Thirty minutes later, Julian's black luxury sedan screeched to a halt in front of the grand stone pillars of the Vance family mansion in the city's most exclusive neighborhood[cite: 1]. He slammed the car door shut and marched up the marble steps, pushing through the grand oak doors without knocking[cite: 1].
Julian: Victoria! Get down here right now!
His mother, Victoria Vance, stepped out onto the second-floor balcony, holding a teacup in her delicate china saucer[cite: 1]. She wore an elegant pearl necklace and a velvet robe, looking down at her son with a mild, irritated expression[cite: 1].
Victoria: Julian? Why are you shouting in my house like a common street thug? Where are your manners?
Julian: Where are my manners?! Where is your soul, Mother?!
Victoria: What on earth are you blabbering about?
Julian: Six years ago... Clara! You paid her fifty thousand dollars to disappear while I was on a business trip in Tokyo!
Victoria's hand trembled slightly, the china teacup rattling against the saucer before she set it down on the hallway table[cite: 1]. Her cold, calculating face hardened instantly[cite: 1].
Victoria: Oh, so that little gold-digger finally came crawling back to town, did she? I knew I should have paid her more to stay out of the country.
Julian: You lied to my face! You told me she took off with a guy from college! You showed me forged letters, fake photos, fake emails!
Victoria: I did what was necessary to protect this family's legacy, Julian! That girl was a low-class waitress with no family background, no wealth, and no status! She would have ruined our reputation in high society!
Julian: She was pregnant with my twin sons, Victoria!
The entire grand foyer fell into a suffocating, dead silence[cite: 1]. Victoria's jaw dropped open, her pale face turning ghostly white as she clutched the mahogany railing of the balcony[cite: 1].
Victoria: What... what did you just say...?
Julian: She gave birth to twin boys six years ago! My sons! Your grandsons! They have been living in a cramped two-bedroom apartment, while you sat up here in your forty-room mansion drinking tea!
Victoria: Twins...? Grandsons...? Two Vance heirs...?
Julian: Don't you dare call them Vance heirs! You threw them away before they were even born! You treated their mother like garbage!
Victoria: Julian, listen to me... if they are really your sons, we must bring them to the estate immediately! We need to call our team of lawyers, get DNA tests, prepare the trust funds—
Julian: You aren't touching those boys, Victoria. You will never see them, you will never hold them, and you will never set foot near them.
Victoria: I am their grandmother! I have legal rights to my own bloodline!
Julian: You gave up your rights six years ago when you paid Clara to leave! And as of today, I am removing you from the board of Vance Enterprises. You are officially retired, Mother. You can stay in this empty mansion all by yourself with your precious reputation.
Victoria: You can't do this to me! I built your career! I built this empire!
Julian: You destroyed my family before it even started. Now enjoy your empty house.