Chapter 4 - Unlikely AlliesTwo hours later, Julia stood inside the glass-and-steel monolith of Reed Enterprises. Her eyes were red, her hair was tied back hastily, and she wore a plain coat over her work clothes. She didn't care about the marble floors or the security guards—she looked like a mother ready to burn the world down.
Jackson met her in a private conference room on the 40th floor.
“You did this,” Julia spat the moment the door clicked shut. “Your money, your enemies, your stupid corporate games! They took my six-year-old child because you decided to play hero for five minutes!”
“You’re right,” Jackson said quietly. He didn't defend himself. He walked over to the window, his hands trembling slightly—a rare crack in his armor. “I stepped into a trap meant for me, and you and Maddie got caught in the crossfire. I can never apologize enough for that. But right now, anger won't get Maddie back. A strategy will.”
Julia swallowed hard, forcing her breathing to slow down. “The CPS worker said I’m unfit because I work 80 hours a week and left her at a community event without primary supervision. They’re claiming I used the center as free, illegal childcare.”
“And who filed the complaint?” Jackson asked, opening a dossier on the table.
“A woman named Sloan Vance,” Julia replied, remembering the burgundy suit.
Jackson’s eyes narrowed. “Sloan. She’s working with her uncle, Marcus—my lead attorney. They’ve been trying to force a buyout of the Maple Street land for six months. They orchestrated this entire event. They knew Miss Alma was short-staffed, they knew you were working a double shift at the hospital, and they waited for anyone to interact with Maddie so they could spin a narrative of neglect and predatory danger.”
Julia collapsed into a leather chair, hiding her face in her hands. “I don't have money for a high-powered custody lawyer. My union legal defense fund doesn't cover family court emergency seizures.”
“You don't need a union lawyer,” Jackson said, sitting across from her. “You need the best legal defense team money can buy. I’ve already retained Sarah Chen—the top family law advocate in the state. She’s on her way here now. I am funding every second of this fight.”
Julia looked up, suspicious. “Why? What’s in this for you? To fix your public relations image?”
Jackson looked down at his gold wedding band. “My wife died two years ago, Julia. The Maple Street Community Center was her dream. She built it because her own father abandoned her when she was six years old. She wanted a place where no child would ever feel invisible. If I let them take Maddie from you, and if I let them destroy that center... then everything my wife lived and died for was a lie.”
Julia stared at him, seeing for the first time the deep, hollow grief behind the billionaire's cold exterior.
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“They took her to a shelter facility in West Linn,” Julia whispered, her voice cracking. “She can’t sleep without a nightlight, Jackson. She’s terrified of the dark.”
Jackson grabbed his coat. “Then let's go make sure she doesn't spend another night there.”
