Chapter 4 - The Lie in the Foundations
Julian stepped over the shattered ice on the floor, pointing a long, sharp finger down at his brother.
"She is my daughter, James," Julian said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, icy cadence. "I have sole custody. You have no legal standing in this room. Release her and get out before I have you arrested for criminal trespass."
James slowly stood up, keeping one hand firmly on Lily’s shoulder, positioning his broad frame directly between the terrified child and her father.
"You lost the right to call her your daughter the moment you put your hands on her," James said, his voice low, steady, and terrifyingly calm.
"I am her father!" Julian stepped closer, his jaw clenching so tight the muscles in his neck strained against his white collar. "Her mother is dead! She has no one else! I decide how she is raised, and I decide who replaces her mother!"
The room seemed to drop ten degrees. Guests leaned in, holding their breath, sensing the dark, hidden history between the two brothers rising to the surface.
James looked down at Lily, who was looking up at him with wide, tear-soaked eyes, her little lips trembling uncontrollably.
James knelt back down so he was eye-level with the child. He reached out, gently wiping a warm tear from her uninjured cheek.
"Listen to me, Lily," James said, his voice ringing clearly through the silent ballroom, carrying over the heads of the three hundred guests, the bride, and the groom. "Your father lied to you."
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Lily blinked, her breath catching in her throat. "What?"
"Your mother isn't dead," James said softly, his gray eyes locking onto the child with absolute, unwavering truth. "Your mother is still alive."
