CHAPTER 246

Henry’s POV

I closed my eyes, trying to push away the haze of my current predicament, as I recalled various incidents in my childhood when I had to protect Julia.

In my mind, I could picture the house where we both grew up. Julia was only eight years old then, a tiny figure dwarfed by the expanse of our family’s opulent home. I remembered walking into the living room just as she stood frozen beside the shards of a broken vase.

The vase, an heirloom of sorts, lay in jagged pieces on the marble floor. The room was eerily silent, save for the ticking of the grandfather clock.

Our mother’s footsteps echoed from the hallway, each step growing louder, more menacing. I could hear the tension in her stride, the anger crackling like static in the air. Julia’s face was a mask of fear, her small hands trembling as she tried to gather the pieces, each fragment a reminder of her mistake. I knew the punishment would be harsh, and my heart ached at the thought of her suffering.

I stepped forward, u