to confront her grandfather-the man who had been both a mentor and a tyrant in her life. As she

liberate than the last. Julian had already left for work, and she was grateful for his absenc

versations. What would she say? How would she make him see the urgency? The landscape outside the car windows passed by

many of them tinged with the anxiety she now felt tightening in her chest. The place had always intimi

f polished wood and aged leather greeted her as she entered, triggering a pang of nostalgia for whi

even as a child. Now, it felt even more like enemy territory. The heavy do

lightly. "Come in," came the voice from

ined with books, the air thick with the scent of pipe tobacco, and her grandfather seated behind an imposing desk. He

steady but not unkind. "To

under his gaze. "Grandfather," she began, her voi

t of emotion she had seen from him in years. "Help?

hold his gaze. "But things are different no

is hands over his chest. "Go on," he p

oblems with Julian's company. Financial discrepancies that don't make sense. I believe someon

yielding. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost a murm

ve a whisper. "I know you've never approved of my marriage to Julian, but

rica thought she might have overstepped. But then, her grandfather nodde

day when you'd come to me for this kind of help. You've always been

admission. It was the closest thing to a

ather," she said,

ou involve Julian in this. He deserves to know what's happening,

t of this until she had more concrete information, but she knew her grandfather w

eady despite the turmoil in her heart. "B

ous. "Then we'll start immediately. You're no longer a child, Erica. It's t

She had expected this meeting to be a battle; instead, it had b

t step, but the real challenge lay ahead. She would need to navigate the tangled web of

ather-a man who, despite his stern exterio

in her chest. She wasn't alone in this anymore, and she felt stronger

she would tell Julian everything. It wouldn't be easy, but she owed

n, protect their future