(Emily's POV)
The airstrip was a blur of noise and mist, Victoria's silhouette sharp against the helicopter's lights. My heart pounded as I stood beside Adrian, his fists clenched tight. The morning air was crisp and damp against my skin. I'd expected a jet, not a chopper, but before I could question it, a louder roar cut through the air. A private jet, sleek and white with gold trim, descended from the cloudy sky, its wheels screeching against the runway. Cameras flashed from beyond the fence, paparazzi, already here. Someone had tipped them off. The realization settled in my stomach like a cold stone.
"Adrian," I said, my voice low. "What's happening?"
He didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the jet. The chopper's door stayed open, but Victoria didn't move. Instead, the jet's door swung wide, and she stepped out, her blonde hair gleaming in the morning light. A small figure clung to her hand, a boy with brown curls and big blue eyes. Julian. My breath caught in my chest, the photo Maria had given me flashing in my mind. The resemblance was undeniable, those eyes too familiar to be coincidence.
"Victoria," Adrian said, his voice hard. He took a step forward, but I grabbed his arm.
"Wait," I said. "The press, they're everywhere." My eyes darted to the fence where photographers jostled for position.
He shook me off, striding toward her. I followed, my stomach twisting into knots. The cameras went wild, reporters shouting over each other, "Victoria! Why'd you run?" "Who's the kid?" Victoria ignored them, her gaze locked on Adrian, chin lifted in that regal way I remembered from magazine covers.
"Adrian," she called, her voice steady. "We need to talk." The statement hung between them, loaded with years of history.
"Who's that?" he demanded, nodding at the boy who half-hid behind her, clutching a worn stuffed bear. Julian's eyes, so blue, so familiar, darted between Adrian and me.
"My son," she said, lifting her chin higher. "Julian."
Adrian froze, his face draining of color. "Your son?" The words came out strangled.
The press surged closer, security guards struggling to hold them back. I stepped forward. "Victoria, not here," I said sharply. "There's too many cameras." I glanced at Julian, whose small face showed confusion and fear.
She turned to look at me, her eyes cold. "Stay out of this, Emily." My name on her lips sounded like an insult.
"No," I said, crossing my arms. "You're causing a scene. Let's go somewhere private." I nodded toward Julian, who was pressing himself against Victoria's leg.
She smirked but didn't argue. Adrian turned to me. "Get the car ready. We're leaving." The command was clipped, as if I were just another employee.
I nodded and texted the driver: Pull up now. My phone buzzed, Nathaniel. I ignored it, focusing on the chaos around us. The black SUV screeched to a stop, and Adrian waved Victoria and Julian toward it. I followed, my heart racing. Julian's face, so small and scared, burned into my memory. Those eyes, Adrian's eyes.
In the car, Victoria sat across from us, Julian perched on her lap. Her expensive perfume filled the space. Adrian stared at her, his voice low but edged with steel. "Why are you here? And why bring him?"
"I had to," she said, stroking Julian's dark curls possessively. "Things… got complicated." She said it as if it were a minor inconvenience.
"Complicated how?" he snapped, leaning forward. "You left me at the altar. Now you show up with a kid?" The raw pain in his voice made me wince.
She looked away, jaw tight. "I'll explain. But not with her here." She nodded at me without making eye contact.
"I'm staying," I said firmly. "I'm his wife." The words felt both true and false, legally accurate but emotionally uncertain.
Victoria laughed, a sharp sound. "Wife? You're a placeholder." The casual cruelty hit me hard.
"Enough," Adrian said, his tone lethal. "Start talking, Victoria."
She sighed theatrically, glancing at Julian, who was quietly playing with his bear. "Not now. He's tired. Let's go to your place." Her emphasis on "your" made it clear she still considered it partly hers.
Adrian's eyes narrowed dangerously, but he nodded. "Fine. But no games." The warning in his voice was unmistakable.
I leaned back, my mind spinning. Julian. Her son. Was he Adrian's? The letter to "J" loomed in my memory, Nathaniel's warning about James Harlow echoing alongside it. The pieces refused to fit together, a puzzle with missing edges.
My phone buzzed again, Sophia. I answered, keeping my voice low. "Soph, I can't talk right now."
"Where are you?" she demanded. "Nate said you're at the airport. With Victoria?"
"Yeah," I whispered, glancing at Julian, who was watching the city pass by. "She's got a kid. Julian." The name caught in my throat.
"A kid?" she gasped. "Em, this is bad. Get out of there."
"I can't," I said, throat tight. "I'll call you later."
I hung up, catching Julian's eye. He smiled shyly from beneath his curls, and my heart twisted. He didn't belong in this mess of secrets and lies. His innocence contrasted sharply with the manipulation swirling around him.
At the penthouse, the press was already gathered outside, cameras flashing through the lobby windows. Adrian led us through a side entrance. Victoria carried Julian, who yawned widely, head on her shoulder. I followed, feeling like an outsider in what was supposed to be my home.
In the living room, Victoria set Julian on the white leather couch, where he curled up, clutching his bear. Adrian crossed his arms. "Talk. Now." The words fell between them like stones.
"Not yet," she said, glancing at Julian, whose eyes were already drooping. "He needs to sleep." Her voice softened, the only genuine emotion I'd heard from her.
"Then put him in the guest room," Adrian said sharply. "We're not waiting." His patience was at its limit.
Victoria hesitated, her manicured fingers twisting together, a sign of nervousness, then nodded. "Fine." She turned to me, eyes cold. "Show me where." It wasn't a request but a command.
I swallowed and nodded, leading her down the hallway. Julian trailed behind, his small hand occasionally brushing against mine. My chest ached with each touch, he was so innocent, unaware of the storm around him. In the guest room, Victoria efficiently tucked him into bed. "Sleep, baby. Mommy's here," she whispered.
He nodded, blue eyes heavy. I stepped back toward the door, but Julian suddenly sat up. "Mom?"
Victoria turned, but he wasn't looking at her. He was looking at me, eyes wide. Before I could react, he slid off the bed and ran to me, small arms wrapping around my leg. "Mom," he said again, voice muffled against my jeans.
My heart stopped, soaring and shattering simultaneously. I knelt down, hands shaking as I touched his shoulders. "Hey, sweetie," I said softly. "I'm Emily." The words felt inadequate.
"Mom," he repeated stubbornly, arms tightening around my neck, his warm weight against me both wonderful and terrible. Tears stung my eyes. He didn't know me, couldn't know me, but that word broke something open inside me.
Victoria's face hardened with fury. She pulled Julian back forcefully, voice sharp. "That's not your mom, baby. Come here." The possessiveness in her tone was unmistakable.
He obeyed, confusion clouding his features, and she led him back to bed. I stood, legs weak, Julian's hug still burning on my skin. Victoria tucked him in again, movements stiff, then turned to me, eyes like ice. "Don't get attached." The warning carried a threat.
I didn't answer, just left the room, throat tight. Adrian was in the living room, pacing, phone to his ear. "Daniel, I need you here. Now." He hung up, turning to me. "What was that about?" His eyes searched my face for answers.
"Nothing," I said, voice shaky. "He's just… confused." The word felt insufficient for what had just occurred.
He nodded, eyes distant. Victoria came back moments later, closing the guest room door. "He's asleep," she said. "Now we talk." She moved to the center of the room, commanding attention.
"Start with the kid," Adrian said, voice low and dangerous. "Is he mine?" The question hung in the air.
Victoria hesitated, hands twisting together, a rare show of nerves. "It's... complicated." The evasion was calculated.
"Complicated?" he snapped, stepping toward her. "Answer me." His patience had run out.
Before she could respond, my phone buzzed, Daniel. I stepped away, answering with relief. "Em, I'm outside," he said. "What's going on? Victoria's there?"
"Yeah," I said, keeping my voice low. "With her son. Julian. It's a mess." I glanced back, watching Victoria's lips move, unable to hear her words.
"Her son?" he said, surprised. "Damn. Does Adrian know?"
"He's asking now," I said, eyes fixed on the living room. Victoria was talking, hands gesturing, her voice too low to hear. "Daniel, get up here. He needs you."
"On my way," he said, hanging up.
I turned back to rejoin them. Victoria caught my eye, a smirk on her lips. "You're trying so hard, Emily," she said, voice carrying across the room. "But you're not enough." Each word landed with precision, aimed to wound.
"Stop," Adrian said sharply. "Answer the question. Is he mine?" The raw need in his voice made my chest ache.
She sighed dramatically, stepping closer to him. "We need to talk alone. Send her away." The command was issued as if she still belonged here.
"No," I said firmly. "I'm staying." I planted my feet, preparing for battle.
Adrian looked at me, eyes conflicted, then back at Victoria. "She stays. Talk." The statement was a victory, but felt hollow.
Victoria's lips tightened, but she nodded. "Fine. Julian's... not yours. But he's why I'm here." The words fell into the room like stones.
"Not mine?" Adrian's voice cracked, face paling. "Then whose?" The question seemed torn from deep inside him.
She glanced at me coldly. "That's not your concern." The dismissal was deliberate.
"It is," he said, stepping closer. "You show up with a kid, after leaving me at the altar, and expect me to just, "
"Adrian," she cut in, voice softening suddenly. "I need your help. For him." The tactical shift was transparent.
I opened my mouth, but the elevator dinged. Daniel strode in, serious and alert. "What's going on?" he asked, eyeing Victoria suspiciously.
"Perfect timing," she muttered, crossing her arms.
"Daniel, stay," Adrian said firmly. "Victoria's explaining. Or trying to."
Daniel nodded, standing beside me. His hand brushed mine briefly, a small comfort. Victoria glared at us, then turned back to Adrian. "Can we do this without an audience?" The question dripped with false sweetness.
She took a deep breath, her eyes flicking to me, assessing and calculating. Then she smiled, a cold and sharp expression that never reached her eyes. "Do you really think he loves you?" The question hung in the air like poison, aimed directly at my heart.