Chapter 8: The Mirror's Reflection
That evening, the rain pounded hard against the glass of Victoria’s downtown apartment. Julian stood in her living room, drenched, the polished surface of his world completely shattered.
"Why didn't you tell me about Leo?" Julian demanded, his hands trembling slightly. "You let me believe this was about business! You let me fight you for months!"
Victoria stood by the fireplace, watching the flames lick the dark logs. She turned slowly to face him, her expression soft yet unyielding.
"If I told you two years ago, you would have treated him like a asset," Victoria said quietly. "You would have put him in a prep school, set up a trust fund, and buried your guilt under money. I needed you to see what you had built—and what you had sacrificed to build it."
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"I gave up everything for this family's legacy!" Julian argued, though his voice lacked its usual bite.
"No," Victoria replied gently. "You gave up everything for yourself. Legacy isn't money, Julian. Legacy is who is left standing when the money is gone."
