Chapter 76

The car’s interior was cloaked in silence as they sped away from the docks. Erica sat in the back, her gaze unfocused as the city lights flickered through the window. Each passing glow felt like a jolt, a reminder of the revelations she had just witnessed.

Julian glanced at her through the rearview mirror, concern etched into his features. “Are you okay?” he asked softly, though he knew the answer was far from simple.

Erica didn’t respond immediately. Instead, her mind drifted back to her grandfather’s words. She’d known betrayal before—her stepmother’s coldness, the manipulation of those she’d once trusted—but this felt different. This was family. Her grandfather, the man who had once held her hand and told her bedtime stories, was now revealed as a ruthless conspirator, willing to destroy her life for his own gains.

“Erica?” Julian’s voice was gentle but firm, drawing her out of her thoughts.

She looked up, meeting his gaze in the mirror, and let out a shaky breath. “I’m… I’m not su