Chapter 6: The Emergency Call
Julian carried the sleeping boy up to his bedroom, gently tucking him beneath his dinosaur-print duvet. He placed the blue velvet box on the nightstand right next to a framed photo of Clara smiling on a sun-drenched beach.
Closing the door softly, Julian walked down to his private study. His phone was already vibrating non-stop against the mahogany desk.
Twenty-seven missed calls from Arthur Thorne—Adriana’s father and the ruthless chairman of Thorne Logistics.
Julian didn't hesitate. He dialed his personal attorney and chief operating officer, Marcus Sterling.
"Julian?" Marcus answered on the second ring, sounding panicked. "What on earth is happening? Arthur Thorne just left me a voicemail screaming that he’s pulling the logistics contract for the Project Apex launch on Monday. He said Adriana came home in tears because you suffered a nervous breakdown!"
Julian sat behind his desk, leaning back against the leather chair. "Marcus, cancel the wedding."
A stunned silence hung on the line for five full seconds. "Julian... we have six hundred guests arriving in twelve hours. The international press, the board of directors, the venue deposits—"
"I don't care about the deposits," Julian interrupted, his voice razor-sharp. "Cancel the caterers. Cancel the orchestra. Send a formal notification to every guest that the ceremony is terminated indefinitely. And call a mandatory board meeting for 7:00 AM tomorrow."
"Julian, if Arthur pulls Thorne Logistics, we lose our supply chain. Our stock could plummet thirty percent by market open."
"Let it plummet," Julian replied coldly. "I looked into Adriana’s eyes today, Marcus, and I saw a predator. If Arthur Thorne wants a war in the boardroom, I’ll give him one. But he will not use my son as leverage. Not now, not ever."
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"Understood," Marcus sighed, his tone shifting from shock to fierce loyalty. "I’ll draft the press release. And Julian... I never liked her anyway."
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