Chapter 2: Echoes of the Past
The silence in the grand foyer was suffocating. Outside, the rain began to patter gently against the tall stained-glass windows, a stark contrast to the storm brewing indoors. Julian lowered his gaze to Clara, whose trembling hands were pressed against her face.
""Sabrina, leave,"" Julian said quietly, his voice dangerously calm.
""Leave?"" Sabrina let out a harsh, incredulous laugh. ""It is my wedding day, Julian! My family funded half of your corporate expansion! You think you can just stand there with some street girl's bastard child and tell me to leave?""
""Watch your mouth,"" Julian warned, his eyes flashing with a cold intensity that made even Sabrina step back. ""I said, leave. We are done here today.""
Sabrina threw the wooden beam onto the marble floor. The heavy wood clattered loudly, the echo ringing through the spacious halls. ""You will regret this, Julian Vance. You and whatever pathetic life you think you’re saving."" She turned on her heels, her heavy silk train rustling behind her as she slammed the massive oak front doors shut.
The sudden silence that followed was heavy. Julian turned to Clara, offering her a hand. Clara hesitated, looking down at her scuffed shoes and simple white dress before taking his hand. He pulled her up gently.
""Are you hurt?"" he asked.
Clara shook her head, wiping her cheeks with the back of her wrist. ""I'm sorry, Julian. I tried to stay away. I swear I did. But four days ago, men came to my apartment. They were looking for the documents my father left behind. I had nowhere else to go. You were the only person I knew who had the power to protect her.""
Julian looked at Lily, who was playing softly with the lapel of his tuxedo jacket, oblivious to the gravity of the situation. ""Why didn't you tell me about her, Clara? Three years... you hid my daughter from me for three years.""
Clara looked into his eyes, her gaze filled with a painful honesty. ""Because three years ago, your father threatened to ruin your life if I stayed. He told me you would lose everything—your inheritance, your future, your reputation. You were building something grand, Julian. I was just a mechanic's daughter. I thought... I thought giving her a quiet life away from this world was the right choice.""
May you like
Julian felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He remembered the sudden disappearance of Clara four years ago, right after her father’s tragic accident at the Vance shipping yard. He had searched for her for months before his father convinced him that Clara had simply moved on.
""My father lied to both of us,"" Julian said, his voice laced with regret. ""He manipulated everything.""
