Chapter 9: The Line in the Sand
Chapter 9: The Line in the Sand
Those seven words obliterated Clara’s paralysis.
The profound, cinematic emotional truth of her child’s love instantly overrode the terror her husband had instilled in her. Clara stopped weeping. She stood up, her posture straightening as the protective instincts of a mother replaced the fear of a victim.
"Let him go, Julian," Clara said. Her voice was no longer shaking.
Julian laughed bitterly, but before he could yank the boy again, a shadow fell over him. Adrian had walked out from the side garden. He stepped squarely between Julian and the town car, crossing his arms.
"You heard her," Adrian said. It was not a request.
Julian looked at Adrian’s solid frame, then at Eleanor, who was already holding her cell phone to her ear.
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"I have the lead attorney for the domestic legal aid clinic on the line, Julian," Eleanor said smoothly. "If you attempt to force that child into the car against his mother's will, I will have an emergency injunction filed before your driver turns the engine on. How do you think that will look for your company's upcoming IPO?"
Julian’s face drained of color. He was a man who understood leverage, and he realized with terrifying clarity that he had just lost all of his. He released Leo's hand, retreating to his car in bitter, humiliated silence.
