Chapter 3 - The Collapse of the Empire
The music inside stopped abruptly. Within seconds, the sliding glass doors leading from the ballroom slid open, and Margaret stepped out onto the patio. She wore a heavy velvet emerald gown draped in expensive diamonds that Julian had bought her during his early corporate success. Her face was flushed with wine and self-importance.
"What on earth is the meaning of this shouting?" Margaret demanded, marching over with her chin held high, ready to scold whoever was disrupting her party. Then she saw Julian standing beside the sink, holding my blistered hands.
Margaret’s expression shifted instantly from arrogant authority to panicked calculation. 🇦🇷
"Julian, darling!" Margaret trilled, forcing a bright, nervous smile as she rushed forward, opening her arms for an embrace. "You're home early! Why didn't you let us know? We would have prepared a proper welcome feast instead of—well, instead of letting Emma play around in the kitchen!"
Julian didn't move an inch. He didn't offer his mother a hug, nor did he return her smile. He simply stood like a granite statue, still holding my hands in his.
"Mom," Julian said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "Tell me why my wife is standing outside in a servant's apron scrubbing grease off industrial pots while you and Jennifer drink my champagne inside."
Margaret faltered, her hands dropping awkwardly to her sides. She shot a furious glare toward Jennifer, who shrunk back against the brick wall.
"Now, Julian, don't be dramatic," Margaret scoffed, adopting her familiar patronizing tone. "You know how careless Emma is with money. We were just teaching her some discipline, showing her the value of hard work so she doesn't take your sacrifices for granted. We’ve been protecting your interests while you were away! If we hadn't stepped in to manage the household finances and keep her grounded, she would have—"
"You stole from her," Julian interrupted, his voice dropping into a lethal whisper.
Margaret’s face drained of color. "What did you say?"
"You heard me," Julian stepped forward, towering over his mother. For five years, he had believed her polished lies, trusting her word over mine because she was his mother. Now, the blindfold had been ripped away violently. "For five years, I wired thousands of dollars every month into the household trust under your administration, believing you were taking care of my wife. Instead, you locked her out of her own bank accounts, forced her to live like an indentured servant, and treated my home like your personal country club."
"That is a lie!" Michael shouted, stumbling out onto the patio with a cocktail glass in his hand, his face red from too much alcohol. He pointed an accusing finger at me. "She’s lying to you, bro! She’s lazy, she’s ungrateful, she spends all your money on useless junk—"
Before Michael could finish his sentence, Julian moved with blinding speed. He let go of my hands, crossed the patio in two giant strides, grabbed Michael by the collar of his expensive designer shirt, and slammed him back against the brick pillar with a sickening thud.
Michael’s cocktail glass shattered on the flagstone floor, amber liquid splashing everywhere.
"If you ever speak my wife's name with that filth in your mouth again," Julian whispered, his face inches from Michael’s terrified eyes, "I will personally ensure you never work another day in this state. Do you understand me?"
Michael whimpered, nodding frantically, too terrified to speak.
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Julian shoved him away, sending Michael sprawling onto the patio floor. Julian turned back to Margaret, who was trembling violently now, her diamond necklace shaking against her chest.
"You have twenty minutes," Julian commanded, his voice echoing across the silent courtyard where dozens of party guests were now peeking fearfully through the glass doors. "Collect your things, get your cars out of my driveway, and never step foot on this property again. If you call my phone, if you send an email, or if I ever see your faces near my home or my businesses again, I will strip every single financial asset I ever gave you and sue you into bankruptcy."
