Page 183 of Secret Heir For The Billionaire Twin

“Attributed interviews will remain attributable as given,” Vivian continues.

“We reserve the right to correct factual inaccuracies.”

“Corrections are fine. Revisions aren’t.”

Vivian is quiet for a moment before saying, “I understand the distinction.”

“I assumed you would.”

The silence that follows is brief but unmistakable. When Vivian speaks again, her voice is just as controlled.

“Your prior familiarity with Blackwell’s operations has also been noted.”

The words are professional enough to pass without comment, but there is nothing neutral about the way they land. I keep my own voice even when I answer.

“I imagine it has.”

Vivian does not respond to that. Instead, she says,

“The New York itinerary will be sent to Vanguard Business Journal by the end of the day. Your first meetings are scheduled for approximately two weeks from Monday.”

“I’ll look for it,” I reply.

“Very good,” Vivian says, and the call ends without anything more personal than that.

I lower the phone and sit still for a moment. The entire exchange has been polished, professional, and cold enough to tell me exactly what I am walking back into. Whatever happened seven years ago, Blackwell remembers my name.

By 4:10, the itinerary arrives in my inbox with New York meetings, executive interviews, archive access, and leadership sessions laid out across several pages. My eyes move down the schedule until they stop on the name I have spent seven years keeping safely outside my real life.

Julian Blackwell.

I close the email and lean back in my chair, reminding myself of the boundaries I have already decided on. The assignment stays professional, and when the work is finished, I come home.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Julian

By 9:10, my office is already running fifteen minutes ahead of schedule.

Tamara stands near the edge of my desk with her tablet in hand, moving through the morning as quickly as I can process it.

“The Zurich call moved to 11:00, Adrian wants ten minutes before lunch, and Elena shifted the retrospective session to 10:30 because Vanguard’s writer arrived early.”

I sign the last page of the acquisition memo in front of me.

“Fine.”

Tamara glances down at her screen.

“You also have the infrastructure review at 1:00 and the board committee at 3:30. I moved your lunch.”

“You always move my lunch.”

“Because you always schedule over it.”

I hand her the signed memo.

“Then we understand each other.”