Chapter 4 - The Midnight Escape
Henry didn’t wait for the family to process the truth. With a sudden, violent movement, he hurled his heavy crystal scotch glass directly at Julian’s head.
Julian ducked, the glass shattering against the wall. In the ensuing chaos, Henry bolted for the French doors leading to the patio.
“Stop him!” Arthur roared, sprinting after his brother.
Julian, fueled by a terrifying cocktail of adrenaline, rage, and crushing guilt, lunged over the coffee table and tackled Henry just as he reached the garden. The two men crashed into the manicured rose bushes, trading brutal punches.
Inside, Martha grabbed Eleanor by the arms. “Is it true? Swear on your life, Eleanor, is it true?”
“I swear it, Mom,” Eleanor wept, using the moniker that had become second nature to them both. “Clara was my best friend. I’ve lived with the nightmare of her death every single day. I was gathering Henry’s financial records from the firm to prove he was in town that night. I have them in a lockbox.”
Martha’s maternal instincts, which had completely shut down an hour ago, roared back to life like a wildfire. She pulled Eleanor into a fierce, protective embrace. “I believe you. We’re going to fix this.”
Outside, the fight was turning bloody. Henry, cornered and fighting for his life, managed to grab a heavy stone from the garden border and brought it down hard on Julian’s shoulder. Julian yelled in pain, his grip loosening.
Henry kicked Julian off and sprinted toward the dark woods at the edge of the Crestwood estate.
Arthur ran to his son, helping him sit up. “Julian! Are you alright?”
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Julian gripped his shoulder, his tuxedo ruined, dirt and blood smearing his face. He looked toward the house, seeing his mother holding his weeping bride. The realization of what he had done—the psychological torture he had inflicted on the woman he actually loved—crashed over him like a tidal wave.
“Let him go, Dad,” Julian choked out, tears mixing with the dirt on his face. “Call the police. Let them hunt him down like the animal he is.”
