Chapter 68

Chapter 68

MADDIE

The drive from the street corner near my house to the lake was completely silent.

The moment Julian’s truck had pulled up, I slipped into the passenger seat, my entire body trembling violently. I was braced for a barrage of questions, but Julian didn't push. Like the absolute gentleman he was, he simply reached over, adjusted the AC toward me, and quietly handed me a fresh bottle of water. He gave me space, letting the gentle hum of the engine fill the heavy silence while I tried to catch my breath and stop my mind from spiraling into total panic.

When he finally parked near the grassy knoll overlooking the quiet, dark waters of the lake, the sun had already dipped below the tree line, casting long, bruised purple shadows across the sky.

The second the engine cut off, Julian swung into action like a man on a mission. He jumped out, marched to the truck bed, and began unloading gear with the frantic, organized energy of a seasoned Boy Scout.

I stepped out of the truck, clutching my bag tightly to my chest, my eyes wide with anxious bewilderment as I watched him set up.

"Julian... what are you doing?" I asked, my voice high-pitched and breathless.

"Executing Crisis Protocol Alpha," Julian replied casually, popping open two heavy-duty canvas camping chairs with practice ease. Next, he pulled out a small, battery-operated electric fan, positioned it between the seats, and switched it on so a cool evening breeze blew toward us.

"Julian, I'm literally having a full-blown panic attack, my life is unraveling, and you're... setting up a campsite?"

"Rule Number One of any emergency: never face a crisis on an empty stomach or while overheating," he said smoothly, unearthing a small portable cooler from the truck bed. He set a Tupperware container and two juice boxes onto the cooler lid. "Plus, it's a bit humid out tonight. Hence, electric fan. Three speed settings, very high-tech."

Despite the sheer terror gripping my chest, I choked out a hysterical, disbelief-filled laugh. "You are always ridiculously prepared for everything! Do you just carry an entire living room setup in your truck at all times?"

"Hey, don't knock the Boy Scout prep," Julian teased, a bright, playful glint in his eyes as he walked over and gently guided me by the elbow toward one of the lawn chairs. "Sit down, Sofia. Take a breath. Look at the water for two seconds."

I sank into the canvas chair, my legs giving out. The cool breeze from his little fan hit my face, forcing me to let out a long, ragged sigh.

"See? Fan working its magic," Julian murmured, popping open the Tupperware and holding out a sandwich neatly wrapped in foil. "Ham and cheese. Crusts cut off, just in case you were feeling fancy during your meltdown."

I stared at the sandwich, then up at his handsome, calm face. "How are you so calm right now?"

Julian sat down in the chair next to mine, resting his forearms on his knees. "Because panicking never fixed a flat tire, and it definitely won't fix whatever's going on with you. Besides, you're here. You're safe right now. So tell me... what's got you ready to leap out of your skin?"

I looked down at my lap, the humor evaporating as the heavy reality settled back onto my shoulders. I squeezed my eyes shut, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

"My name isn't Sofia," I whispered, the confession hanging heavy in the quiet evening air. "It's Maddie."

Julian didn't gasp. He didn't jump up or pull away. He just took a quiet sip from his juice box, nodding slowly. "Maddie. Okay. Honestly? 'Sofia' always felt a little too formal for you anyway. Maddie fits."

"Julian, I'm not joking!" I turned to him, tears welling up in my eyes again. "I lied to you. I lied to everyone in Oakridge. I'm hiding from my ex-husband."

I wiped a stray tear and began recounting the nightmare that had unfolded just hours ago. "Earlier today at the daycare... Mr. and Mrs. Smith brought in delegates from a huge city firm for a Corporate Social Responsibility immersion. They were donating supplies to the kids. Julian... it was Grant Enterprises. My ex-husband’s company."

Julian’s brow furrowed, his playful demeanor completely vanishing as he listened intent.

"I tried to blend in, but the Head of Marketing and CSR... he walked right up to me," I choked out, my voice cracking. "He looked at me like he was seeing a ghost. He said I looked exactly like Mrs. Grant—his boss's wife. I played it off like I was just a small-town girl who happened to look like her, but he kept watching me."

I pressed my cold hands against my burning cheeks. "When they gathered everyone for a corporate photo, I panicked and made up an excuse to step out. But as I was leaving the gates, I caught him on the phone near the vans. He was talking to someone...."

"And your ex-husband... he's this Grant guy?" Julian asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"Hades Grant," I whispered, the name feeling like poison on my tongue. "He's... a ruthless, powerful man, Julian. Every single thing about my life with him was built on a lie. Our whole relationship—our marriage—it was fake. It was just a game of control to him."

I pressed my trembling fingers against my lips to stifle a sob, the painful memories of the past months flooding back with terrifying clarity. "What I went through before I ended up here... it was literal hell. I was held against my will, controlled, practically kidnapped. I lived in constant fear every single day. Getting away from him and reaching Oakridge was my only chance to finally breathe, to build a quiet, peaceful, new life where I could feel human again."

Tears spilled over my lashes, dropping onto my lap as my chest heaved with quiet agony. "And now... it's all going to be destroyed again. If he finds me, he'll drag me back into that nightmare and lock me away forever. And if he finds out you helped me, or that you're close to me, he won't hesitate to ruin your life too, Julian. He has the power, the money, and the cruelty to crush everything you've worked so hard to build. Everyone in this town has been so good to me... Annie, the Smiths, the kids at the daycare. If Hades comes here looking for answers, he won't care who gets hurt. I can't let him destroy the town or hurt the people who took me in when I had nothing." 

Julian remained quiet for a long moment, watching the ripples on the lake surface. The gentle hum of the portable fan was the only sound between us. Then, he let out a low, slow breath, reached into his cooler, and pulled out a juice box, handing it to me.

"First of all, nobody's destroying my shop," Julian said calmly, a hard, protective edge in his voice. "And nobody—and I mean nobody—is touching Annie, the kids, or anyone in this town. Hades Grant might run the corporate world, but this is my home. He doesn't control Oakridge, and I'm not going to sit back and let some arrogant billionaire bully the people I care about—especially not you. Second of all... this guy sounds like an absolute monster."

I choked out a tearful, wet laugh despite the sheer terror consuming me. "That's an understatement."

"I mean it, Maddie," Julian said softly, using my real name as his gaze locked onto mine with unwavering strength. "You've been carrying this massive weight all by yourself, running scared for so long. But you're in Oakridge now. And you called me."

He leaned closer, his warm, rough hand reaching out to cover my shaking ones. "Before we make any move... does anyone close to you know that you're here? Anyone from your past life?"

I swallowed hard, wiping a stray tear from my cheek. "Just one person. Lizzie... my best friend. She’s the only one who helped me escape and set me up here in Oakridge. She was the one who called me earlier when the corporate team showed up."

Julian nodded slowly, processing the information, a small, reassuring smile gracing his lips. "Okay. That's good. We can work with that."

He squeezed my hand gently, his eyes filled with quiet determination. "Listen to me, Maddie. I know a place. The new shop I'm setting up in the neighboring town? There's a small residential room right above the shop floor. It's quiet, secure, and nobody from Grant Holdings would ever think to look for you there. You can stay there for a while until things cool down and we figure out our next move."

I looked at him, hope sparking through the heavy fog of my panic.

"So drink your juice, take a deep breath, and let's go get your essential things before your ex-husband's motorcade shows up," Julian said firmly.