Chapter 4

Erica woke early, the day's weight pressing down her chest like a heavy cushion. Today, she had to confront her grandfather—the man who had been both a mentor and a tyrant in her life. As she dressed, the memory of her promise to herself last night lingered. There was no turning back now.

The house was still and quiet as she went down the grand staircase, each step feeling more deliberate than the last. Julian had already left for work, and she was grateful for his absence. She needed time to gather her thoughts without the warmth of his gaze softening her resolve.

The drive to her grandfather's estate felt endless, her thoughts looping through a series of potential scenarios and conversations. What would she say? How would she make him see the urgency? The landscape outside the car windows passed by in a blur, her focus entirely inward, replaying the mistakes of her past life and the opportunities she had in this one.

When the car finally pulled up to the estate, the sight of the manor brought back a flood of memories—many of them tinged with the anxiety she now felt tightening in her chest. The place had always intimidated her, with its grand architecture and cold, calculated decor that matched the man who lived inside.

Taking a deep breath, Erica exited the car and walked up the cobblestone path. The familiar scent of polished wood and aged leather greeted her as she entered, triggering a pang of nostalgia for which she wasn’t prepared. But there was no time for sentimentality. She had come here with a purpose.

A butler guided her to the study, a room that had always felt off-limits, even as a child. Now, it felt even more like enemy territory. The heavy door stood before her, a barrier between her and the man she needed to face.

She knocked softly, her hand trembling slightly. “Come in,” came the voice from within—stern, commanding, and unsurprised.

Erica pushed the door open, her heart pounding as she stepped inside. The study was exactly as she remembered—walls lined with books, the air thick with the scent of pipe tobacco, and her grandfather seated behind an imposing desk. He looked up from his papers, his sharp gray eyes—eyes so much like her own—fixing on her with an inscrutable expression.

“Erica,” he said, his voice steady but not unkind. “To what do I owe this visit?”

She stepped further into the room, feeling small under his gaze. “Grandfather,” she began, her voice steadier than she expected. “I need your help.”

His eyebrows lifted slightly, betraying the only hint of emotion she had seen from him in years. “Help? You haven’t asked me for help since you were a child.”

“I know,” she admitted, forcing herself to hold his gaze. “But things are different now. You're the only person I could think of”

He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his chest. “Go on,” he prompted, his tone measured and cautious.

Erica swallowed, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside her. “There are some problems with Julian’s company. Financial discrepancies that don’t make sense. I believe someone close to us is manipulating things, and I need your expertise to figure out what’s going on.”

Her grandfather didn’t respond right away, his gaze steady and unyielding. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost a murmur. “And why should I involve myself in this? Why come to me now?”

“Because you’re the only one who can help,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I know you’ve never approved of my marriage to Julian, but if you care about me at all, if you ever cared, you’ll help me protect him.”

A long silence followed her plea, stretching out so uncomfortably that Erica thought she might have overstepped. But then, her grandfather nodded, slowly, as if coming to terms with a decision he didn’t want to make.

“You’ve grown, Erica,” he said finally. “I never thought I’d see the day when you’d come to me for this kind of help. You’ve always been stubborn—like your mother. But I suppose that’s why I respected her.”

Erica blinked, surprised by the unexpected admission. It was the closest thing to a compliment she had ever received from him.

“Thank you, Grandfather,” she said, her voice softening.

He held up a hand, silencing her. “But I won’t help you unless you involve Julian in this. He deserves to know what’s happening, and you need to be honest with him if you expect to protect him.”

Erica hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest. She had hoped to keep Julian out of this until she had more concrete information, but she knew her grandfather was right. Julian needed to see the truth, and she needed to be the one to tell him.

“I’ll tell him,” she agreed, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart. “But I need to understand more before I do.”

Her grandfather nodded again, a gesture of approval that was rare and precious. “Then we’ll start immediately. You’re no longer a child, Erica. It’s time you understood the world you live in—and the dangers that come with it.”

Erica felt a strange sense of relief wash over her for a moment. She had expected this meeting to be a battle; instead, it had become something else—an alliance of sorts, born out of necessity.

As she left the study, her mind raced with plans and strategies. She had taken the first step, but the real challenge lay ahead. She would need to navigate the tangled web of lies and deceit surrounding Julian’s company and have to do it with Julian by her side.

But for now, she had an ally in her grandfather—a man who, despite his stern exterior, had shown her a flicker of understanding.

As the car pulled away from the estate, Erica felt a new resolve settle in her chest. She wasn’t alone in this anymore, and she felt stronger with her grandfather’s support. She was ready to face whatever came next.

By the time she returned home, Erica had made a decision. Tonight, she would tell Julian everything. It wouldn’t be easy, but she owed him the truth. And whatever happened, they would face it together.

She would protect Julian, protect their future, no matter what it took.