Chapter 16 - CAMILA’S INSURANCE
Camila arrived at the law office at 3:08 in the morning.
She looked nothing like the woman who had stood smiling behind Julian in the lobby.
No designer coat.
No emerald.
No confidence.
She placed the silver case on the table.
“I want an attorney before I say anything.”
Margaret nodded.
“You should have one.”
Camila looked at Elena.
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
Camila flinched.
“I know what I did.”
Elena’s expression remained unreadable.
“You know part of what you did.”
Camila looked away.
Her attorney arrived forty minutes later.
Only then was the case opened.
Inside were contracts.
Bank records.
Recordings.
And one handwritten ledger.
Julian had kept it because he trusted digital systems less than everyone assumed.
The ledger listed secret payments to consultants, executives, and intermediaries.
Charles Hamilton appeared.
Daniel Reeves appeared.
Robert Kessler appeared repeatedly.
Then Elena found another name.
Victor Lang.
Meridian Crown’s former chief financial officer.
Victor had retired three years earlier.
At least that was the public story.
According to the ledger, Victor had continued receiving payments.
Thomas stared at the page.
“Why?”
Camila finally spoke.
“Because Victor designed the plan.”
Everyone looked at her.
Camila swallowed.
“Julian wanted independence from the Vale trusts.”
Elena’s voice remained calm.
“When did this begin?”
Camila hesitated.
“Five years ago.”
The room became silent.
Five years.
Long before Elena suspected an affair.
Long before Julian openly humiliated her.
Long before Camila entered the picture.
The conspiracy had started while Elena still believed her marriage was merely becoming distant.
“Why did you help him?”
Camila looked at the table.
“At first, I thought I was helping him build something separate.”
“And later?”
“I knew.”
Elena waited.
Camila’s eyes filled with shame.
“I liked the life.”
There it was.
No grand explanation.
No hidden tragedy.
Just greed.
Camila continued.
“Julian told me you never loved him.”
Elena almost laughed.
“Of course he did.”
“He said your family treated him like hired help.”
“My father gave him access to hundreds of millions in financing.”
“I know that now.”
Elena leaned forward.
“And the pendant?”
Camila looked sick.
“Julian gave it to me because he wanted you to react.”
“I know.”
“He said if you caused a scene, he could use it during the divorce.”
Elena nodded once.
Camila pushed a small flash drive across the table.
“This proves it.”
Margaret inserted it into a secured computer.
A recording appeared.
Julian’s voice.
Then Kessler’s.
Then Victor Lang’s.
They were discussing how to fabricate evidence against Elena.
Elena listened to every word.
When it ended, nobody spoke.
Finally, Camila whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Elena looked at her.
“I believe you’re sorry.”
Camila’s eyes lifted.
Elena finished quietly.
May you like
“I’m just not sure you’re sorry for the right reason.”
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