Chapter 5 - An Unholy Alliance
By 10:00 PM, the storm outside had intensified, thunder shaking the floorboards of the penthouse suite where Julian had relocated Elena and Leo for safety.
Leo was finally sleeping peacefully in a luxurious bedroom, safe in the knowledge that his real mother was nearby.
In the living room, Julian stood by the mini-bar, pouring two glasses of wine. He offered one to Elena, but she refused it with a cold glare.
"I know what you're thinking," Julian said quietly, sitting down opposite her. "You think I'm just like Victoria. You think I knew."
"Did you?" Elena asked, her voice sharp. "You're one of the most powerful men in the country, Mr. Vance. Are you telling me you had no idea your wife faked an entire adoption process?"
"I was in a coma for six months after my accident," Julian said, his eyes filled with genuine pain. "When I woke up, Victoria presented me with Leo. She told me we had used a surrogate because her body couldn't handle a pregnancy after the crash. I was so grateful to have a child, so overwhelmed with guilt for what she went through during my coma, that I didn't ask questions. I was a fool."
Elena looked away, her hands clenching into fists. "It doesn't change anything. Leo is my son."
"He is our son," Julian corrected gently. "And Marcus will destroy him to get to me. Marcus doesn't care about Leo. If he takes over the company, he will send Leo to an overseas boarding school and lock you away in prison on fabricated charges. He has judges in his pocket, Elena."
Elena’s heart sank. She knew he was right. Marcus’s eyes held a cold cruelty that terrified her far more than Victoria’s unhinged arrogance.
"So what are you proposing?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"Marry me," Julian said directly. "Tonight. We get a private judge. We sign a marriage certificate before midnight. We secure Leo’s legal status, protect the company from Marcus, and I give you fifty percent of Vance Global's voting shares as a guarantee."
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"You want me to marry the son of the man who destroyed my father?" Elena gasped, standing up. "Are you insane?!"
"It’s not a real marriage, Elena!" Julian stood up, stepping closer, his eyes intense. "It’s a war alliance. We protect our son together. Once Marcus is defeated and Victoria is locked behind bars forever... I will give you full legal custody, half my fortune, and your freedom. I swear it on my life."
