Chapter 119
"Mommy says family is precious. She doesn't want us to lose it."
"Mommy had it really rough before," Matthew said quietly. "When we first got overseas, she worked at the hospital during the day and waited tables at night. Sometimes I'd wake up in the middle of the night and she'd still be in the living room studying or typing away on her computer."
Damian's chest tightened like an invisible hand was squeezing his heart.
He'd grown up in the Sharp family with every luxury imaginable. He'd never known what "struggle" really meant. He'd thought Juliana was just some regular doctor—that her life now was good enough.
But Matthew's words cut into him like a dull blade, slow and deliberate.
"To save money, we lived in this tiny place. Mommy always gave me the best room and slept on the couch in the living room. Winters were freezing. She'd just have this thin blanket and wake up cold all the time."
Damian's eyes started to redden.
"When she got sick, she wouldn't go to the doctor. Once she had this awful fever—she was completely out of it but kept mumbling about needing to make me dinner. I was so scared I just held her and cried. When she woke up, she comforted me instead, telling me she was fine."
Damian's fists clenched tight.
"Mommy worked so hard every single day to give us the best life. She never complained. Never showed us even a hint of weakness. She'd always smile and say as long as she had us, she wasn't afraid of anything."
Damian's eyes welled up completely.
"She also said..." Matthew's voice dropped to almost a whisper, like he was talking to himself. "She said her biggest wish was for us to grow up healthy and happy. That she'd never let us suffer even a little bit."
"She won't." Damian's voice burst out suddenly. "Mommy won't suffer anymore. I won't let anyone hurt her."
He looked at Matthew. He used to be the Sharp family's little tyrant. But right now, he was just a son who wanted to protect his mother. He'd use every ounce of his strength to keep Juliana safe.
Matthew looked at Damian as tears finally spilled down his cheeks. He knew—his brother finally understood.
……
Downstairs in the bedroom, the warmth from earlier still lingered in the air.
Juliana nestled against Lucas. "Want to watch a movie?"
Lucas's voice was lazy and relaxed. He reached for his phone on the nightstand to connect it to the living room projector.
Juliana murmured her agreement.
The phone screen lit up. Lucas suddenly froze. A text message popped up—no sender information, just an attachment.
His brow furrowed.
Juliana felt Lucas's body go rigid. She opened her eyes and looked at him questioningly.
In the dim light, Lucas's face had gone deathly pale. His eyes were locked on the phone screen, pupils constricted.
"What's wrong?"
Lucas didn't speak. He just turned the phone screen toward her.
Juliana looked. On the screen was a photo of a woman.
The lighting was dim, but the pose was provocative. Juliana gasped instinctively, wanting to look away. But the next second, her eyes went wide with shock.
The woman in the photo—that face—it was her!
Juliana's heart felt like it was being crushed by a giant fist. Her breath stopped completely.
The world spun. All the color drained from her face, leaving only endless cold and terror.
"How... how is this possible?" Her voice shook with disbelief and horror.
Lucas's expression was equally grim. His knuckles were white where he gripped the phone. He quickly enlarged the photo, scrutinizing every detail.
The woman in the photo—the eyes, the nose, the lips—everything was identical to Juliana. Even the tiny beauty mark at the corner of her eye was clearly visible.
He'd dealt with corporate espionage for years. He knew image manipulation technology.
This wasn't AI-generated. The lighting, skin texture, hair details—it all looked real.
"This isn't AI," Lucas said, his voice low.
Juliana's body began to tremble uncontrollably.
Not AI—what did that mean? It meant the woman in the photo was actually her! But she'd never taken photos like this. Never shown such an intimate side to anyone.
A thousand horrifying possibilities flashed through her mind. Who? Who had taken her photo? And why send it to Lucas?
Lucas put the phone down and wrapped his arms around Juliana's trembling shoulders, pulling her tight against him. He could feel how cold and scared she was.
"Don't be afraid," he said quietly. His voice was strained but carried a reassuring strength. "I'm not going to believe this."
His words rushed through her like warm water, flooding her frozen heart.
She looked up at him, into those deep eyes. There was no doubt there—only pain and fury on her behalf.
"I... I never..."
"I know." Lucas cupped her face. "I trust you."
His trust meant more than any explanation ever could.
Tears slid silently down Juliana's cheeks.
Lucas's expression gradually turned sharp and ice-cold.
He grabbed his phone and quickly dialed a number.
"It's me," he said, his voice back to its usual steady tone. "I need you to trace a number immediately. Find out where it came from and everyone behind it. Also, when and where this photo was taken—every single lead. Don't miss anything."
He paused, then added, "As fast as possible."
After hanging up, Lucas held Juliana even tighter.
He knew this was another plot against Juliana. And this time, whoever was behind it had used the dirtiest tactics yet.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
……
As dawn broke, Lucas got up. Juliana was still asleep. He tucked the blanket around her and quietly left the bedroom.
In the study, his assistant had been waiting.
"Did you find out?" Lucas asked, his voice steady.
The assistant handed him a file. "The sender traced back to an overseas anonymous server, but it ultimately pointed to a domestic private IP address registered under Logan's name. The photo location appears recent, though we can't confirm if the timestamp was deliberately obscured."
Lucas took the file, his fingertips brushing the cover.
"What's Logan been up to lately?"
"He's preparing for a major project. Needs to acquire an antique as leverage. This morning at ten, he'll be at Ocean Auction House on the north side of the city."
Lucas said nothing more, just waved his hand. The assistant understood and quietly withdrew.
Lucas's eyes were ice-cold.
Logan, you're asking for it.