Chapter 164 FAMILY

Chapter 164 FAMILY
Julian barely noticed Anton and Henry still crashing into machinery somewhere behind him.

His entire world had narrowed to one person.

Matteo.

Julian strode across the storage room floor with terrifying calm.

Matteo instinctively stepped backward.

“Don't come any closer.”

Julian didn't answer, he just kept walking.

Another step.

Another.

Matteo grabbed the pistol lying on the floor, but before he could raise it—

BANG!

Julian kicked it from his hand.

The gun skidded across the concrete.

Matteo cursed and swung a punch.

Julian caught his wrist.

“Fight me.”

Matteo tried to yank free.

Julian slammed him into a steel container.

The entire wall rang.

CLANG!

Matteo groaned.

Julian grabbed his collar and hauled him upright.

“I said…”

He drove his fist into Matteo's stomach.

“...fight me.”

Matteo doubled over.

Julian pulled him upright again.

Another punch.

And another.

Blood burst from Matteo's lip.

Victoria screamed. “Julian! Stop it!”

Julian ignored her.

He yanked Matteo forward only to knee him in the ribs.

Matteo collapsed.

Julian didn't let him stay down. He grabbed the front of his shirt, lifted him, then kicked both feet out from under him.

Matteo crashed flat onto the concrete.

The air exploded from his lungs.

Julian stood over him. “So this is him?” His voice shook. “The son worth loving and protecting?”

He bent down, dragging Matteo up again.

Blood ran from Matteo's mouth.

“Fight me, you fucking weakling. You tried to poison me years back, you hate me so much why not show me? Fight me.”

Matteo shoved him weakly.

Julian laughed. A cold, broken sound that escaped on its own.

“This? This is how you wanted to take everything from me?”

He punched Matteo across the face. Making his forehead split against the edge of a metal beam. Blood streamed down beside his eye.

Victoria rushed forward. “Leave him alone!” She grabbed Julian's shirt. “He's done nothing to you! Don't kill my son, you monster, leave my son alone.”

Julian slowly turned.

“Nothing?”

He looked back at Matteo. Then grabbed him by the throat. Lifting him clean off the ground with one hand.

Matteo clawed desperately at Julian's wrist.

His feet kicked helplessly.

Victoria screamed. “Julian!”

Julian looked directly into her eyes, still holding Matteo in the air.

“Your son…” his grip tightened. “...is so unbelievably stupid.”

Matteo choked.

“He couldn't even tell he signed fake transfer documents.”

Julian never looked away from her.

“You thought I'd hand over my father's company?”

He laughed again.

“You've underestimated me your entire life.”

Matteo's face was already turning red.

Julian squeezed harder. “And I could choke life out of your precious son, so you'd have only me. But that's not what I want.”

His smile disappeared.

“I want an answer.” His voice cracked. “I've always wanted an answer.”

Tears welled in his eyes.

“I see you love him.” He nodded toward Matteo. “You love him without conditions. I became everything Father wanted, I rebuilt the company, I significantly increased its value. I protected you even after you told your son to poison me. I paid your bills, I cleaned up your scandals, I stood between you and the world over and over again.”

His breathing became uneven.

“I did everything a son could possibly do.”

His voice dropped to a whisper.

“Why? Why do you hate me so much? You love him unconditionally, but fail to love me even with everything I've achieved. Why do you hate me so much?”

Victoria's only response was another scream.

“Leave my son alone!”

Julian stared at her. Then laughed bitterly.

“I'm your son too.”

Silence.

“I'm your son too…” His voice broke completely. “What did I ever do? What crime did I commit by being born?”

Matteo's struggling weakened.

Julian barely noticed.

“You stood before cameras… and told the whole world I was insane. You even went extra miles to show them proof of my madness. You let them laugh at me. You want me destroyed so bad, you had to do it yourself.”

His tears finally fell.

“And somehow… I still kept hoping… one day, you'd look at me, and call me your son.”

Victoria glared at him with absolute hatred.

“You're a monster.”

Julian nodded slowly. “That's what you've always called me.”

His fingers dug deeper into Matteo's throat.

“Fine. You think I'm crazy? I'll finally become the monster you created.”

He leaned closer.

“I'm going to choke the life out of your precious son. So when this is over, you'll only have me. And I keep you in a place where my face would be the only thing you'll see for the rest of your life.”

Victoria's face lost all color.

“No!”

She lunged forward.

“Please! Not Matteo!”

Julian didn't move. His grip only tightened.

Matteo's eyes rolled back, he's on the verge of giving up.

Then—

A warm hand wrapped around Julian's wrist.

Anton.

He didn't pull, or try to force Julian's hand. He simply held it.

“Julian.”

Julian didn't respond.

Anton stepped closer until they were almost shoulder to shoulder.

“Look at me.”

Slowly...

Julian did.

Anton met his eyes without fear. “Don't do it.”

Julian's breathing trembled. “He'll take her away from me again. She's my mother, she has to be.”

Anton gently shook his head. “No. You don't need her to be. The police are already on their way, I've made sure of it. They're taking Henry, Matteo, and Victoria. They're spending the rest of their lives behind bars. Away from you.”

Julian looked back at Matteo. “He hated me so damn much, why couldn't he fight me?”

Anton nodded. “I know.”

“He refused to be my brother.”

“I know.”

“She never loved me.”

Anton stepped even closer. “So let them go. You don't have to kill someone to stop them from hurting you. It isn't your fault… that Matteo refused to be your brother. It isn't your fault… that Victoria refused to be your mother. They're the monsters, not you. You're not unlovable, Eli loves you despite how many reasons there are for him not to. He fell in love with you again, even without his memories. You don't need a mother and brother who wants you dead,”

Julian's shoulders shook.

Anton smiled sadly. “You already have a family. You have Eli. You have me. You aren't alone anymore, you'll never be alone again.”

Something inside Julian finally broke. His fingers slowly loosened.

Matteo dropped to the floor. He collapsed into a violent coughing fit.

Victoria rushed over immediately.

She gathered Matteo against her chest.

“My baby… my precious boy…”

She looked up at Julian. The hatred in her eyes hadn't changed.

Julian wiped at his tears.

Seeing him about to turn away, Victoria decided to speak, in hopes of breaking him more.

“You want to know why I hate you so much?”

She stood up.

Every word came without remorse.

“Every time I look at you… I see your father, and everything he took from me. You look exactly like him. I wished you had died with him.”

A painful silence settled over the now flooded storage room.

“But I'm glad you didn't.”

Julian stared at her.

She smiled bitterly. “Because you became somewhere I could pour all my hatred.”

She rested a hand on Matteo's shoulder.

“Matteo was the son I planned. The son I wanted.”

Her eyes returned to Julian.

You… were a mistake I couldn't erase.”

The words struck harder than any bullet. Julian staggered backward, his legs gave out but Anton caught him before he fell.

Julian buried his face against Anton's shoulder.

For the first time in years… he cried. Not quietly, not with dignity.

Like the little boy who had spent his entire childhood begging for a mother's love that never existed.

Sirens echoed outside.

Seconds later, armed police officers flooded the factory.

“Police! Nobody move!”

Two officers rushed toward the corner where Henry lay restrained, still bound by the restraints Anton had improvised after their fight.

Others surrounded Victoria and Matteo.

As handcuffs clicked into place, Victoria twisted around one last time.

“I should've left you to die!” She spat at Julian.

Julian didn't answer. He simply closed his eyes.

They dragged her away.

Damien approached carefully, supporting Eli, whose clothes were soaked and whose face remained pale.

“I think…”

He looked at Anton.

“…we need to get Eli to the hospital.”

Anton nodded immediately.

Julian opened his eyes at the sound of Eli's name.

Without another glance at the people who had haunted his entire life… he turned toward the family he had finally found.