Chapter 6: The Midnight Confrontation**
After the boys were put to bed, Julian summoned Clara to his private study. The air crackled with raw tension. He stood by the panoramic window overlooking the sprawling estate gardens, a tumbler of Scotch in his hand.
"You crossed a line tonight, Miss Vance," Julian said, his voice deep and menacing. "I pay you to supervise them, not lecture me on parenting."
"Fire me, then," Clara dared, stepping into the center of the room. "Fire me because I refuse to watch four little boys tear themselves apart just to get two minutes of your undivided attention."
Julian turned around, his composure cracking for the first time. "You know nothing about what happened in this house! When Eleanor died... I lost the only anchor I had. If I stop working, if I stop moving, the silence suffocates me!"
"Then breathe with them, Julian," Clara pleaded softly, using his first name. "Don't let them drown alone in that silence."
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Julian froze, staring at her as if she had struck him across the chest.
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