Chapter 3
The heavy doors of the bulletproof black SUV slammed shut, cutting off the chaotic screams of the paparazzi outside the venue. Julian settled into the leather seat, pulling Lily onto his lap and wrapping her in a warm cashmere blanket. The driver did not need instructions; he immediately sped away from the lavish Beverly Hills estate, merging into the anonymity of the highway.
Julian gently smoothed out the crumpled piece of paper Lily had handed him in the dressing room. His hands, usually so steady in multi-billion-dollar boardroom negotiations, shook as he read the messy, crayon-scrawled words again. She locks me in the dark closet when you leave. She says if I tell, you will send me away forever.
A white-hot, blinding rage ignited in Julian’s chest, burning away the last remnants of the man who had walked into that church. For six months, he had believed Victoria’s patient, loving act, trusting her with the most precious thing in his world. She had played the perfect future stepmother, masking her psychological torture behind expensive toys and fake smiles when he was in the room.
"Daddy's got you, sweetheart, and nobody is ever going to hurt you again," Julian whispered, pressing a kiss to Lily's auburn curls. "I promise you, Lily, she is never coming near us." The little girl’s sobs finally began to subside, her tiny hands gripping his black velvet bow tie like a lifeline.
May you like
He pulled out his phone, bypassing his public relations team and dialing the private number of his head of corporate security. A former CIA operative named Vance answered on the first ring, his tone sharp and ready for action. "Vance, lock down the penthouse, change every security code, and freeze all of Victoria’s access cards," Julian ordered coldly.
"Consider it done, boss. Do you want me to initiate a full background sweep on her inner circle?" Vance asked without hesitation. "Yes," Julian replied, his eyes narrowing as he watched the city lights blur past the window. "Tear her life apart and find out exactly what she was trying to hide from me."
