Chapter 14 - The Midnight ConfessionIt was a torrential autumn evening when the knock came. Clara opened the door of her brownstone to find Julian standing in the dim hallway, rain dripping from the hem of his dark overcoat. He had no umbrella, no security detail, and none of the immaculate composure he wore like armor.
"Julian?" she gasped, stepping back. "What happened? Is the board—"
"To hell with the board," Julian interrupted, his voice raw and breathless. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "I spent five months pretending I could let you walk away when the calendar ran out. I told myself it was honor, but it was cowardice."
Clara stood frozen, her eyes wide as he closed the distance between them.
"You said you didn't want a gilded cage," Julian continued, his dark eyes burning with fierce vulnerability. "I don't offer you a contract, Clara. I don't care about shares, legacies, or public appearances. I love you. I loved the way you defended those children, I loved the way you looked at me when everyone else saw a monster, and I cannot spend another night in an empty palace."
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Clara felt the tears she had held back for weeks spill over her cheeks. "Julian... you don't know how to live an ordinary life."
"Then teach me," he whispered, reaching out to cup her face in his warm, trembling hands. "Teach me how to live."
