Chapter 279

Lana knew Sienna trusted her own judgment.

Sienna’s gaze was fixed on the man leaving below. She had built him from the ground up: Killing him felt like a waste, but keeping him around was a complication she didn’t need.

Lana saw the flicker of hesitation in Sienna’s eyes. Now that Sienna had her memories and her family back, she wasn’t as cold as she used to be.

“Boss, Fay is loyal. He’s efficient, decisive, and he’s been with the organization for years. A new recruit would take time to get up to speed,” Lana said, seeing Sienna’s hesitation.

Sienna nodded. “Alright, let him stay. But keep a close watch on his every move. If he so much as thinks about stepping out of line, don’t bother asking me—just kill him.”

“Understood.”

The Ford Estate.

Julian Ford knelt in the study as a whip cracked against his back. “You rebellious son of a bitch!” his father, Marcus, roared, “You disappear for years, and the moment you’re back, you start stirring up trouble.”

Julian didn’t flinch, his back ramrod straight. His face was a mask of indifference.

“Julian,” his stepbrother, Levi, chimed in from the doorway, “Why do you always have to piss Dad off? You should’ve just stayed in Pyreson working the mines. Now look at you. You broke that antique vase Dad was planning to gift.”

Julian remained silent. Even with the welts rising on his back, he looked every bit the perfect gentleman, not a trace of resentment in his calm eyes.

When the whip fell silent, Julian finally turned his head. “Are you finished? May I go now?”

Marcus was livid, his nostrils flaring and the veins on his hands bulging. “Julian, get out! Get the hell out! I have no son like you. You should have died out there.”

Julian was used to the venomous words. He slowly got to his feet and headed for the door.

“Oh. Julian, wait,” his stepmother, Bianca, rushed over, trying to take his arm with a show of concern. “Dinner’s ready. Please, stay and eat with us. It’s been years, I’ve missed you.”

“Yeah, Julian, stay for dinner,” Levi said with a smug grin. “Dad will cool off. You know how he gets."

Julian pulled his arm away, his disgust clear. “No, thank you, I have things to do.”

“Stop!” Marcus bellowed. He was powerless against his older son, who never listened. The world saw a kind, gentle man, but at home, he was defiant, unable to tolerate his new mother or brother.

Petty and malicious, Marcus thought.

“Julian, don’t you forget who you are! You are a Ford. Without me, you are nothing. Now sit down. After dinner, you’re meeting with the Clare girl. It’s time to get this marriage settled,” Marcus snapped.

Julian turned, his expression unchanging. “I’ve told you, my life is none of your business. And for the record, the vase was a fake. Don’t embarrass yourself by gifting it.”

He turned to leave again, but Bianca grabbed his arm.

Julian instinctively shook her off. “Ah!” Bianca cried out, stumbling to the floor and clutching her stomach. “The baby, my baby! Marcus, my baby!”

“Mom!” Levi lunged at Julian, shoving him hard. “Julian, if anything happens to my mom or the baby, I’ll kill you.”

A sharp slap echoed through the room as Marcus struck Julian across the face. “You bastard! You goddamn bastard! Come back! You should be dead, just like that cheating whore of a mother!”

Marcus was shaking with rage, eyes bloodshot, staring at Julian as if he were the worst kind of enemy.

Julian’s hands clenched into tight fists, the calm in his eyes finally cracking. “You have no right to talk about my mother.”

“Still talking back? Those ten lashes just now were too few! I should’ve beaten you to death!” Marcus roared.

“Marcus, darling,” Bianca moaned from the floor, “It hurts so much!”

“Don’t worry. I’m taking you to the hospital right now,” Marcus scooped her up and rushed out.

Once they were gone, Levi smirked at his brother. “I told you not to come back, brother. This family only needs one of us.” He feigned a look of concern. “Why did you have to return? Was it for Miss Hart? As if you’re even in her league.”

Levi shoved past him, hands in his pockets, and strolled out the door.

“Sir!” Clark Vance saw Julian stumble out of the house and rushed to his side.

He saw the blood staining the back of Julian’s white shirt and his own fists clenched in anger. “Sir! He beat you again. That man…”

Clark knew that man was Julian’s father. Their relationship had always been a mess–every time Julian came home, he ended up getting beaten.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go,” Julian brushed the dust from his knees and got into the car.

Clark was furious on Julian’s behalf. It was a classic evil stepmother story. For years, Bianca had even sent assassins after him while he was in Pyreson. Land Levi had made Julian’s life hell. If it weren’t for Julian’s well-meaning but clueless grandmother, he wouldn’t have to put up with any of this.

“Sir, I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Julian was about to refuse when his phone rang. He answered, and Marcus’s voice blared through the speaker. “You worthless piece of shit, look what you’ve done! Get your ass to Bianca, to your stepmother, right now! She almost had a miscarriage because of you, you hear me?”

Julian replied flatly, "I’m busy.”

“Don’t you dare give me attitude, Julian. If you ever want to see those things your cheating mother left behind again, you’ll get over here and apologize. Otherwise, I’ll have them burned,” Marcus threatened.

The threat sparked a wild thought in Julian’s mind–the urge to get rid of his father for good.

But in the end, he managed to steady himself, his tone utterly flat, betraying nothing. “Fine.”

“Sir, are you really going?” Clark asked, worry written all over his face.

“You were going to take me to the hospital, weren’t you? As it happens, my back could use a look," Julian replied, his voice flat.

Clark couldn’t argue. This was a family matter, and he had no right to interfere.

At the hospital, Marcus stood with his arms crossed. “Julian, get on with it. Apologize to Bianca.” His eyes lingered on his handsome, aristocratic older son. He looked so much like her.

Bianca, noticing Marcus’s distant look, knew exactly who he was thinking of. “Oh, my stomach,” she winced.

The sound snapped Marcus back to the present. “Apologize now!”