CHAPTER 6: A Father’s Promise
Julian returned home earlier than usual, stepping into the kitchen just as Marisa was hurriedly wiping down already immaculate marble counters. He immediately noticed her trembling hands and the tense set of her shoulders.
"Marisa, talk to me," Julian said, closing the door behind him. "You’ve been avoiding my staff all day. What happened?"
Marisa stared at the countertop for a long moment before pulling out the typed note and handing it to him. Julian read the words, his jaw clenching tightly as his knuckles turned white against the paper.
"This is Vance’s handwriting style, disguised through a shell company," Julian muttered, recognizing the manipulative cadence. He looked up, catching Marisa's tearful eyes. "Did you believe this? That I would take Valentina from you?"
"I know how the powerful operate, Julian," Marisa whispered, her voice cracking. "I worked in elite households for fifteen years. When families like yours go to war, the quiet people always get crushed. I don't care about mansions or luxury cars. I just want my daughter safe from their poison."
Julian walked across the kitchen floor, stopping only inches away from her. He placed a steady, reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"When I was twenty-two, I let my father dictate who I loved, how I acted, and what I valued," Julian said with deep sincerity. "I lost you back then because I was a coward who feared losing an inheritance. I am not that boy anymore. I will dismantle every company I own before I let anyone separate you from Valentina."
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For the first time in five years, the heavy wall of mistrust between them began to fracture.
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