Chapter 12 - Julian Reveals Why Her Mother Faked Death
Inside the brightly lit private study of the Bel-Air mansion, maps and digital schematics covered the mahogany table.
Julian poured two cups of black coffee, handing one to Maya while she paced across the Persian rug.
“Talk to me, Julian. Why did my mother have to fake her death instead of going to the police?” Maya demanded answers.
“In 1999, the federal judiciary was heavily compromised by bribes from the Sterling and Vance shipping cartels,” Julian stated.
“So the legal system wasn't an option for her,” Maya concluded, stopping her restless pacing.
“Going to court would have resulted in her assassination before she even reached the witness stand,” Julian confirmedgrimly.
He tapped a button on his desk console, bringing up a secure video feed of an elderly woman in a cozy cabin.
Maya gasped, dropping her coffee mug onto the carpet as the video stream displayed her mother sitting by a fireplace.
“Mom...?” Maya whispered, pressing her hands against the cold glass of the computer monitor with streaming tears.
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“She’s alive, Maya, and she’s been waiting two decades for you to claim what is rightfully yours,” Julian smiled softly.
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