Chapter 155: The Queen's Gambit
Barbara's POV
I stared at Father Richard, wondering if the old man had finally lost his edge. The way he just casually dropped that bomb about Julian joining the company made my blood boil.
"Dad, what exactly do you mean? You want Julian in the company?" I shifted uncomfortably on the plush leather sofa, eyeing Richard with growing unease.
Richard waved his hand like it was no big deal. "Letting Julian get some experience in the family business isn't a bad thing."
I frowned, my perfectly manicured nails digging into the armrest. "But he hasn't even finished school in England. Isn't this rushing it?"
When my husband stayed silent, I shot him a death glare. "You're not gonna say anything?"
"Father has his reasons," Caleb replied, his voice annoyingly calm.
"You're a father too!" I hissed through gritted teeth.
"Enough!" Richard's voice cracked like a whip across the room. "Why do you always draw these lines? Julian's called you Mom for over a decade. Don't forget—he's an Ashford kid too!"
An Ashford by blood, but not from my womb, I thought bitterly, the old scar ripping open. I swallowed the comeback bubbling up.
As I geared up for another protest, a young man's clear voice cut in from the doorway.
"Grandfather."
All eyes swung to Julian, standing there with that perfect posture that always screamed his mother's influence. Jennifer must be cackling from beyond the grave, knowing her son had slithered into our family's good graces.
Richard's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "You're home! Come on in, sit down."
Julian glanced around. "Where's my brother?"
Richard's smile vanished in a flash. "Does he even think of this place as home anymore?"
I couldn't let that slide. "Gabriel's working late," I explained, even though I knew it wasn't what they wanted to hear.
"Once Julian's in the company, he can help Gabriel out too," Richard declared. "I don't want to hear any more divisive crap from anyone."
Looking around at this so-called "family" gathering, I suddenly felt like the odd one out. I'd always known the cutthroat side of high society, but feeling it sting like this? It hurt.
Julian plopped down next to Richard, and their chat flowed like they'd never skipped a beat. "Grandfather, remember Emma?"
"Of course!" Richard's eyes sparkled with excitement. "You two swapped numbers last time. Any good news?"
Julian chuckled softly. "It's still early."
Richard nodded, clearly thrilled. The subtext was loud and clear: Julian's thing with Emma Coleman—from a family just as loaded as ours—was way more "acceptable" than Gabriel's obsession with that nobody.
"When it comes to picking girlfriends, your brother could learn a thing or two from you," Richard said, not even bothering to be subtle.
That was my exit cue. I couldn't stomach another second of this charade. "I've got afternoon tea with friends. Excuse me."
I swept out of the main hall, desperate to escape this mansion where I felt more like a guest than family. I caught the butler's eye and switched gears on the spot.
"Get the car ready. I'm heading to the office."
Only when we cleared the estate gates did I finally breathe easy.
---
I stormed into Gabriel's executive office to find my son buried in contracts. Without a word, I snatched the papers from his hands and flung them aside.
"Stop killing yourself with work. What's the point? Let your brother handle it! Your grandfather's basically handing him the family fortune on a silver platter!"
Gabriel stared at his empty hands, then looked up, one eyebrow arched perfectly. "It's not like you to get this worked up, Mom. What happened?"
My anger wouldn't quit. "I've always told you not to be so damn independent—humor your grandfather more. Now Julian's all grown up, with his own skills, and he knows how to charm the pants off people. Your edge as the firstborn? It's gone."
My son let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, and isn't Julian your son too? I know you play favorites with me, but now...?"
"You!" I sputtered, totally indignant. "Can't you see how pissed I am? And you're giving me lip?"
Gabriel stood up and gently put his hands on my shoulders. "Mom, relax. I'm not clueless. I get more than you think."
For a heart-stopping second, I wondered if he knew everything—the secret I'd buried for decades. But I'd guarded it too fiercely to crack now.
Gabriel steered me into his chair, his hands steady on the backrest as he angled me toward his computer screen. "Actually, I could use your take on this. What do you think of these designs? Any tweaks?"
I blinked at the screen, thrown off by the sudden pivot. It showed a bunch of stunning wedding dress sketches. My surprise was real.
"You designed these?" I turned to look up at him.
"Yeah," he said simply.
"I had no idea you had a knack for design."
"Picked it up in London."
I studied the intricate details, realizing they all screamed one woman. "Has Luna said yes to you?"
Gabriel smiled with total confidence. "She's all in."
"I think you're the one who's all in," I shot back, seeing through him. He wasn't even officially her boyfriend yet, and here he was sketching wedding gowns like it was a done deal.
Gabriel slid into the chair next to me, propping his chin on his hand as he watched me with a rare openness—no corporate mask, no walls.
"Mom, what made you change your mind about her?" he asked softly.
I sighed, the weight of it all settling in. "When you've lived through enough crap, how can you not change? Besides me, Luna's the only one who really gives a damn about you."
After a quiet beat, Gabriel's lips curved into a smile. "Can you do me a favor?"
I eyed him warily. "What are you scheming now?"
Gabriel leaned back, tapping his fingers in that rhythmic way of his. "With other people, yeah, it's scheming. With you? It's just straight talk."
"Fine. Spill it."
He sat up straight, dead serious. "I want you to apologize to Luna—properly, when you get the chance."
I didn't know every way Luna had suffered because of my son, but I got that we all owed her big-time. Better late than never.
I mulled it over. "Don't worry. I won't let you down."
"I don't need to spell it out, since I know you had a hand in it," Gabriel added, studying his fingertips like they held secrets.
"I get what you expect from me, and I'll fight for what's worth fighting for," he promised.
"What about your London business? Can you juggle both?" I asked, genuinely worried about his load.
Gabriel's lips quirked into a sly smile. "I've got a sharp senior hire who's busting his ass."
"Young talent in finance is tough to find these days," I noted.
His laugh was low and knowing. "Not so young anymore."
"Alright then." I got up from his chair, my mood way better. "The designs are gorgeous. You know Luna's style better than I ever could."
I headed for the door, my next move crystal clear. "Your mom's off to apologize to her future daughter-in-law."