Chapter 251

ARIA'S POV

After Julian was thrown out, the office felt suffocating. The air was thick, and the faint smell of spilled water and crushed roses from the shattered vase on my floor made my stomach turn.

I tried to sit back down at my desk, but my hands were shaking too badly to hold a pen.

I couldn't stay here. Not today.

"Chloe," I said, walking out to the reception area. My assistant looked up, still pale from the drama that had just unfolded. "I’m leaving early. Cancel the rest of my afternoon meetings."

"Of course, Miss Aria," Chloe said immediately, nodding quickly. "Go home and rest. I'll handle everything here."

Anthony stepped out from the hallway, his sharp eyes instantly scanning my face. He didn't ask questions. He just opened the heavy glass doors and escorted me straight down to the underground parking garage.

The drive back to the estate was entirely silent. Anthony kept his eyes on the road, his hands gripped tight on the steering wheel, while I stared blankly out the window.

My mind was a complete mess. The image of Julian’s angry face, the sound of the glass vase shattering, and the terrifying weight of his threats echoed in my head over and over again.

A cold sweat broke out across my skin thinking about it. Julian was desperate, and desperate men did crazy things.

When the heavy iron gates of the estate opened and Anthony pulled the SUV up the long driveway, I felt a slight sense of relief, but it was quickly swallowed by a different kind of dread.

Amelia. I remembered how she had treated me this morning. The icy glare from her small eyes. The way she had completely ignored me on the drive to school, refusing to even say goodbye.

It had broken my heart into a million pieces. Anthony parked the car in front of the main entrance and turned to look at me. "We are here, Miss Aria. Go inside and try to relax. I am going to head out right now to pick up Miss Amelia from her kindergarten. I will bring her straight home."

"Thank you, Anthony," I whispered, stepping out of the car. "Please... just keep her safe."

"With my life, Ma'am," he replied firmly. I walked into the house, my legs feeling heavy and weak from the sheer exhaustion of the day. The vast emptiness of the foyer made me feel more alone than ever.

I sat down on the plush couch in the living room, burying my face in my hands. I braced myself for the cold shoulder Amelia would surely give me when she returned.

Nearly an hour passed before the heavy front door opened again. I heard the familiar, light footsteps of my little girl, followed by the heavy, measured stride of Anthony.

My stomach twisted into knots. I stood up from the couch, wiping my face quickly to look strong for her. "Amelia, sweetie—” Before I could even finish her name, a small pink backpack hit the floor with a loud thud.

Amelia didn't look away. She didn't glare at me. Instead, she let out a small, watery sob and ran across the living room as fast as her little legs could carry her.

She lunged forward, throwing her tiny arms tightly around my waist and burying her face deep into my stomach. I froze in absolute shock. For a second, I couldn't even breathe.

"Mommy. I'm so sorry," Amelia cried, her small frame shaking violently against me as she wept. "I'm sorry I was mean to you this morning. I'm sorry I didn't talk to you."

The sudden wave of emotion completely broke down my walls. I dropped to my knees, wrapping my arms around her small body and pulling her into the tightest hug I could manage.

The tears I had been holding back all day finally spilled over my cheeks. "Oh, baby," I choked out, kissing the side of her head over and over again. "It’s okay. It’s okay, my love. Mommy’s not mad at you. I could never be mad at you."

"You're the best mommy in the whole world," Amelia sobbed, her tiny fingers clutching the fabric of my clothes like she was afraid I would vanish if she let go. "You're brave, and you love me. I promise I won't ever be mean to you again. I promise."

I held her close, rocking her back and forth on the floor. The immense relief that washed over me was indescribable.

Having my daughter back in my arms, knowing she didn't hate me, gave me the strength I thought I had lost completely. But as I held her, a sudden, sharp realization hit me.

Amelia was just a child. This morning, she was completely convinced that I was a horrible person for making Brandon leave.

She had been full of anger and spite. Children don't just change their minds like this in the span of a few hours. Not without someone talking to them.

I slowly pulled back, wiping the tears from her red cheeks with my thumbs. "Amelia, sweetie, why are you saying all this now? What made you change your mind?"

Amelia sniffled, her long eyelashes wet with tears. For a split second, her eyes darted nervously toward the doorway where Anthony was standing, before she looked back at me.

"Because... because I know you're just trying to keep me safe. Like a good mommy is supposed to do." My heart skipped a beat. Those words. They sounded too mature, too specific for a five-year-old.

I stood up, holding Amelia’s hand, and looked over at Anthony. He was standing perfectly still by the entrance, his face completely expressionless. But there was something in his eyes, a quiet, knowing look that he couldn't quite hide.

"Anthony," I said, my voice dropping into a serious, questioning tone. "Did something happen at the school pickup today?"

Anthony didn't flinch. He simply bowed his head respectfully. "No, Miss Aria. I picked Miss Amelia up directly from her teacher, just as we planned. The drive back was completely normal."

"Did anyone speak to her?" I pressed, stepping closer. "Did he call you?"

Anthony looked directly into my eyes, his voice steady and calm. "I am under strict orders to protect you and Miss Amelia, Ma'am. I assure you, she was safe the entire time she was with me."

He was playing dumb. I knew Anthony was fiercely loyal to Brandon, and if Brandon had somehow reached out to Amelia during the pickup, Anthony would cover for him.

I looked down at Amelia, who was now smiling up at me, the dark cloud over her head completely gone. Whoever had spoken to her had saved my relationship with my daughter.

And deep down, in the quietest part of my soul, I knew there was only one man in the world who could handle Amelia with that much love, while still respecting my decision to keep him away.

Brandon.

Even from the dark, even while exiled from this house, he was still watching over us. He was still fixing the things that were broken. "Mommy, can we watch a movie together?" Amelia asked, pulling on my hand.

I looked away from Anthony, forcing a warm, genuine smile onto my face for my daughter. "Of course we can, princess. Go change into your pajamas, and I’ll make some popcorn."

"Yay." she cheered, grabbing her backpack and skipping up the grand staircase, completely back to her old, happy self.

As soon as she was out of sight, I turned back to Anthony. The suspicion was burning hot in my chest, but so was a strange, overwhelming sense of gratitude.

"You're a very bad liar, Anthony," I said softly.

Anthony allowed a very small, barely visible smile to touch his lips, but he remained silent.

"Just make sure the security is tight tonight," I added, my voice turning serious again as the reality of Julian's threats returned. "I don't want anyone getting near this house."

"Nobody will get past the gates, Miss Aria. You have my word," Anthony replied firmly. I nodded and walked toward the kitchen. My home was safe for now, and my daughter loved me again.

But as I looked out the kitchen window into the darkening night, I couldn't help but wonder what Brandon was doing out there in the shadows—and what kind of storm he was about to unleash on the people who had dared to hurt us.

The soft glow of the television screen flickered across the darkened living room. Beside me, Amelia’s steady, rhythmic breathing was the only sound cutting through the quiet house.

True to my promise, we had made popcorn, curled up under a heavy blanket, and watched her favorite animated movie.

Halfway through it, the emotional exhaustion of the day had finally caught up with her. She had slumped against my side, her small hand tightly gripping the hem of my shirt even in her sleep.

I looked down at her face, completely at peace now, devoid of the hurt and anger from this morning. I brushed a stray curl away from her forehead, a quiet wave of fierce protectiveness washing over me.

As the CEO of a multi-million dollar corporation, I was used to handling high-stakes corporate warfare, board mergers, and aggressive competitors.

But looking down at my daughter, I knew that protecting her was the only job that truly mattered. I would face Julian, Leonie, and the entire world to make sure she stayed safe.

Just as I shifted slightly to make her more comfortable, a bright light flashed on the coffee table. My phone lit up, vibrating silently against the polished wood.

My heart did a nervous flutter. In the quiet of the night, every sudden movement felt like a potential threat. Carefully sliding my arm out from under Amelia’s head, I reached over and picked up the device.

The screen displayed an unknown number. I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the glass. My mind immediately flashed back to Julian’s venomous threats in my reception area. Was he calling to harass me?

Taking a deep, stabilizing breath, I swiped to unlock the phone. There was no voice call, just a single text message from the unlisted number.

“She is safe. You are safe. I am taking care of the rest. I love you, Aria, and I would never do anything to hurt you. One day, I pray that you will understand. Sleep well.”

My breath hitched in my throat. There was no name attached, no signature at the bottom. But I didn't need one. The deep, commanding, yet strangely comforting tone of the message belonged to only one person.

Brandon. I stared at the glowing words, my emotions instantly tangling into a knot. He had done it.

He was the one who had intercepted Amelia today, the one who had mended her broken heart and sent her back to me with a promise to be a better daughter.

And now, he was out there in the dark, treating Julian’s threats not just as an insult, but as a declaration of war against my family. A part of me felt a prick of fear. I knew what Brandon was capable of when pushed. I knew the lethal shadow he cast.

But another part of me, the tired woman who had been pushed to her absolute limit today, felt a profound sense of relief.

I looked back down at Amelia, then glanced toward the heavily curtained windows, knowing Anthony and a dozen heavily armed security guards were patrolling the perimeter of the estate.

Brandon was keeping his distance, respecting the boundaries I had set after learning the truth about his past. Yet, he hadn't truly left. He was standing in the shadows, acting as our shield against the monsters at the gate.

I locked the phone, pressing it tightly against my chest as I closed my eyes, leaning my head back against the couch. For the first time all day, the tight knot of panic in my stomach began to completely unwind.