Chapter 4 - The Bodyguard Who Betrayed the Family
Everything happened at once.
Glass shattered.
Tires screamed against wet pavement.
Nora dropped to the floor.
Julian caught the wrist of the man behind them before he could fire again.
The gun slammed against the door.
The bodyguard grunted.
Julian twisted his arm with brutal efficiency.
The weapon fell.
“Who sent you?”
The man smiled through blood.
“You already know.”
Julian slammed him against the seat.
“Say it.”
“Your uncle.”
Nora stared.
Another SUV sped beside them.
Bullets struck the rear window.
“Down!” Julian shouted.
The driver accelerated.
Nora heard tires lose traction.
The SUV fishtailed.
She grabbed Julian's coat.
“What's happening?”
“Your mother's warning was about him.”
He pointed toward the bleeding bodyguard.
“He's been inside my security detail for eight years.”
Nora looked at the man.
“How?”
“Because my uncle bought him.”
The bodyguard laughed.
“You think you're different from your father?”
Julian froze.
The man's smile widened.
“You're becoming exactly like him.”
Julian hit him once.
Hard.
“Enough.”
The SUV screeched into an underground garage.
His men rushed forward.
The traitor was dragged away.
Julian turned to Nora.
“Are you hurt?”
She shook her head.
“You?”
“My shoulder.”
She looked.
Blood covered his shirt.
“Take your jacket off.”
“Nora—”
“Take it off.”
He obeyed.
The bullet had grazed his shoulder.
She tore a strip from the lining of her coat.
“You don't have to.”
“I know.”
She cleaned the wound.
Julian watched her.
“You're shaking.”
“So are you.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
He looked down at her hands.
“I haven't been afraid of bullets in years.”
“What are you afraid of?”
His eyes lifted.
“Losing you.”
She stopped.
The words landed harder than the gunshots.
Julian looked away.
“I shouldn't have said that.”
“Why?”
“Because you don't know what you mean to me yet.”
Nora swallowed.
“I think I'm starting to.”
He went very still.
Before anything else could happen, an older woman appeared at the end of the garage.
She wore a cream coat and held a cane.
Julian straightened.
“Mrs. Kang.”
The woman looked at Nora.
For several seconds she said nothing.
Then she approached.
“My God.”
Nora felt strangely exposed.
“You knew my mother.”
The woman nodded.
“She was my dearest friend.”
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
Nora stared.
“Why didn't I know you existed?”
“Because your mother wanted you safe.”
“Everyone keeps saying that.”
The older woman sighed.
“Because it is true.”
She looked at Julian.
“Did you tell her?”
“Most of it.”
“Most?”
Nora stared at him.
Mrs. Kang shook her head.
“You still protect her with silence.”
Julian said nothing.
Mrs. Kang turned to Nora.
“Your mother loved Daniel.”
“I know.”
“No.”
The woman touched her cane to the floor.
“You don't know.”
She looked at Julian.
“And neither does he.”
Julian frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Mrs. Kang whispered.
“Daniel was not your father's enemy.”
Julian stiffened.
“He was his son.”
Nora looked between them.
“What?”
Mrs. Kang closed her eyes.
“The man you called your father was not Julian's biological father.”
Silence.
Julian's face went blank.
“My father is my father.”
“No.”
Mrs. Kang's eyes filled with tears.
“Daniel Bennett was your father's older brother.”
Nora stared.
Julian did not move.
The resemblance suddenly seemed obvious.
The same dark eyes.
The same sharp cheekbones.
The same stubborn mouth.
Nora whispered, “Then…”
Mrs. Kang nodded.
“Julian and Nora are connected by blood.”
Julian stepped backward.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You're lying.”
“I wish I were.”
Nora's world spun.
Their families.
Their fathers.
The organization.
Everything suddenly seemed twisted into one impossible knot.
Julian looked at Nora.
She saw horror in his eyes.
“Do you understand what this means?”
Mrs. Kang's voice broke.
“Yes.”
Nora whispered.
“It means our families are connected.”
“More than that.”
Mrs. Kang looked between them.
“Daniel had one child.”
Nora's heart stopped.
“No.”
Mrs. Kang nodded.
“You.”
Julian looked sick.
“My cousin.”
Nora covered her mouth.
“No.”
She backed away.
Everything between them flashed through her mind.
Every glance.
Every touch.
Every moment she'd fought not to fall.
She suddenly felt contaminated by something she could not even name.
Julian moved toward her.
“Nora.”
“Don't.”
“Nora, listen.”
“No.”
He stopped.
She walked backward.
“I thought you were the one person in this nightmare who chose me.”
“I did.”
“You’re my family.”
“That doesn't erase—”
“Don't.”
Her voice cracked.
She turned and ran.
Julian followed.
“Nora!”
She stopped at the exit.
He was ten feet away.
His face was devastated.
“I didn't know.”
“I know.”
“I swear to you.”
“I know.”
“Then don't leave.”
Nora looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because I don't know how to lose you now.”
She cried.
“You already did.”
She walked away.
Julian remained in the garage.
Then Mrs. Kang whispered the truth that neither of them had yet understood.
“There is one more thing.”
He turned.
“What?”
“Daniel never had a daughter.”
Julian stared.
Mrs. Kang looked toward the door Nora had disappeared through.
“Your father lied about the bloodline.”
Julian's expression hardened.
“Then who is Nora?”
May you like
Mrs. Kang whispered.
“The woman Daniel adopted to hide the real heir.”
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