Chapter 2: The Aftermath of Fire
The shock of Julian’s outburst rippled through the mansion. Beatrice’s face drained of color, her gold gown suddenly looking like a costume of a fallen queen. She tried to stammer an excuse, but the look in Julian’s eyes was so devoid of mercy that she simply grabbed her purse and fled, her dignity trailing behind her in the dust.
Julian didn't care about the gasps of the remaining guests in the ballroom. He didn't care about the business deals that might sour or the social suicide he had just committed in front of his peers. He only cared about the woman standing before him.
He pulled Elena into a fierce, protective embrace. She buried her face in his chest, her sobs finally releasing the pressure she had been holding in for hours.
"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair. "I should have been here. I should never have let you out of my sight."
"She made me feel so small, Julian," Elena sobbed. "Like everyone else sees me as someone who just tricked their way into your life."
Julian pulled back, holding her face between his palms. His expression was fierce, possessive, and deeply loving. "Anyone who looks at you and doesn't see a woman of immense strength, grace, and intelligence is not someone who deserves to be in my life, let alone yours. Tonight, I end this. I am tired of the shadows."
He led Elena out of the kitchen, not back to the party, but to his private study. He gestured for her to sit, and then he pulled out his phone. He didn't call a caterer or a butler; he called his publicist.
"I want a press release by morning," Julian said, his voice cold and efficient. "I am announcing three things: My official relationship with Elena, our joint custody and partnership regarding Lily, and the fact that I am divesting from every organization that Beatrice Van Der Hoven sits on the board of."
Elena gasped. "Julian, that’s reckless."
"No," he said, moving to sit beside her. "It’s honest. I’ve been trying to keep your world and mine separate to protect you, but all it’s done is make you a target. If they want to come for you, they have to come through me."
The next few days were chaos. The news cycle exploded. Articles about the "Servant Scandal" at the Sterling Gala spread like wildfire. Some tried to paint Elena as a gold-digger, but the internet, having seen the video clips that leaked from the party, was surprisingly on her side. The image of the billionaire host standing up for the woman who had been bullied resonated with thousands of people who were tired of the arrogance of the elite.
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But Beatrice wasn't a woman who took defeat gracefully. Behind the scenes, she was plotting. She began reaching out to her network, claiming that Elena had manipulated her way into the house and that Julian was being held captive by a "scheming social climber."
She didn't know that Elena had secrets of her own. During her time working in the catering industry, Elena had worked for the very companies Beatrice and her allies used to hide their shady tax dealings. Elena had seen things. She had heard things. She had kept her head down to protect Lily, but now, the gloves were off.
