Chapter 9 - The Shadow at the Gates
Two days after Christmas, a dark cloud gathered over the peaceful estate.
While Lily was upstairs taking her afternoon nap, heavy tire tracks cut through the pristine snow on the front driveway.
A sharp-dressed, cold-eyed woman in a mink coat stepped out of a luxury SUV, flanked by two corporate lawyers carrying leather briefcases.
It was Victoria Mercer—Julian’s estranged stepmother and the greedy chairwoman of Mercer Holdings.
Emily, who was helping in the estate library, watched from the window as Victoria strutted into the grand foyer like she owned the place.
"Julian!" Victoria’s voice sharp as ice echoed through the hallway. "I heard you wasted company resources arresting Vance and playing hero to a penniless waitress!"
Julian walked down the grand staircase, his face impassive, his posture commanding. "You are trespassing, Victoria."
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Victoria sneered, waving a stack of legal documents in the air. "I am here as the executor of your late wife's family trust! And according to the board, if you bring an unsuitable woman into this house, you forfeit control of the Mercer Empire!"
👉 What cruel trap had Victoria set using Julian's late wife's will?
