Chapter 5
Julian’s hand hovered over the brass doorknob of the guest bedroom, his fingers trembling slightly as the muffled murmur of Clara’s voice continued on the other side. He knew barging in blindly would only give her the upper hand, allowing her to spin another web of accusations and play the victim. Instead, he pulled his hand back, taking a slow, deep breath to steady his racing heart. He needed strategy, not raw aggression. As he turned to retreat toward the kitchen to think of a safer approach, a sharp metallic click echoed behind him.
The guest room door swung open a few inches, flooding the dark hallway with a warm, yellow glow. Clara stood in the doorway, dressed in a silk bathrobe over her dark pajamas, her gray hair now completely unpinned and cascading over her shoulders in wild waves. She did not look surprised to see Julian standing there in the shadows; rather, her expression was one of cold, calculated anticipation.
"Sneaking around in the dark, Julian?" Clara asked, her voice dangerously calm, cutting through the silence of the hallway like a scalpel. "Just like your father. Always looking for a fight you aren't equipped to win."
Julian stiffened, stepping out of the shadows so the hallway light illuminated his face. His voice was steady, belying the storm raging inside him. "Put the medication down, Clara. Maya told me about the prescription bottle."
Clara’s lips twitched into a thin, humorless smile. "Maya has a very active imagination. You've always coddled that girl, Julian. Ever since your parents died, you’ve let her run wild, ignoring the signs that she isn't stable. A teenage girl with a newborn in the house? It’s a liability. I was simply trying to remove a hazard when you rushed in like a caveman."
"Don't turn this around," Julian said, stepping closer, refusing to let her intimidate him. "It wasn't Maya’s medication. It was yours. A heavy sedative. Why do you have controlled substances in this house, Clara? And why were you anywhere near my son with them?"
May you like
Clara’s eyes flashed with a sudden, dangerous intensity, her facade of calm slipping for a fraction of a second. She stepped forward, invading his personal space with an unsettling confidence. "Because that boy is my flesh and blood, too, Julian. Sarah is gone, and you are drowning. You can't handle the responsibility of a newborn on your own, and neither can that troubled sister of yours. I am doing what needs to be done to ensure he is safe—even if it means doing things you're too weak to stomach."
Julian stared at her, the horrific realization settling over him like a physical weight. Clara wasn't just eccentric or grieving; she was genuinely unhinged, believing herself to be the sole rightful guardian of Leo through a distorted lens of maternal possession. Before he could respond, Clara reached into her pocket, withdrew the very prescription bottle Maya had mentioned, and tossed it onto the carpeted floor between them, watching it roll to a stop right against Julian’s shoe.
