Cambria's heart skipped as Julian stepped further into the room, his figure blocking the doorway, cutting off any chance of escape. For a split second, she could hardly breathe. His presence felt like a shadow creeping into her already tumultuous world, and she realized in that moment just how far the web of deceit stretched.
Her mind raced. Julian. The last person she ever expected to see in her family's estate, standing there like he was part of the plan. He wasn't supposed to be here. He wasn't supposed to be involved. He had been a corporate ally, an ally she had trusted, but now? Now, every single connection she had relied on felt like it had been severed.
"What are you doing here, Julian?" Cambria's voice came out cold, edged with disbelief and a growing sense of dread. Her pulse thudded in her ears, drowning out everything else. "You… you're the last person I expected to see."
