“I am Valerie Cross,” I said. “And this home belonged to my grandfather before you took it.”

Julian looked between us, his brow furrowed as he tried to piece together the depth of the deception.

“Mother,” Julian said, his voice cracking. “Is it true?”

Miranda turned to him, her hands clasping together so tightly her knuckles turned white.

“Julian, you do not understand the pressure we were under,” she said.

“Arthur was weak at the end.”

“He was talking about giving half of the holdings to Elias Cross.”

“He wanted to fund foundations, to pay off debts that did not exist.”

“He would have ruined us before you ever had a chance to lead.”

Julian stared at her, his face pale under the library’s amber lamps.

“So you stole it,” he said.

“I preserved it,” she snapped, her eyes flashing. “I kept the family together.”

“The night Arthur died, the documents were on this very desk.”

“The ink was barely dry on his new will.”

“He had signed over the primary shares of the Sterling Group to the Cross trust.”