Chapter 5 - The Truth of the Heart
Two months later.
The three-month contract was coming to an end.
The Vance board of directors had unanimously confirmed Julian as the permanent Chairman, overwhelmed by his stunning public image, his brilliant market expansions, and his high-profile engagement to the newly minted Executive Director of Vance Events—Ava Laurent.
The world saw us as the ultimate power couple of New York.
But inside the Soho penthouse, a heavy, quiet sadness was settling over me.
I stood in the grand walk-in closet, looking at my modest old clothes sitting in a small box beside my designer gowns. The five-million-dollar settlement had already been transferred into my private bank account. The three months were over. It was time for me to pack my bags and leave.
My heart felt heavy, weighed down by a deep, aching pain that was far worse than anything Damian had ever inflicted on me.
I had fallen completely, hopelessly in love with Julian Vance.
I walked down the marble hallway toward the library to say my final goodbye.
Julian sat behind his massive mahogany desk, staring out the window at the sunset over the Hudson River. He held an untouched glass of scotch in his hand, looking more distant and exhausted than I had ever seen him.
"Julian," I said softly, standing in the doorway.
He turned slowly, his dark gray eyes fixing onto mine. He looked at the small suitcase standing beside my feet, and his jaw tightened imperceptibly.
"You're leaving," Julian stated softly, his voice devoid of its usual commanding authority, sounding strangely hollow.
"Our three months are up," I whispered, swallowing the lump in my throat. "The board confirmed your chairmanship yesterday. The contract is fulfilled. You... you don't need to pretend anymore."
Julian stood up slowly from his desk. He walked across the soft rug, stopping right in front of me. The air between us was electric, thick with unsaid words and raw, pent-up emotion.
"Pretend?" Julian repeated softly, reaching out to gently touch the edge of my coat. "Ava... do you really think I did all of this because of a board meeting?"
I blinked, tears welling up in my eyes. "What do you mean?"
Julian reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small, yellowed piece of paper, holding it out to me.
I took it with trembling fingers. It was a receipt from a small, cozy coffee shop in Brooklyn, dated four years ago. On the back, in neat handwriting, was a note: Paid for a cold student's espresso and sandwich. Keep studying! - Ava.
I gasped, looking up into his eyes in shock. "This... this was my old coffee shop."
"Four years ago, I was recovering from a severe car accident," Julian whispered, his gray eyes shining with raw, deep affection. "I was sitting in that dark corner, crippled with pain, feeling like my life was over. You walked over, handed me a warm cup of coffee and a sandwich, and gave me that note. You didn't know who I was. You didn't know I had billions. You were just a kind, beautiful soul working double shifts to support a man who didn't deserve you."
Tears spilled over my cheeks.
"I spent four years looking for you, Ava," Julian confessed softly, taking my face in his warm, strong hands. "When I finally found you six months ago, you were with Damian. I respected your choice, so I stayed in the shadows. But the night he poured champagne on you... I vowed I would never let another human being make you feel small again."
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He leaned down, pressing his forehead against mine, his breath warm against my lips.
"The contract was a lie, Ava," Julian whispered passionately. "I don't care about the board. I don't care about the five million dollars. I just wanted a chance to earn your heart."
