Chapter 11 - The Heir’s ReturnThe flashbulbs erupted in a blinding wall of white light as the press corps surged forward, microphones thrust toward Julian and me like metallic spears. The name Vance had already been synonymous with corporate crime for the past year; seeing a second, legitimate heir step out of the shadows with an uncorrupted patent ledger was the kind of front-page miracle tabloids dreamed about.
I stood frozen for a fraction of a second, the heavy leather-bound ledger cool against my fingertips.
"Is this a stunt?" shouted a reporter from the front row, thrusting a recorder past the velvet rope. "Are you merging the foundation with his startup, Ms. Vance?"
Julian didn't flinch. He adjusted his cuffs, his dark eyes fixed steadily on mine amidst the chaos. There was no arrogance in his posture—only a quiet, cautious resilience that reminded me uncomfortably of the woman who had pulled me aside in the chapel a year ago.
Grandma stepped between us, tapping her silver-headed cane sharply against the marble steps to silence the crowd.
"The only thing being merged tonight is truth with justice," Grandma declared, her voice ringing out with effortless authority. "Now, clear the stairs. My granddaughter has a gala to open, and my grandson has a company to reclaim."
As the security guards gently pushed the media back, creating a clear path toward the grand bronze doors of the library, Julian turned to me.
"I know this is a lot to process," he murmured, his voice low enough to be drowned out by the ambient city noise. "You thought you buried this entire family tree in a federal courtroom twelve months ago. I didn't mean to ambush you on your anniversary."
"An anniversary of a disaster isn't usually celebrated with a hostile corporate audit, Julian," I replied, though the sharp edge in my voice lacked any real venom. I looked down at the ledger in my hands. "How did you even get out? My ex-fiancé had your medical files locked down in a Swiss clinic under a federal seal."
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"Grandma kept paying the nurses in cash and smuggling encrypted hard drives out in her knitting basket," Julian said with a faint, wry smile, glancing over at his grandmother.
Grandma winked, adjusting her emerald brooch. "Never underestimate an old woman with a grudge and a Swiss bank account."
