Chapter 6 - The Bloodline Clause
The room fell into an immediate, suffocating silence.
Naomi felt the blood drain from her face. The clinic. The leak hadn't come from Adrian’s security team or Dr. Thorne; someone inside the high-end private facility had been bribed by Julianna’s network the moment the ultrasound machine was turned on.
Adrian didn't flinch. He slowly pulled his hand out from his jacket, stepping out from behind the table and walking directly toward Julianna until he was inches from her face.
“You’re standing in my home, Julianna,” Adrian said, his voice so quiet it was almost a whisper, yet packed with lethal promise. “Breathing my air. Speaking about my family.”
Julianna didn't step back, though a slight flicker of tension passed through her eyes. “I’m giving you a warning, Adrian. The Morettis know about the pregnancy. They know that if that child is born, your control over Vale Maritime becomes permanent for another generation. They aren't going to wait nine months for a baby to arrive.”
“Let them come,” Adrian said flatly.
“They’re already here,” Julianna replied, reaching into her coat pocket. Marcus instantly raised his sidearm, but Julianna merely pulled out a thick black envelope and tossed it onto the dining table. “That’s a summons from the Commission. They want you in New York on Friday to prove your claim. If you show up alone, without a wife or a legal declaration of heirship, they will vote to strip your shipping licenses.”
Julianna turned her cold blue eyes back to Naomi.
“You wanted out of this world, didn't you, sweetie?” Julianna sneered softly. “You spent three years trying to play the innocent wife while Adrian killed men to keep you in diamonds. Now you’re trapped. If you stay with him, Moretti will put a target on your back. If you leave him, Adrian loses his empire.”
“Julianna,” Adrian commanded, his voice dropping an octave. “Get out.”
Julianna adjusted her trench coat, offering a sharp, victorious smile. “Friday, Adrian. Bring your little wife and her medical reports to New York. Or hand over the keys to the harbor.”
She turned on her heel and walked out of the mansion, her high heels echoing off the marble floor until the front doors slammed shut.
Naomi stared at the black envelope resting on the white tablecloth. The reality of her situation was descending upon her with crushing weight. This wasn't just a divorce anymore. It was a war for survival, and her unborn child was the prize everybody wanted to control or destroy.
Adrian turned back toward her, his face a cold, unreadable mask. “Marcus. Call the private airport. Have the jet ready for New York on Thursday night.”
“No,” Naomi said clearly.
Adrian stopped, looking at her. “Naomi—”
“I am not going to New York to be paraded in front of a room full of mob bosses like a trophy!” Naomi shouted, her hands clenching into fists at her sides. “I am not a bargaining chip for your harbor contracts!”
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Adrian walked back to her, grabbing both of her hands in his. His grip was tight, desperate, his dark eyes burning into hers.
“You aren't a bargaining chip, Naomi,” he said softly, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles. “You are my wife. And that child is the only thing in this miserable world that matters to me.”
