LOGINThe heavy silence in the grand drawing room stretched on until it felt almost unbearable. The tick of the tall grandfather clock in the corner sounded like a hammer striking an anvil. Romanus remained standing directly in front of Julian, his dark, sharp eyes searching his star player’s face for any sign of breaking, any flicker of submission or regret. Beside the sofa, Clara lowered her lace handkerchief, her eyes fixed on her son with anxious hope. She genuinely believed that under the weight of Romanus’s absolute authority, Julian would finally break, bow his head, and surrender. Ariel sat up just a little straighter, her fingers untangling from her lap as she waited for the words that would restore her status. Even Silas, holding his lukewarm cup of black coffee, held his breath, terrified of the explosion that usually followed Romanus’s demands. Yet, Julian’s face remained a completely calm, unbothered mask. Inside his body, the strange, feverish heat from the night before
The high rise penthouse was totally quiet throughout the dark hours of the night. Up on the top floor, the distant noise of the city below barely reached the master bedroom. Yet, even on the soft mattress with Valeria sleeping peacefully next to him, Julian spent the entire night tossing and turning in deep discomfort. His body felt really uncomfortable and strange. His chest felt heavy, his skin was sticky with a light cold sweat, and a dull pain sat deep behind his eyes. Every time he managed to fall into a shallow sleep, he woke up again with his heart beating fast against his ribs for no clear reason. He lay there in the dark, staring up at the white ceiling, trying to figure out why he felt so physically off. In the end, he just thought it was because he was nervous about tomorrow's meeting with Romanus. He had never seen Romanus so angry in his entire life, and the heavy weight of what was coming in the morning was getting to him. When seven thirty in the morning finally arriv
Julian’s jaw clenched so tight he could feel a sharp ache radiating up to his temples. His heart was hammering against his ribs, not out of fear, but from the overwhelming weight of betrayal compounding upon betrayal. He forced himself to maintain his posture, keeping his composure intact despite the chaos brewing inside him. "Romanus, sir," Julian began, his voice deep and controlled as he tried to bridge the massive gap opening between them. "Whatever my mother told you about the whole thing... it's not true! the whole situation is just a mess and I was going to......" Enough!" Romanus’s voice boomed across the driveway like a crack of thunder, completely slicing through Julian's explanation before he could finish his sentence. The powerful old man held up a single, leather gloved hand, his cold eyes flashing with absolute refusal. He didn't want to hear a single word. He didn't want explanations, he didn't want excuses, and he certainly didn't care about family drama. To Romanu
The tinted windows of the Car muffled the faint murmur of the city, but nothing could dull the sudden, suffocating shift in the air as the car pulled up the private driveway. Julian’s mouth opened slightly, his brow furrowing as his grey eyes took in the scene playing out at the entrance of his residential tower.Romanus O’Brian.Romanus was the absolute last person Julian had expected to see here tonight. This titan of a man, the shadow behind the entire league, and the sole architect of his rising career.As soon as the Car came to a complete park in the valet bay, Julian turned to Valeria, his expression hardening into a dark, protective mask. "Stay inside," he ordered, his voice low and unquestionable. "Don't step out until I come to get you."Valeria nodded, her hands clutching her lap as she watched him. Julian opened the heavy door and stepped out into the night air, the cool breeze hitting his face.Standing right at the main entrance, bathed in the harsh white glow of the arc
The dark tint of the Car's windows hid them from the bright city lights as the vehicle finally pulled into the private underground bay of the medical center. The engine purred softly before coming to a complete stop near the secure staff entrance. Julian glanced down at his watch which read just past six thirty, then turned his head to look at Valeria. He reached out, his large hand resting gently against the side of her face, his thumb softly tracing her cheekbone. "Stay in the car," Julian said, his voice dropping into a soft, firm register. "Don't stress yourself. I'll be down in a bit." Valeria opened her mouth to argue, wanting nothing more than to walk beside him and offer whatever support she could, but seeing the deep, heavy exhaustion already creeping into the corners of his eyes, she swallowed her words. She simply nodded and leaned into the soothing warmth of his touch. Julian gave her hand a gentle, lingering squeeze, opened the car door, and stepped out into the quiet,
After a while, Julian finally moved. He didn't yell. He didn't raise his fist or slam his hand against the luxury car. Instead, he reached out, grabbed the handle of the passenger door, and pushed it closed, sealing Valeria inside the quiet, safe interior of the vehicle. He turned his full, massive frame toward his mother and Ariel, crossing his broad arms over his chest. "Julian," Clara tried again, her voice cracking slightly as she attempted to pull together her fading authority. " We don't want to make a scene. Let us go home and talk about this like civilized adults. Whatever lies someone has fed you..." "I haven't said a single word, Mother," Julian interrupted softly, his voice dangerously smooth. "Why are you already defending yourself against lies?" Clara’s lips parted, but no sound came out. She had walked right into her own trap. "I was going to wait," Julian continued, taking a slow, deliberate step toward her. Clara instinctively took a step back, her expensive he
Ever since I received the news that I was the one assigned to the Julian Vane exclusive, the very air in the Apex Media building seemed to have thinned, leaving me lightheaded and breathless. I sat at my desk in the bustling newsroom, my fingers hovering uselessly over the keyboard of my laptop. E
The mid morning sun hung like a polished coin over the city, its heat a familiar weight on my shoulders as I stepped out of the international terminal. Yet, despite the warmth, everything felt foreign. Five years of chasing headlines across Europe and North America had forged me into someone unreco
Julian moved and relaxed his body on a plush armchair, the picture of a man in total control, yet every fiber of his being was vibrating with a suppressed, lethal energy. His grey eyes, cold and fixed, remained on Valeria as she sat opposite him. She looked breathtaking, a goddess carved from the
I stood with my back pressed against the heavy door, my fingers still trembling as they let go of the cold handle. The vip lounge was a testament to his wealth, sleek, expensive, and filled with the kind of high end technology that signaled he was no longer the boy from my past, but a global icon







