Chapter 7 - Unraveling the Empire
Eleanor’s chin lifted with haughty defiance, though her fingers nervously clutched the clasp of her leather handbag. "Your children? Julian, don't be absurd. Those urchins are a convenient liability manufactured by a desperate woman looking for a payout. I handled that situation six years ago legally and cleanly. They have no legal standing, no birth certificates linking them to the Farrington name, and no place in this family."
"They have my face, Mother," Julian said, stepping closer until he towered over her by a head. "And as of three hours ago, I had DNA samples pulled from their toothbrushes and matched against my own file at Pacific Diagnostics. The probability of paternity is 99.999 percent."
Eleanor flinched as if struck. For the first time since Julian was a child, he saw genuine panic flicker in her eyes. "Julian... you don't understand how the world works. Power requires sacrifice. If you acknowledge them, the press will tear us apart, the board will oust you as CEO, and everything your grandfather built will be handed over to competitors on a silver platter."
"Then let it burn," Julian replied softly. "Because for the first time in my life, I'm not playing your game."
At that moment, the hallway door opened, and Kelsey walked in carrying a bag of fresh pastries from the bakery down the street. She stopped short when she saw Eleanor standing in the middle of the living room, surrounded by security guards.
Kelsey’s body instantly tensed. She dropped the pastry bag onto the entryway table and instinctively moved toward the kitchen, placing herself between the boys and Eleanor.
"You," Eleanor hissed, stepping toward Kelsey with venom in her eyes. "You think you’ve won something here? You think a few brats can infiltrate—"
"Enough!" Julian’s voice boomed through the penthouse, echoing off the high ceilings with such absolute fury that even the security guards took a step back. He looked directly at his mother's bodyguards. "Leave. Now. If you take one more step toward her or my sons, I will personally ensure your licenses are revoked before the sun sets."
The guards looked at Eleanor. Eleanor stared at Julian, her chest heaving with suppressed rage. Realizing she had lost control of the narrative—and her son—she turned on her heel, her heels clicking sharply against the floor as she marched back into the elevator.
"This isn't over, Julian," she spat out before the doors slid shut. "You'll be begging me to fix this by tomorrow."
The elevator hummed and descended.
The penthouse fell into a profound, heavy silence. Kelsey leaned against the kitchen counter, her shoulders shaking slightly as the adrenaline finally left her system.
Julian walked over slowly, stopping a few feet away. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice gentle—a tone he had never used with anyone in his entire life.
May you like
Kelsey looked up, her hazel eyes swimming with unshed tears. "She almost took them from me once, Julian. I spent six years living in fear that she’d find us again."
"She won't touch them," Julian promised, his gaze unwavering. "Not while I'm breathing."
