Her Night Dance
Chapter 22
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Julian rested his forehead against mine.
“Aetherion’s collapse happened so suddenly, your father barely
had time to act. His last email to me came just half an hour before
his death.”
He hesitated and then continued, “The moment I heard, I planned
to return. But my family’s would–be successor discovered my
identity. Fearing I’d threaten his position, he sent people to
intercept me. They attacked me, leaving me gravely injured.”
His expression darkened, his words trailing off.
“How badly were you hurt?” I asked hesitantly.
Julian let out a self–deprecating laugh. “A head injury. When I
woke up, I had the cognitive ability of a five–year–old.”
His tone was light, almost mocking himself, but his eyes held an
unshakable sincerity.
For a moment, I saw him as he once was–the boy who had
promised to stand by me, whose resolve had never wavered.
After a long pause, I reached for his hand. “Jules, thank you for coming back for me.”
Julian froze, his eves quickly filling with complicated emotions
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Some things didn’t need to be said aloud to be understood.
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Julian explained that my father’s last email mentioned a garden.
“The final fruit is hidden in the garden’s secret corner. Based on my investigation, I’m certain your parents preserved key evidence but couldn’t release it due to the circumstances. They hid it in the
safest place they could think of. Lara, do you know where that
secret corner is?”
Of course I knew.
My father and I had dug it out together, one shovelfu
time.
We rushed to my old home, now overgrown and neglected. In a forgotten corner of the yard, we unearthed a USB drive.
The contents were earth–shattering. It implicated powerful figures
from that era–people who had wielded immense influence.
No wonder my father had chosen to take the blame.
And Ethan’s family? Their names were right there among the
perpetrators.
My hands trembled with rage as I alternated between crying and laughing. “I knew it! My parents were innocent! These monsters- I’ll make them pay!”
Julian clenched his fists, the veins on his hands bulging as he
Chapter 22
struggled to contain his anger.
“I swear, no matter the cost, I’ll clear their names.”
I bit down hard on my lip, forcing myself to calm down.
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“Jules, they ruined my parents, left them disgraced even in death. Jail isn’t enough for them–I won’t settle for that.”
Julian’s gaze darkened. “What do you want to do? I’m with you.”
“Let’s get married,” I said suddenly. “I mean, a grand, extravagant wedding.”
Julian blinked and then smiled as realization dawned. “I was
already planning the most romantic, lavish wedding for you.”
I softened my voice. “Perfect. Let the whole world see.”
True to his word, Julian dove into wedding preparations the
moment we returned.
In his own words, “All I have is money and my wife. That’s
enough.”
Thanks to his boundless financial resources, our wedding plans
quickly gained traction.
Together, we posted loving updates and promotions on social
media. Our upcoming wedding became the talk of the town,
shooting to the top of trending topics.
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Naturally, Amber and Ethan noticed.
Amber messaged me first.
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Amber: [So what if you’ve latched onto a rich guy? What do you think will happen if Mr. Reid finds out your true identity? Do you think he’d want to be associated with the daughter of murderers?]
I stared at her words, realizing Ethan must have shared my secret with her.
Oddly, I felt no pain from the betrayal.
“Calmly, I replied.
Clara: [I’m about to marry Julian. Ethan is yours now. What more could you want?]”
“Amber’s response came almost instantly.
Amber: [You were supposed to lose to me! Why should you get to marry someone better than Ethan?]”
Amber: [Mark my words–I’ll destroy you.]
A deranged, unhinged woman with no limits.
I shook my head and ignored her.
No sooner had her messages stopped than Ethan chimed in.
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Ethan: [This is your last chance. Come back to me.]
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Ethan: [If you don’t, my little bird, I’ll clip your wings and make sure
you never fly again.]
I laughed coldly and sent him a simple reply.
Clara: [Go to hell.]
B
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Her Night Dance
Chapter 23
