Chapter 3: Echoes of Betrayal
The drive away from the cemetery was conducted in tense, suffocating silence. Julian’s private driver kept his eyes glued to the road as the black sedan navigated the winding, fog-shrouded coastal highway. In the back seat, Julian had wrapped Clara in a thick cashmere blanket, though he maintained a respectful distance, giving her space to breathe.
Clara looked out the window at the blurred trees passing by. Her heart hammered against her ribs. Six months ago, she had been a quiet maid in the Vance estate, pulled into a dangerous storm when she discovered evidence of Victoria’s financial embezzlement. Victoria, engaged to Julian’s younger brother at the time, had framed Clara and driven her out into the night. What Victoria didn't know was that Clara and Julian shared a quiet, unspoken bond—a fleeting night of comfort when Julian was grieving his father's death.
"Where are you taking me?" Clara finally asked, her voice raspy.
"To my estate in Oakhaven," Julian replied without looking away from his tablet screen. "It is private. Victoria cannot reach you there."
May you like
"I don't need your protection, Julian," Clara said, leaning her head against the cool glass. "I just want peace. I want a normal life for my baby."
Julian paused, his fingers hovering over the glass screen. He turned his head slowly to look at her. "There is no normal life as long as Victoria and her allies think you possess the ledger. But more importantly, Clara... that child is a Vance. I will not let my blood grow up in hiding."
