Chapter 79 Never Over
Julian’s eyes weakened. But he shook his head. He needed to be there for Seraphina. Not even his health mattered at this point.
He needed to be there for the woman who had recently discovered he killed her father, yet, killed someone for him afterwards.
The first kill she had ever done, and it was for him. He felt heavily guilty. He stared at his own blood, scared that he had invited Seraphina into the dirt that was his life. This was never the plan.
But he would protect her at all cost. Phoenix and her. Even if he had to sacrifice power to keep his family safe and happy. What was the essence of all he had when they never completed him? But since Seraphina and Phoenix came to his life, life has been meaningful.
He didn’t want to lose that. He wouldn’t survive it.
He washed his mouth and sighed into the sink. Then he left for Seraphina’s ward.
He met her with her eyes closed and he was scared at first. “Phine?” He approached her bed. “Stay where you are.” She ordered. He slowly retreated and sat back beside her.
He watched as tears slid from the corner of her closed eyes. His chest ached.
Silence filled the room for a moment. Then Seraphina’s voice cut through his ears again. Her voice low and vulnerable.
“Why…?”
Julian stilled.
He already knew what she was asking.
He exhaled slowly.
“You need to focus on healing first.”
But Seraphina shook her head slightly.
“No,” she whispered. “I want to know.”
Her gaze met his.
“Why did you do it?”
Julian’s jaw tightened. He looked uncomfortable, regretful. Long gone was the stoic expression. He now looked like one who was at her mercy and wanted nothing than her forgiveness.
Seraphina slowly opened her eyes and looked his way, noticing then that his own forehead was wrapped in bandages.
Dark bruising shadowed the side of his face.
He had been injured too.
Finally, Julian spoke.
“My father used me as a weapon.”
She listened. Julian continued.
“He discovered early that I was… different at seven. Too intelligent for my age.”
His gaze drifted to the floor.
“He said my mind was a gift. That I could notice things others missed. Predict patterns. Plan things.”
His voice grew colder.
“So…he trained me.”
Seraphina didn’t interrupt. Julian inhaled slowly.
“I was taught to eliminate threats. To protect our empire. The one he’s built.”
He let out a bitter laugh.
“They called it protecting people when they ordered me to…kill.”
Julian’s expression darkened.
“Just like they said when I was ordered to poison your father.” His gaze fell to the floor.
Seraphina’s brows furrowed.
“How did it happen?”
“At a party,” Julian answered. Seraphina inhaled shakily.
He continued. “Balto told me Richard killed his wife, as a punishment- because Balto refused to carry out a mission with him. That was why he sent me to kill him.”
He paused.
“Your father and Balto used to be allies.”
Julian continued quietly.
“My father wanted Richard dead too. Richard was a threat, they said. He had been collecting bribes to destroy my father’s empire underneath, while pretending to be allies with him.” He swallowed. “so after Richard killed Balto’s wife. Balto and my father…came together with a plan to remove him from earth.”
Seraphina’s voice trembled. “By using you…?”
Julian nodded once.
“At a gathering we attended later… Balto gave me something.”
His voice dropped.
“I spiked your father’s drink. With poison. It kille slowly.”
Seraphina stared at him, her mind foggy.
“He became sick after that,” Julian said. “It was the poison working.”
Seraphina didn’t say anything at first. She processed his confession, wondering what to do with it. Her father had killed someone’s wife? And did he really do all what Julian just claimed he did? She found it hard to process. The very father she used to worship the ground he stepped on several years ago...
“Say something, Phine.” Julian urged silently- as if her silence was killing him more than his bad health.
“My mother was blamed.” She finally spoke.
Julian looked at her sharply.
“They said it was the food she brought to him at the hospital that killed him.” Seraphina whispered. “She was arrested.”
Her voice cracked as she continued.
“She died in prison. Said to have committed suicide because she was sentenced to fifty years imprisonment.” Her voice shook.
Julian’s chest heaved. The gravity of the past now weighed down on him—heavier than anything he had ever regretted in his life.
He opened his mouth to speak.
But Seraphina continued.
“I just want to know one thing.”
Her voice steadied slightly.
“Is it over now? All the chaos with your… underground life.”
Julian’s weak gaze narrowed at her. She looked away.
“Even… if I have to stay through the one-year contract to get my father’s journal back…”
Her eyes hardened slightly.
“I want to know my son will be safe while we’re with you.”
Julian felt his chest twisted painfully.
He wanted to say something. Something reassuring at least, but he didn’t want to lie. He knew he would rather take his last breath than let anything happen to their son, but…
Seraphina suddenly asked,
“Speaking of Phoenix… Did you check on him today?”
Julian blinked.
He hadn’t.
Everything that happened had pushed it from his mind.
But Phoenix was safe.
He had tight security watching over his son. And his location was untouchable.
Nothing could happen to him. He made sure of that.
Julian forced a calm expression.
“Yes,” he said.
“He’s fine.”
Right then the hospital door opened. Julian looked up to see Vincent step inside.
His face looked unusually tense.
Seraphina noticed immediately.
Vincent looked between them before speaking.
“I’m afraid Phoenix is not fine.”
Seraphina’s breath stuttered, her whole body losing strength entirely.
“What?”
Julian slowly rose from the chair.
His eyes darkened as he walked toward Vincent.
“What do you mean he’s not fine?”
Vincent inhaled heavily.
“I just called to check on him earlier.”
A pause. Then he said quietly—
“Phoenix has been abducted.”
Julian’s facial expression turned to ice.