Chapter 6
Vanessa’s smile froze on her face.
“Julian, this is the day I officially become a part of the Sterling family,” she said tightly. “Isn’t it a bit inappropriate to lose your temper over some outsider?”
“Outsider?” Julian let out a bitter laugh. “Noelle lived in this house for twenty years. Who the hell gets to call her an
outsider?”
The words landed like a slap across Vanessa’s face. Her triumphant composure cracked.
She snapped, “Have you forgotten already?”
“Who was it that chose me over her?”
“Who was it that said she should walk out of here with nothing?”
“And now you want to backtrack?”
Mr. and Mrs. Sterling quickly stood, trying to defuse the tension, but Julian didn’t even hear them.
Vanessa’s words cut into him like knives.
Because she was right.
He was the one who’d chosen her.
He was the one who let those humiliations happen.
He was the one who watched Noelle leave-barefoot, half-naked, mobbed by reporters-without lifting a finger.
His voice trembled as he turned to the butler.
“Where are her things now?”
The butler stammered, “Th-they were sent to the Southside junk depot… just this afternoon.”
Julian didn’t say another word. He turned and bolted for the door.
Vanessa grabbed his wrist hard enough to hurt.
“Julian, are you insane?!”
“You’re leaving me? Leaving all our guests? For Noelle’s trash?!”
He yanked his arm away, fire blazing in his eyes.
“It’s not trash. It’s-” His voice cracked. “It’s…”
He couldn’t even finish the sentence. His throat closed with grief.
Vanessa’s face twisted.
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“Julian Sterling, if you walk out that door-don’t blame me for what happens next.”
Julian turned back slowly, eyes cold.
“What are you going to do? Treat me the way you treated her? Strip me bare and toss me out too?”
Her smugness shattered.
She paled, her lips trembling, sweat beading on her brow.
She was just a foster daughter. She had no real power to challenge a Sterling heir.
Forcing a soft smile, she quickly backpedaled.
“I’m sorry, Julian. I was wrong.”
“I shouldn’t have touched her things. And I definitely shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
“It’s pouring outside. Just wait until tomorrow-when the weather clears, I’ll go with you, okay?”
But Julian had already broken free of her grip and run straight into the downpour.
Rain soaked through his clothes and hair within seconds, but he didn’t stop.
His chest ached with each breath. His pulse roared in his ears.
It’s too late.
It’s all too damn late.
He pulled out his phone, hands shaking. He wanted to call Noelle.
But his fingers stopped mid-air.
She’d left her phone behind.
He could still see her face in his mind-calm, distant.
He could still remember her, piece by piece, stripping away everything she owned until only her name remained.
Noelle…
Rain mixed with tears as it ran down his face.
“I’m sorry…”
Southside Junk Depot
The workers were just about to close up when a young man, drenched to the bone, stumbled through the gate.
“The stuff that came from the Sterling house this afternoon-where is it?!”
Julian’s voice cracked with urgency, rain dripping from his hair and nose.
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The workers exchanged looks, then one pointed to a stack of soggy cardboard boxes in the corner.
Julian rushed over, yanking open box after box.
Noelle’s clothes, notebooks, photo albums-all soaked through.
Ink bleeding. Photos clinging together. Pages crumpled and ruined.
His hands trembled as he carefully picked up a waterlogged journal.
The pages were nearly unreadable, but her delicate handwriting could still be made out:
[Julian cried again today. Vanessa forgot his birthday. I made his favorite cake, but he didn’t touch it….]
[Julian had a fever-F°102. I stayed up all night watching over him. His temperature finally broke at dawn. Vanessa came around noon. She only brought flowers. But Julian smiled so brightly…]
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