Chapter 3: The Gaslight Games
Vanessa and Beatrice weren't sitting idle. They knew Julian was dangerous. They tried to frame him.
First came the phone calls. Lawyers threatened him with lawsuits for "abduction of a minor." Then came the smear campaign in the press. “Billionaire Julian Thorne Has Lost His Mind,” the tabloids screamed. They painted him as a man who had cracked under the pressure of the wedding, kidnapping a homeless child in a delusional fit.
Vanessa showed up at his penthouse, dressed in couture, playing the victim. She walked in as if she owned the place, her eyes scanning for Maya.
"Julian, darling, you're scaring everyone," she said, her voice dripping with fake concern. "Just let me take the child to the authorities. You’re ruining your reputation."
Julian stood in the center of his living room, his laptop open, displaying a schematic of the Sterling Foundation's bank transfers. "Do you know what I found, Vanessa?"
She paused, her smile faltering.
"I found the link between your father’s foundation and the detention facility in rural Pennsylvania," Julian said, his voice steady. "I found the digital trail of every wire transfer. You didn't just steal children; you were laundering the money for the operation."
May you like
Vanessa’s expression hardened. The mask slipped. "You have no proof that holds up in a federal court. My father has judges in his pocket from D.C. to New York. You’re a businessman, Julian. Don't play hero. It’s a bad look."
"I’m not playing hero," Julian replied, hitting a key on his laptop. "I’m playing executioner. The FBI has the files. The IRS has the tax documents. And the press? They’re going to have everything by morning."
