Chapter 334

[ 1,062 words ]

Katia’s POV

I watched Jude’s face change right in front of me. The moment Hailey demanded the divorce and the folder with the marriage certificate sat open on the table, something inside him broke. His eyes darted around the room like he was looking for an escape route. I knew what was coming before he even moved.

“I can’t do this,” he said. His voice sounded rough and shaky. “I won’t stand here while you all tear me apart p>

David took a step forward from where he had been standing near the bar cart. “Jude, sit down. We are not finished p>

But Jude did not listen. He turned fast toward the hallway that led to the elevator. His shoulder hit the edge of a chair and sent it scraping loudly across the floor. I started to move, but Sam was quicker. She already had her phone out and was speaking into it. Jude broke into a run.

I did not chase him. I stayed where I was near the table and said, “Let him run. He won’t get far p>

His footsteps echoed down the private hall. Then I heard the elevator ding. The doors opened and closed. He was gone.

The room stayed completely quiet for a long time. Martha sank into the nearest chair. Her hand shook as she pressed it against her forehead. “He just ran,” she said. “After everything he told us. After all those dinners at our house. He ran like he had something to hide p>

Hailey stood with her arms crossed. She looked toward the empty hallway with pure disgust on her face. “That is the man I married,” she said. “He always runs when things get difficult. I should have known years ago p>

I glanced at Delia. She stayed near the doorway, her arms wrapped around herself. Her eyes looked red. She did not say anything. She just stared at the spot where Jude had been.

Julian had not moved from his place near the window the whole evening. He watched the hallway now with a calm face. When he spoke, his voice stayed low. “He made his choice. Running only makes it clearer what he really is p>

Sam finished her call and lowered her phone. “Security downstairs has his description. They logged the exact time he left the building and which way he went. I told them to watch but not to stop him. We can pull the camera footage later if we need it p>

David rubbed a hand over his face. He looked tired. “I let that man into my home. I shook his hand. I listened to him talk about family and second chances. Now he runs out like this p>

I walked over to the table and closed the folder with the papers. I did not sit down. “He ran because he had nothing left to say. The certificate is real. Hailey is real. His whole story fell apart the second we showed it to him p>

Hailey stepped closer to the table. She picked up the copy of the registry page and looked at it for a moment before she put it back down. “I spent months thinking he was busy with work. Sponsorship deals and investor meetings. Turns out he was here pretending to be married to someone else. I want that divorce filed as soon as possible. I do not care what it costs. I just want my name away from his p>

“You will have it,” I said. “Sam can start the paperwork tonight p>

Sam nodded. “I already have a lawyer ready who handles cases like this across countries. We can move quickly p>

Martha lifted her head. Her voice sounded weak. “What do we do now? He is gone. But the things he said and the things Delia admitted to. I do not know how to deal with any of this p>

Delia flinched when she heard her name. She tightened her arms around herself but stayed quiet.

I looked straight at my sister. “You gave him the footage, Delia. You handed a man you barely knew something that could hurt me. You did it because you wanted me to suffer. Say it. Own what you did p>

Delia swallowed hard. “I was angry. I felt like you had everything. Julian. Attention from the company. Even when things went bad, you came out fine. I thought if he cleared your name, it would make me feel better. I did not think he would use it the way he did p>

“You did not think,” I said. “That seems to be the problem tonight p>

David stepped between us. “Enough. Both of you. This family has taken enough tonight. Jude ran because he is guilty. We all saw it. Now we need to decide what comes next instead of fighting each other p>

Julian moved away from the window and came to stand beside me. He touched my arm once. “Jude is finished here. The real question is who paid him to come in the first place p>

I nodded. “The person on the phone. The one Jude called after you two left the lounge. We need to find out who that is p>

Hailey looked between all of us. “I don’t know anything since I was in London. But whoever it was, they paid enough money to keep him here for months. That is serious money p>

Sam checked her tablet. “I have people looking at flight records and bank transfers already. We will start with any big payments into his accounts in the last six months. It might take a few days, but we will get answers p>

“A few days is too long,” I said, the words heavy as they left my mouth.

I turned away from the table, but a sudden tightness gripped the skin across my forehead. A sharp, deep throb pulsed right behind my eyes, making the edges of the room dim for a split second. My stomach gave an uncomfortable twist, a hollow, sour sensation that made me freeze.

I clamped my teeth together and forced myself to take a slow breath through my nose, pinning my arms down so no one would see the slight tremor in my fingers. I told myself it was just the lack of sleep and the fact that I had been surviving on black coffee for days. My body was simply reacting to the fallout of the confrontation.

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