Chapter 19
“Demonstrate to whom?”
“We believe to potential lenders and investors.”
Priya understood before I did. “Julian was presenting himself as someone with access to the Vance family’s assets.”
“He used my name to make himself look more powerful,” I said.
“And to support the acquisition proposal he was developing,” Daniel added.
He opened another file. It was a draft presentation titled AURELIA SYSTEMS—STRATEGIC CAPITAL PLAN.
The proposed funding source was listed as Vance Family Ventures.
The Northstar logo appeared on the cover.
Julian had not known I was Northstar’s founder when he first began. He had apparently believed he could use my family’s dormant entity to make himself appear connected to a private investment group, then position himself as the person who brought Aurelia a rescue package.
When Northstar began considering Aurelia, he had obtained a copy of the logo and created materials suggesting an association that did not exist.
He had not discovered Northstar before I did.
He had discovered fragments of my life and tried to turn them into a ladder.
The next morning, Julian met us at Priya’s office with his attorney.
He looked older than he had the night before. Not ruined, not broken—simply stripped of the confidence that had once made him seem untouchable.
His attorney reviewed the documents in silence.
Finally, Julian said, “I didn’t intend for any of this to happen.”
I sat across from him. “You intended to use the company.”
“I intended to secure financing.”
“Using a company created by my mother, without my permission.”
“I thought I could fix Aurelia before anyone was hurt.”
“You moved four hundred thousand dollars through Bell Advisory Group.”
“I was going to return it.”
“After what?”
He looked down.
“After the financing closed.”
The answer was enough.
He had not believed he was stealing. He had convinced himself he was borrowing from a future success. That distinction might have made sense inside his own mind, but it did not change the consequences.
“Did you know Camilla was wearing replicas of my earrings?” I asked.
His face tightened. “I knew the jeweler made them from the photograph.”
“Did you tell her?”
“No.”
“Did you tell me the pendant came from my mother’s stone?”
“No.”
He closed his eyes briefly. “I wanted to give you something meaningful.”
“You wanted to give me a story.”
He had no defense against that.
His attorney explained that Julian would cooperate with the audit, return the remaining funds, and accept personal liability for losses tied to Bell Advisory Group. The board would refer the matter to the appropriate authorities after reviewing the full evidence.