Chapter 4 - The Mercer EstateThe drive from Greenwich to Julian’s estate in Bedford, New York, took forty minutes. We sat in the back of a sleek, quiet Maybach while rain streaked against the tinted windows.
I stared down at my hands. They were still red from scrubbing grease, my nails short and unpolished compared to Natalie’s manicured claws.
“You don't have to keep pretending now,” I said softly, breaking the silence. “There’s no one here from the press or the board.”
Julian turned to look at me. The streetlights outside cast long, dramatic shadows across his sharp jawline.
“Pretending about what?” he asked.
“About... us,” I murmured. “About being engaged. I know you only said that to humiliate my father and force his hand on the audit.”
Julian reached out, his long fingers gently resting over mine. The contrast between his warmth and my cold skin made my chest tighten.
“Claire,” he said, his voice deep and steady. “Six months ago, when you applied for the junior auditor position at Mercer Holdings, do you know why I hired you?”
I blinked, surprised. “Because I had the credentials and passed the accounting examination?”
“Because you were the only applicant who pointed out a six-million-dollar discrepancy in our logistics subsidiary during the practical test,” Julian said. “You worked sixteen-hour days, lived in a small studio apartment, and gave half your paycheck to a family that treated you like a servant. I watched you suffer in silence while building a career from nothing.”
He leaned in slightly, his dark eyes locked onto mine.
“I didn't fake anything tonight. The engagement ring is currently sitting in my desk drawer at the office. I was planning on asking you next week after the audit finalized. Your family simply forced my timeline.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. “Julian... I don't have a family name. I don't have a trust fund. I have nothing.”
“You have integrity,” Julian said softly. “Which is something your father couldn't buy with fifty million dollars.”
May you like
The Maybach pulled up to a magnificent stone mansion surrounded by acres of rolling hills. As the chauffeur opened the door, Julian held out his hand.
“Tonight, Claire, you eat dinner at the head of the table.”
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