Julian Blackwood's shoulders slumped as he sat across from Liliana Pierce in the sterile interrogation room. His eyes were bloodshot, his face haggard. The weight of his secrets had hollowed him out.
"I never meant to kill my father," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But I did it for her. For Orla."
Liliana remained silent, letting him find his words. The confession was coming, and she knew better than to interrupt.
"Orla and I are cousins," Julian continued, a humorless laugh escaping his lips. "Not that it mattered to me. I've been in love with her since we were teenagers."
He ran his hands through his disheveled hair, eyes fixed on something Liliana couldn't see.
"She knew how I felt. She always knew. And she used it." His voice hardened. "She told me my father was blackmailing her for two million dollars. Said he had evidence that could destroy her family."
Liliana leaned forward slightly. "What kind of evidence?"
