"I know he competed in martial arts. I know he won tournaments. I know he stopped competing when I was twelve."
"That's not the same thing."
"No. It isn't."
Master Ward picked up the photograph.
"Julian, how much has your father told you about Catherine?"
"Almost nothing."
"Has he ever mentioned Lena?"
Julian shook his head.
Lena felt an old ache settle behind her ribs. She had not spoken Adrian's name in years. She had hoped that distance would make the memory less sharp, but it had only taught her how to keep it hidden.
"He was talented," she said. "Very talented. But he couldn't accept losing."
Julian's jaw tightened.
"My father was a good man."
"I didn't say he wasn't."
"You implied it."
"I said he couldn't accept losing. That's a fact, not a judgment of everything he ever was."
Julian looked away.
Master Ward gestured toward the office.
"We should speak privately."
"No," Lena said. "If this concerns his father, Julian deserves to hear it."
Ward considered that, then nodded.
Lena sat down.
"Seven years ago, I entered an invitational tournament in Denver. Adrian was one of the favorites. We met in the semifinal."
Julian listened without interruption.
"The match was close. He was stronger in the clinch, and I was better at controlling distance. Neither of us could establish a decisive advantage. Near the end, I managed a clean counter and scored enough points to take the lead."
She paused.
"After the match, he accused me of using an illegal technique. The officials reviewed the footage. They found no violation."
"And then?" Julian asked.
"He demanded another match. The tournament organizers refused. He became angry, but I assumed he would eventually calm down."
Lena looked at the photograph.
"That evening, we met in a training room. He wanted to prove that the result had been a mistake. I agreed to a short, controlled session because I thought it might help him accept what happened."
Ward's expression darkened.
"You never told me that."
"I didn't know you then."
She continued.
"During the session, Adrian stopped following the agreed rules. He attacked after the instructor called for a break. I defended myself, but he lost his balance near the edge of the mat and landed badly."
Julian's face had gone pale.
"Was he seriously injured?"
"His shoulder was dislocated, and he suffered nerve damage. The injury ended his competitive career."
Silence followed.
Julian stared at the floor.
"My father told me someone had sabotaged him."
"I'm sorry he told you that."
"Did you hurt him deliberately?"
"No."
The answer came without hesitation.
"I tried to protect myself. I wish the incident had ended differently, but I didn't set out to injure him."
Julian stood abruptly.
"That's easy for you to say."
Lena remained seated.
"Yes. It is."
He seemed unprepared for her agreement.
She continued.
"You have every right to feel angry. You have every right to question what happened. But you weren't there, and neither of us can change the facts by pretending we know everything."
Julian looked toward Master Ward.
"Why did you never tell me?"
"Because I didn't know you were Adrian's son when you joined the academy," Ward replied. "When I discovered the connection, I hoped your father would speak to you himself."
"He never did."
"Perhaps he was ashamed."
Julian laughed bitterly.
"My father doesn't do shame."
Lena recognized the pain beneath the sarcasm.
She had once felt the same way about Adrian. She had believed his pride made him incapable of remorse. But she had not seen him since the injury, and she did not know what had happened afterward.
"Julian," she said, "I didn't come here to reopen this."
"Then why did you come?"
"To train."
"With the three of us?"
"I didn't know who you were when I made that offer."
"And now?"
Lena took a breath.
"Now I think we need to understand what Sloane is doing before anyone agrees to his exhibition."
Julian glanced toward the contract folder.
"You think he wants to use us?"
"I think he wants control over a story. And I suspect the past gives him leverage over people who don't know the whole truth."
Ward folded his arms.
"That is precisely why I refused his proposal."
Julian looked between them.
"You're saying my father was involved with Sloane?"
"Yes," Ward replied. "And so was Catherine."
He returned to his office and brought out another folder. Inside were copies of old letters, tournament schedules, and a newspaper clipping about a disciplinary investigation.
Catherine had served as an assistant coach at a tournament organized by Sloane's company. She had raised concerns about inconsistent officiating and pressure placed on competitors to accept predetermined promotional outcomes.
The investigation had gone nowhere.
Shortly afterward, she had resigned from competitive coaching.
"She believed the organization was manipulating matchups to create marketable rivalries," Ward explained. "When she challenged them, her reputation was attacked. Several athletes withdrew their support because they feared losing their sponsorships."