Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace (Dexter and Phoebe) novel Chapter 247

Chapter 247 

Eric was a man of swift and decisive action. 

Connor cracked under his intense pressure, admitting that the one million had come from Julian’s assistant–it was hush money for stirring up trouble at the firm. But he wouldn’t confess to pushing me. 

I didn’t press the issue. After all, my goal was to expose the puppet master behind the 

scenes. 

Deep down, everyone knew it was Julian. Yet, somehow, he always managed to slip through our fingers. 

But it didn’t matter. I’d chop off his henchmen one by one, then find ways to place our own people in their stead. After all, Julian had Henry’s unwavering support–roots running deep and unchecked. 

“Henry’s not getting any younger, and with Julian being his only son, just imagine how broken he’d be if he lost his sole heir,” I mused out loud as Colin followed the nurse to retrieve some test results. I looked at Eric with a meaningful gaze. “Eric, I know you’re a sharp one. Whatever your reasons for cozying up to Colin may be, I reckon we share a common foe.” 

That foe was Julian and Henry. 

By choosing to align with Colin immediately after Brendan’s mishap, Eric had effectively declared war on Julian and Henry. Those two were ruthless; if Eric was betting on Colin, it was a gamble he had to win. 

“Yes,” Eric nodded. “I’ll carry out the instructions from Sir and Ma’am to the letter.” 

“Is there any chance we could plant one of ours close to Julian?” I queried.. 

Eric paused, weighing his words. “Julian might not be as meticulous as Mr. Henry, but he’s pretty selective about his inner circle. I’ve thought of a few strategies, but getting close to him isn’t easy. His confidants are handpicked by Henry himself.” 

I chuckled. Henry sure kept a tight leash on his son. But rebellion is part of human nature. I didn’t believe for a second that Julian didn’t have his own rebellious streak. 

“Maybe we need to change our approach. Waiting on Henry won’t do us any good. We’ve got to exploit Julian’s weakness for the ladies. Even the mightiest heroes can stumble over a beauty,” I said somberly. 

When I first crossed paths with Julian, I knew right then–the Langleys were all charmers in their own right, Samuel included. But Julian differed; women were mere playthings to him, his true passion being his empire. 

But sometimes, playthings can become one’s undoing. 

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12:42 

Eric met my gaze, a flicker of complexity in his eyes, and nodded. 

I pondered. Without Julian as his ace, what cards would Henry have left to play? And when that time came, it would be just a matter of time before Colin consolidated his authority within the company. 

“Phoebe, the doctor says everything’s normal. Just stick to the routine prenatal visits, Colin returned, his innocence almost palpable, as white and unblemished as a blank 

canvas. 

Something inside me insisted on protecting that innocence. 

“Yeah, congratulations, Mr. Langley,” I said, accepting the prenatal report, the word ‘congratulations‘ slipping out before I could think. 

Why was I congratulating him? Had he always longed to be a father, or had I once made him a promise? 

Colin stiffened, then enveloped me in a tight embrace, his voice husky. “Phoebe, thank you.” 

He was thanking me when I was the one filled with guilt. After all, it was me who had forgotten him, left him, and fallen for someone else during his darkest hours, even bearing another man’s child. Could he really not harbor any resentment towards me? 

Sometimes I thought, if it turned out that Colin was the one who had lost control and hurt me, I wouldn’t hold it against him. After all, I was the one who had wronged him first, forgetting him and falling in love with another when he needed me most. 

“Let’s go home,” I suggested, feeling a lump in my throat. 

“The doc’s called me in for a quick word,” Colin said with a hint of mystery, and I let him go without a second thought. 

Sitting in the hallway, waiting for Colin’s return, I caught a glimpse of Dexter.