Chapter 2 - The Return of the King
On the sixth day, the private jet from Napa landed at San Francisco International Airport.
Julian Vale stepped out onto the tarmac, adjusting his tailored linen jacket, his skin bronzed from three days spent in the California sun. Chloe Marr walked beside him, wearing oversized designer sunglasses and holding an expensive espresso, laughing softly at something he had whispered.
They entered the private executive terminal, where Maya was waiting near the glass doors, holding a thick leather folder against her chest.
Julian smiled, tossing his leather duffel bag toward a driver.
"Morning, Maya," Julian said, his tone casual and expansive. "I hope the city didn't collapse without me. Get the board reports ready for eleven. I need to drop by the house first to deal with Evelyn. I'm sure she's throwing a silent tantrum because I didn't check in."
Chloe chuckled, taking a sip of her coffee. "You really should buy her a nice purse, Julian. Wives hate being left out of investor retreats."
Maya didn't laugh. She didn't move. Her face was ashen, her lips trembling.
Julian stopped, his dark eyebrows knitting together in annoyance. "What's wrong with you, Maya? You look like someone died."
"Sir..." Maya choked out, her voice cracking under the weight of the words she had held for four days. "You need to look at this."
She extended a sealed white envelope toward him.
Julian didn't take it. "I don't have time for administrative memos right now. If Evelyn sent a list of grievances, tell her I'll be home by noon."
"It's not a list of grievances, Mr. Vale," Maya said, her voice dropping into a hollow whisper that made the air around them freeze. "Mrs. Vale went into emergency labor five days ago."
Julian paused, a slight, dismissive smile lingering on his lips. "Labor? She's only thirty-one weeks. She always overreacts to cramps—"
"She suffered a massive placental abruption, sir!" Maya shouted, her professional composure finally shattering into raw fury. "She almost bled to death on the operating table! I called you six times! Your wife was in ICU for forty-eight hours!"
Julian froze. The bronze flush on his skin vanished, replaced by an instant, sickly paleness.
"What... what about the baby?" Julian rasped, taking a step closer, his hand hovering in the air. "What about my son?"
Maya looked straight into his dark eyes, tears spilling over her lashes.
"Sir... your wife lost the son you abandoned," Maya said, her voice trembling violently. "Daniel died at twelve-fourteen AM on Tuesday while you were at the vineyard with Miss Marr."
The leather duffel bag slipped from the driver's hand, striking the marble floor with a dull thud.
Chloe gasped, taking an instinctive step back away from Julian.
May you like
Julian stood rooted to the spot, his breath catching in his throat as if someone had slammed a fist into his solar plexus. "No... no, that's impossible. Evelyn... she would have..."
"She signed the divorce papers two days ago, sir," Maya added, handing him the white envelope. "And she left."
