Julian: Who are you calling? The local homeless shelter?
Julian mocked her loudly, taking a sip from his glass of iced whiskey as he watched her from the top step. Chloe leaned against his arm, snickering loudly while twisting a lock of her dark hair around her finger. They both thought she was totally helpless, broken, and completely abandoned by the world.
Olivia held the phone up against her ear, listening as the line rang once, twice, and then immediately picked up on the third ring. A deep, authoritative voice spoke through the speaker, sound instantly cutting through the noise of the wind.
Arthur: Olivia? My darling girl, is that you?
Olivia: Dad, come get me. Bring the legal team.
Arthur: Where are you right now? Did that arrogant little man hurt you?
Olivia: I am outside Julian's mansion. He threw all my belongings onto the driveway and forced me out of the house.
Arthur: Stay right where you are, my sweet child. Nobody touches my daughter and gets away with it.
The phone call ended instantly, but the calm authority in her father's voice left an electric energy hanging in the air. On the porch, Julian's mocking grin slowly began to fade as he noticed the sudden change in Olivia's posture. She was no longer crying, nor was she slumping her shoulders in defeat.
Julian: Legal team? What kind of joke is this, Olivia?
Chloe: She's just bluffing, Julian! She wants to scare you into letting her back inside!
Julian: (shouting) Hey! I asked you a question! Who did you just call on that phone?
Olivia: You will find out in about two minutes, Julian.
Julian: You are insane! You think some cheap town lawyer is going to scare me? I have a ten-million-dollar defense retainer!
Olivia stood tall in the middle of the bright driveway, surrounding herself with her spilled suitcases and ruined clothes. She folded her arms gently over her unborn child, looking straight into Julian's eyes without a single trace of fear left in her soul. She had spent three years suppressing her true background to fit into his world.
Her mother had married Arthur Vance, the billionaire founder of Vance Global Logistics, twenty-five years ago. Even after her parents separated quietly due to public pressure, Arthur had ensured that Olivia was the primary sole heir to his vast corporate empire. She had chosen to live simply, wanting Julian to love her for who she was, not her family's massive bank accounts.
Chloe: Julian, tell her to move! She is making the front entrance look like a landfill!
Julian: Move off my property right now, Olivia, or I swear I will personally throw you into the street!
Olivia: Step down here and try it then, Julian.
Julian: What did you say to me?
Before Julian could take a single step down the marble staircase, the faint sound of roaring high-powered engines began to rumble in the distance. The heavy iron gates at the edge of the property, which were usually kept locked, suddenly swung wide open under remote emergency override protocols.
Julian's eyes widened in confusion as he looked toward the front entrance of the private gated community. Two massive, shiny black luxury SUVs came speeding down the asphalt lane, their tires screeching loudly as they turned onto the private stone driveway. The sheer speed and presence of the vehicles made the entire ground shake beneath their feet.