the back of a chair.
“Rebecca is alive,” Evelyn whispered.
“You knew her?” Caitlyn asked.
Evelyn laughed sadly.
“I loved her.”
Damian looked up.
“What?”
“She was my closest friend.”
The room went still.
Evelyn sat.
“Helena and Rebecca Vale came into your father’s organization when they were barely adults. Helena handled numbers. Rebecca handled logistics.”
“Crime,” Noah said.
Evelyn looked at him.
“Yes.”
No excuses.
No softening.
Caitlyn appreciated that.
“Helena became pregnant,” Evelyn continued. “Your father refused to acknowledge you publicly. His wife at the time could not have children, and acknowledging another woman’s son threatened alliances he considered important.”
Damian’s expression hardened.
“So he hid me.”
“Yes.”
“What happened to his wife?”
“She left.”
“And you?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“I came later.”
Damian stared.
Caitlyn had seen him face guns with less discomfort.
“You married the man who killed my mother.”
Evelyn flinched.
“I married him before I knew.”
“And stayed after.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because of you.”
Damian laughed bitterly.
“Convenient.”
Evelyn stood.
“I was twenty-eight. He brought a terrified sixteen-year-old boy into the house and told everyone you were his nephew. You barely spoke. You slept with a chair under your door handle.”
Damian looked away.
“I knew something had happened to you.”
Her voice softened.
“I stayed because every time I considered leaving, I looked at you and knew he would have no one between you and him.”
Caitlyn watched Damian.
Something in his face loosened.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But understanding had entered the room.
Evelyn continued.
“Years later, he legally changed your name and declared you his son when it became useful.”
“Useful how?”
“You were better than his other successors.”
Vincent shifted.
“Other successors?”
Evelyn looked toward him.
“Yes.”
Damian’s eyes narrowed.
“How many?”
“Two.”
Noah whistled softly.
Caitlyn ignored him.
“What happened to them?”
“One died.”
“And the other?”
Evelyn looked toward the fireplace.
“I don’t know.”
Damian stepped closer.
“What was his name?”
“Julian Cross.”
Vincent suddenly went rigid.
Marco noticed.
“Vincent?”
Vincent’s face had gone pale.
“I know that name.”
Damian turned.
“From where?”
“Three weeks ago.”
He reached for his phone.
“A company called Cross Meridian tried to purchase twelve percent of Hamilton Holdings through secondary private shares.”
Damian’s voice became cold.
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“The board rejected it automatically.”
“Who signed the offer?”
Vincent looked at the screen.
“Julian Cross.”
Noah leaned back.
“This is getting annoyingly dramatic.”
Nobody laughed.
Damian walked toward the window.
“Rebecca comes back. Julian starts buying shares.”
Caitlyn looked at Evelyn.
“Could they be working together?”
Evelyn shook her head.
“Rebecca hated Julian.”
“Why?”
“Because Helena didn’t trust him.”
Damian turned around.
“Why?”
Evelyn hesitated.
Then said, “Because Julian believed your father should have chosen him.”
The next morning Hamilton Holdings received an invitation.
Not by email.
Not through counsel.
A courier delivered it in a black box.
Inside was a single card.
DINNER.
8:00 PM.
THE RAVEN ROOM.
COME WITH YOUR WIFE.
Signed:
JULIAN CROSS.
Damian tore the card in half.
Caitlyn watched him.
“We’re going.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Absolutely not.”
She folded her arms.
“You have spent twenty-four hours telling me your family history one disaster at a time. I am done waiting for secrets to come through my office door.”
“This man may be dangerous.”
“So were you.”
Damian stared.
Noah covered a smile.
Caitlyn stepped closer.
“And yet somehow I survived marrying you.”
“Barely.”
“Damian.”
His jaw tightened.
He knew he had lost.
At 7:55 that evening they entered the Raven Room.
Julian Cross was already waiting.
He was in his late fifties.
Silver at the temples.
Expensive suit.
No visible security.
He stood when Caitlyn entered.
Then looked at Damian.
The resemblance was subtle.
But unmistakable.
Same eyes.
Same stillness.
Same way of measuring a room.
Julian smiled.
“Little brother.”
Damian stopped.
Caitlyn felt his hand tighten around hers.
Julian lifted a glass.
“I’ve waited thirty years to say that.”
Damian’s voice came low.
“You’re not my brother.”
“Technically half-brother.”
“You were my father’s protégé.”
“I was both.”
Damian looked at Evelyn.
She had insisted on coming.
Her face crumpled.
Julian smiled at her.
“You always did hate surprises, Evelyn.”
She whispered, “Your mother told me you died.”
“My mother lied.”
“Why?”
“Because your husband tried to kill me.”
Julian sat.
Then looked directly at Caitlyn.
“Which brings us to why Rebecca returned.”
Damian remained standing.
“You know where she is?”
“Yes.”
“Tell me.”
Julian smiled.
“She doesn’t want you dead, Damian.”
“Then what?”
“She wants you to find something.”
“What?”
Julian slid a key across the table.
A bank deposit key.
Caitlyn looked at the number.
Julian’s smile disappeared.
“Your father’s final ledger.”
Damian stared at him.
“That ledger was destroyed.”
“No.”
Julian leaned back.
“And if Rebecca is right, the last page contains one secret your father took extraordinary measures to hide.”
Caitlyn’s stomach tightened.
“What secret?”
Julian looked at Damian.
“That Thomas Elmore was never killed because of what he discovered.”
Caitlyn froze at the sound of her father’s name.
May you like
Julian looked at her.
“He was killed because of who he discovered.”
