Chapter 4
My phone buzzed again. It was that same unknown number.
[Got what you needed? Good. Now, go find the person he's most afraid of.]
The one he was most afraid of.
Right away, I pictured that stern, commanding face.
Robert Grant.
Andrew's dad, my father-in-law.
A retired soldier who jumped into business and, with a mix of grit and honesty, built the family empire from the ground up.
He was all about principles, the family name, and strict rules.
Andrew'd been scared of him since he was a kid.
Andrew might be a big shot at work, but back at the old house, facing Robert, he was just a kid who'd messed up, barely daring to breathe.
If anyone could put Andrew in his place, it was Robert.
I didn't hesitate for a second. I flagged down a cab right away.
"Driver, take me to Silvercrest Estates," I said.
The car cruised smoothly toward the outskirts.
As the city lights and scenery blurred past the window, my heart grew colder and harder with every passing moment.
I knew tonight was going to be a real battle.
I couldn't cry, couldn't show weakness, and definitely couldn't lose my cool.
I had to be the coldest hunter, laying my trap with precision and waiting for my prey to step right into it.
Half an hour later, the car pulled up in front of the Grant family's old house.
It was an old mansion built in the traditional style, with gray-tiled roofs and whitewashed walls. Two stone lions crouched by the entrance, giving the place a solemn, almost intimidating air.
I paid the driver, grabbed my small suitcase, and pressed the doorbell.
The door was opened by Tom Foster, the family's old butler.
He paused, clearly surprised when he saw me, especially noticing the awkward waiter uniform I had on.
"Mrs. Grant? What brings you here at this hour? And wearing that..." He glanced at the suitcase by my feet, looking even more puzzled.
"Tom," I said, giving him a tired smile. "Is Dad home? I need to talk to him about something important."
"Mr. Grant is in the study. Please come in." Tom quickly stepped aside, taking my suitcase as I entered.
I changed my shoes and headed straight for the study on the second floor.
The study door was slightly ajar, and a tranquil scent of ink wafted out from within.
I stood at the doorway and knocked softly.
"Come in," Mr. Grant's steady voice called out.
I pushed the door open and walked in.
Robert was standing behind a massive mahogany desk, dressed in a traditional outfit, wearing reading glasses, and wielding a brush with practiced ease.
He heard my footsteps but didn't look up. Instead, he asked in a calm voice, "Andrew, is that you?"
In his mind, only Andrew would barge into his study without knocking.
"Dad, it's me, Julia," I said softly.
Robert finished his last stroke, his wrist halted for a moment.
He slowly looked up at me through his reading glasses.
When he saw my disheveled appearance and the redness in my eyes, his sharp gaze narrowed.
He set down his brush, took off his glasses, and walked toward me.
"What happened?" he asked.
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a kind of authority that was hard to ignore. "Did you get into a fight with someone? Or did Andrew do something to you?"
He stopped right in front of me, his tall frame making him seem even more imposing.
But I didn't back down.
I locked eyes with those sharp eyes that could see right through all the tricks and schemes of the business world.
I knew there was no point in lying or pretending around him.
Only the raw, cutting truth could ever reach him.
I didn't say a word. I just pulled out my phone.
I opened my photo album and tapped on the first picture.
It was a photo of Andrew with his arm around Sophie, standing on stage at the banquet hall.
The spotlight was on them, and they looked like a perfect couple, their smiles radiant and dazzling.
I handed my phone to Robert.
He glanced at the screen, and his expression tightened instantly.
He took the phone and started swiping through the photos, one by one.
From Andrew announcing Sophie as his wife in front of everyone, to the crowd bursting into cheers and applause, to the two of them raising their glasses together, looking like a perfect couple.
Each photo felt like a slap right across the Grant family's honor.
The air in the study was thick with tension.
I could clearly hear Robert's breathing growing rough and heavy.
His grip on the phone was so tight that his knuckles turned white.
"Who is this woman?" he finally asked, his voice cold as ice.
"His new assistant, Sophie Young," I replied calmly.
"That bastard!" Robert roared.
He slammed my phone down on the desk with a loud bang.
His chest was heaving with fury as he pointed furiously at Andrew in the photo, going off on him. "He's completely ruined the Grant family's name. Keeping a woman on the side is bad enough, but now he's let the whole company know about it.
"Does he even care about the Grant family's reputation? Does he even respect you?"
I lowered my eyes and said softly, "Dad, today, right in front of everyone, he called Sophie his wife."
That was like throwing gasoline on Robert's fury.
"He's gone too far," Robert shouted.
He stormed around the study, then finally stopped right in front of me, his eyes full of guilt. "Julia, this is Andrew's fault. I didn't teach him well enough. Don't worry, I'll make things right for you today."