Chapter 4

After settling on a time with Haley to hand over the studio, Julia returned to the Holt residence. She'd given herself two weeks. After all, a decade of her life wasn't something she could just walk away from. There was still too much to take care of. Her most pressing task was dealing with the Holt residence from top to bottom. The massive 5,400-square-foot villa didn't have a single maid because Sebastian thought they were too noisy. So, Julia had been the one cleaning the entire place for years. She intended to leave, but she would do so with the poise of an impeccable secretary. That was the pride expected of the Summers family heiress. Since Penelope couldn't handle household affairs, Julia had to step in and select a capable maid for Sebastian and Xavier. She spent the entire day interviewing candidates, asking each one to prepare a pot of soup to Sebastian's liking. That night, as she sat at the dinner table, a panicked shout came from the front door. "Jack, call the family doctor! Now!" It was Sebastian. Julia's pregnancy had made her more sensitive to the smell of blood, and the metallic scent churned her stomach. A frown crossed her face as worry gripped her. What happened? Was he hurt? She instinctively moved toward the door, but Sebastian burst in before she could reach it, carrying a woman in his arms. A snow fell over Javerston outside, clinging to his hair and shoulders in damp patches, but he didn't even seem to feel it. He lowered the woman onto the couch, then barked, "Where's the doctor? Hurry up!" Julia didn't need to see the woman's face to know who it was—Penelope. Standing nearby in a thick robe, Julia asked flatly, "What happened to her?" After their argument that morning, Sebastian wasn't in the mood to talk to her. He hardly even looked her way and muttered impatiently, "Debt collectors stabbed her in the shoulder." "Debt collectors? Who are they after?" Julia pressed. Had Sebastian, the CEO of Falcrest Group, actually gone broke? Sebastian opened his mouth to say something, but Penelope jumped in first. She looked pale, and her tone was heavy with pity. "I'm sorry, Julia. This is all my fault. My father owes gambling debts, and those men figured out I was Mr. Holt's secretary. "They ambushed me on the street and tried to take me. I fought back. That's how I got hurt. If Mr. Holt hadn't been working late and run into us, they might've killed me." "Don't go saying things like that," Sebastian said firmly. "No one's touching you while I'm here. But your rental isn't safe anymore. I've already notified the police. You should stay at the Holt residence until they're caught." Julia's refusal came instantly. "No." Sebastian's gaze flicked up to her. Julia's skin was pale too, but hers had the smooth, healthy sheen of fine porcelain. Maybe it was because she'd resigned and finally made peace with Haley, but she seemed more relaxed today. Her cheeks flushed softly, and with her fluffy silk robe wrapped around her, she looked as poised and relaxed as a well-kept house cat. Sebastian had been simmering with an unexplained irritation all morning, but the moment Julia said no, it vanished. He turned away, his movement dripping with mockery. Just as he thought, Julia had only been playing hard to get. She might keep up that calm act, but wasn't she still jealous of Penelope? His voice lowered, sharp with warning. "Julia, this is the Holt residence." In other words, this was his house. If he wanted someone here, they stayed. "That's not happening," Julia shot back. "There aren't enough rooms. She has nowhere to sleep." The Holt residence sprawled across three floors, but only three bedrooms were actually livable—Xavier's, Julia's, and Sebastian's. There had been guest rooms, of course. But back in those early days, when they were still wrapped up in newlywed happiness, Sebastian had gotten carried away with renovations. Instead of extra bedrooms, the house had a lavish nursery, a walk-in closet, a display room for high-end collectibles, and Julia's personal spaces—a sunroom, an art studio, and a yoga room. The only thing it didn't have? A spare bedroom. When they were newlyweds, Sebastian had pictured the two spare bedrooms as rooms for their future son and daughter. But neither he nor Julia could have known that one day, they'd end up sleeping in separate rooms because of how much they'd grown apart. And he never thought Julia would use the excuse of not having an extra bedroom to turn Penelope away. Sebastian's expression hardened instantly. He sounded like he was speaking through gritted teeth. "Julia, you sleep in the master bedroom." The message was plain—they could still share a bed. Despite everything, it wasn't as if they hadn't slept together just three months ago. Otherwise, how would Julia be pregnant now? But she couldn't care less. That night three months ago only happened because Sebastian was drunk. They'd slept together then out of pure resentment. Now, even that resentment had faded. Julia refused to back down, digging in her heels, and that just made Sebastian even madder. Just then, Xavier shuffled down the stairs half-asleep, rubbing his eyes. "Mommy, Daddy, what's happening? I heard you fighting again," he said, his voice small and hurt. Then he spotted Penelope on the couch, her wounds still bleeding as someone tended to them. In an instant, he was fully awake. "Aunt Penny!" He scrambled over to her. "What happened? Why are you hurt? Does it hurt badly? Are you okay?" Penelope gave him a faint smile and ruffled his hair. "I'm fine, Xav. Be a dear and go back to bed." He latched onto her like a burr. "No! I won't sleep, not until you're better!" Seeing how attached he was to Penelope, Julia smiled. "Xav, don't worry. She might be staying with us for a few days. But since we don't have an extra bedroom, would it be okay if she slept in yours?" "Really?" Xavier's eyes widened, his face lighting up with excitement. "Hooray! Hoo—" Catching himself mid-word, he slapped a hand over his mouth. "No, Mommy, I didn't mean it like that…" How could he have forgotten? Julia couldn't stand how much he liked Penelope. Julia had been livid that one time he'd lost track of the hours hanging out with her. After that, Sebastian taught Xavier never to mention how amazing Penelope was around Julia. "It's fine. You can mean that." Julia kept her voice low, her cold hands moving over her stomach under her robe. Today, she finally understood what it was like to raise an ungrateful child. The day Xavier was born would stay with Julia forever. She endured two days of excruciating labor before the doctors told her she was beyond help. They made Sebastian decide whether to save Julia or their unborn child. Sebastian stood outside the operating room, his eyes reddened from crying. His voice was raw as he desperately begged them to save her. But Julia refused. Tears streaked her face as she begged them to save Xavier. She would give anything, but couldn't lose the child she and Sebastian had together. In the end, she dug deep and found the strength to bring Xavier into the world naturally, without even the comfort of pain relief. Julia had given up her career for Xavier, pouring everything into raising him. And what did she get in return? His heart belonged to another woman, and he wished he'd had a different mother. The realization left her completely drained. The truth was, she hadn't even wanted to keep the baby she was carrying now. At her prenatal checkup last week, her first thought had been to end the pregnancy. Life felt so hopeless that she'd never planned on having another child with Sebastian. But then she thought about leaving, and for the first time, a tiny spark of hope flared inside her. This time, there'd be no Holt family to tie her down. She and her child could finally live on their own terms. Maybe things could actually get better. Julia didn't hesitate any longer. She turned and walked away without a second glance. Xavier had no idea why Julia was acting like this. He stood frozen, watching helplessly as she walked away. A heavy silence hung in the air before he suddenly broke down into desperate, heaving sobs. Kids picked up on things. He might not have understood why, but something deep inside told him he'd just been tossed away like nothing. Penelope jumped at the sound of his sobs. She pulled him close, murmuring, "Xav, don't cry. I've got you. It's okay, Xav." She gave Sebastian an anxious look as if silently blaming Julia for making Xavier cry again. Sebastian's expression hardened. He threw a quick, piercing glance up at the second floor but remained silent.