Watching Tessa act so timid and cautious, Jason couldn’t help but feel a little uncomfortable. After all, she was still a Walton. He gave her a reassuring nod. “Don’t worry, Miss Tessa, I’ll protect you both.”

Tessa offered him a grateful smile in return. But that wasn’t what she was really thinking. Did they all actually believe she was scared? This was nothing more than an act for her mother’s sake. How else was she supposed to win her over? Now that Aurora was back at the company, those old board members surely preferred her even more.

She had no leverage left. Her only option now was to take a different route, and that meant using Grace’s sympathy to her advantage. As expected, when Grace saw how gentle and obedient Tessa looked, her eyes turned red with emotion. She patted her daughter’s hand and said soothingly, “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’ll make sure you get justice. We’re not swallowing this insult.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Tessa clung tightly to her mother’s arm, unwilling to let go. To anyone watching, they looked like the closest mother and daughter in the world.

Once the group entered the house, they found Carol still watching TV in the living room. Hearing the door, she assumed it was the housekeeper returning from the market. Without even looking up, she called out, “Zoe, make eggplant for lunch, would you? I’m suddenly craving it.”

When no one answered, she frowned, sensing something off. Lifting her head, she was met with Albert’s furious expression and saw her son standing among them. Albert let out a cold snort and snapped, pointing at her, "You useless woman. Do you even care about your own son?"

“Weren’t you the one who kept shouting at me to get Juan out? And now look at you, what exactly are you doing?” Albert said it loud on purpose, making sure Carol heard every word. He wanted her to believe they hadn’t given up on saving Julian–it was just that the circumstances hadn’t allowed it.

Carol froze in place. The moment she saw her son’s scruffy, unshaven face, his body so thin it was almost unrecognizable, her eyes welled up with tears. Every parent loved their child–they just showed it in their own way. She stepped forward, reaching to touch his face, but he flinched away. Julian hid behind Albert, clinging tightly to his coat like a child, refusing to let go. It was clear he didn’t want to speak to her.

He had watched everything just moments ago. He hadn’t expected that after leaving home, his absence would make absolutely no difference. Everyone had gone on with their lives as if nothing had happened. His father still ran the company. His mother still had her social circle of wealthy wives. And him? He was just something the two of them had casually brought into the world. If he disappeared, no one would care.

That call he’d made from Millford–it turned out Albert had probably meant every word. He really hadn’t wanted Julian to come back. Thinking of all that, Julian felt like a gaping hole had been carved into his chest, wind whistling right through it.

His mother stared at him, dazed by how blank and lost he looked. Something didn’t feel right. “What’s going on…?” Panic crept into her voice, already tinged with tears. She clutched Albert’s sleeve, her voice trembling, “What’s wrong with him? Julian doesn’t seem right…”