Chapter 5 - The Morning After Fallout
At 9:45 AM the following morning, Julian pulled his black SUV into the sweeping driveway of the Vance estate. Flanking him were two unmarked vehicles carrying four off-duty executive protection agents from his corporate security firm, alongside Marcus Vance—no relation—his ruthless personal estate attorney.
The cinematic beauty of the morning estate was marred by frantic, chaotic energy. A budget moving van was parked haphazardly on the manicured lawn. Clara and Vanessa were dragging designer luggage across the stone pillars, their faces red and puffy from a sleepless night of panic and rage.
As Julian stepped out of the vehicle, Beatrice marched toward him across the wet asphalt. She was dressed in a tailored Chanel suit, attempting to maintain her regal facade, though the trembling of her hands betrayed her desperation.
"Julian," she said, blocking his path to the front door. "I spent the entire morning speaking with my lawyer. You cannot terminate my monthly stipend without cause. That money was established under your father's wishes!"
Marcus, the attorney, stepped forward, opening a leather briefcase. "Actually, Mrs. Vance, your late husband left behind forty thousand dollars in outstanding medical debt and a mortgaged property that was foreclosed upon in 2020. Every dollar you have spent over the last six years came directly from Julian’s personal corporate disbursements. You have no legal claim to his earnings, his real estate, or his future assets."
Beatrice’s face flushed a deep, mottled crimson. She turned to Julian, her eyes narrowing with venom. "You are abandoning your family for a nobody! You think she loves you? She loves this house! She loves your money! The moment you stop buying her loyalty, she will leave you just like—"
"Enough," Julian said. His voice wasn't angry; it was entirely devoid of warmth, like a judge reading a finalized sentence. "You have fifteen minutes to load your remaining bags into that van and vacate the premises. If you are not off my property by ten o'clock, Marcus will file a restraining order citing elder abuse and domestic harassment against a pregnant dependent, which will make it impossible for Clara or Vanessa to pass a background check for any corporate job in Seattle."
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Vanessa dropped a hatbox onto the driveway, her mouth falling open. "You wouldn't ruin our lives like that!"
"You ruined your own lives the moment you decided my wife was your servant," Julian replied coldly. He walked past them without looking back, gesturing for the security agents to secure the perimeter and begin changing every smart lock on the property.
