Chapter 6
585words
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.
He added, "You don't have to answer me right now. I'm not going to pressure you for anything. I just don't want you to worry about my father or the inheritance or anything else. I will take care of everything."
After a long silence, all I could manage was a choked "Okay".
He took a spoonful of soup, now cool enough to drink, and fed it to me. The warmth spread through my chest—a kind of comfort I hadn't felt in years.
...
Three days later, Chad Nolan sent someone to take me to the Nolan Mansion. I knew it was Harry's doing.
The four of us sat in the living room. Such private matters were not for public display, so naturally, everyone else had been sent away.
Chad looked eager, expecting an explanation from me. Harry's face was dark with barely contained fury. Emilio sat opposite him, perfectly composed and elegant as always.
Chad cleared his throat, smiling at me. "Kid, come sit over here."
Our families had been close friends for generations. I had practically grown up under the watchful eyes of Chad, and he had always treated me like his own daughter.
According to the agreement between our families, a marriage tie was necessary to stabilize our business alliance, so I had known from a young age that I would marry Harry.
Falling in love with him was supposed to happen naturally, and he had always been certain he would claim me, so he felt justified in doing everything wrong.
That was his wishful thinking. I could change my mind and leave him.
Harry was as overbearing and unreasonable as always. "Julia is my fiancée. She should sit with me."
Emilio raised his eyebrows, his voice steady but firm. "You two have broken up."
Harry shot a glare at Emilio, his words dripping with mocking disdain. "Broken up? Only because you seduced her! Otherwise, we would be married by now. Father, you can't let her be with someone so vile. He doesn't deserve to be a member of this family."
His shameless accusations got under my skin. I shot back, "Before you point fingers at others, take a look at yourself!"
Harry banged his hand on the table, speaking with justified arrogance. "What's wrong with me? Haven't I treated you well? I've given you a house and all my money. What else do you want? Swallow up the entire Nolan family?"
I stood up and walked over to sit beside Emilio. I had already chosen my side.
"Treat me well?" I picked up my cup and took a sip, feeling the three pairs of eyes on me. "Why don't you tell Chad where you were for those three months? Who were you with? When we were desperately praying for your safety, what were you doing with them?"
Chad's face darkened. He lowered his head and drank his tea, but when he set the cup down, it crashed loudly onto the table.
He understood exactly what I was implying.
I pressed on, "How many times did you bring those women into the house that was supposed to be our home? The scandals have been all over the internet. Did you think I was blind and deaf?"
Harry's expression cycled through shame and rage. "You used to put up with everything, so why can't you tolerate it now? Because of your mess with Emilio?"
