Chapter 4 The Lawyer Appears

Julia's hands trembled as she gripped the ID card tighter. The name Hughes burned like acid across her vision. She set it down on the table with a sharp snap.

When Brandon finally stirred, rubbing sleep from his eyes, Julia was waiting. Arms crossed, jaw set, eyes blazing.

"Care to explain this?" She shoved the ID card toward him.

Brandon froze, the lazy smirk fading from his lips. For once, he didn't have a witty retort ready. He stared at the card, then back at her.

"Why lie about who you are?" Julia demanded, her voice low but fierce. "Brandon Carter, Hughes... whatever your name is. Do you think this is funny? Do you know what your family has done?"

He sat up slowly, running a hand through his messy hair. "It's not what you think."

"Then tell me what it is."

A long pause stretched between them. Brandon's gaze darkened, his usual arrogance replaced by something guarded.

"I just... wanted to start fresh." His tone was flat, evasive. "I don't want to be Hughes anymore. That's it."

Julia's heart hammered. He wasn't denying it, but he wasn't confessing either. The ambiguity only sharpened her anger.

"Start fresh? In my apartment? With my rent money?" she snapped. "What kind of game are you playing?"

Before Brandon could answer, a sharp knock echoed at the door.

Julia frowned. "Who is it?"

The knock came again, firmer this time. Brandon's shoulders stiffened. He stood, running a hand through his hair as if trying to appear more composed.

When Julia opened the door, a tall man in a pristine suit stepped inside uninvited. His presence filled the cramped apartment, his gaze sweeping over the room with thinly veiled disdain.

"Brandon," the man said crisply. "You look like hell."

Brandon's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Nice to see you too, James."

Julia blinked. James?

The man adjusted his cufflinks, ignoring her completely. "Your family is furious. Do you realize what you've done by disappearing like this? You're lucky I tracked you down before the press did."

Julia's stomach churned. So he was a Hughes.

Julia excused herself to the kitchen, pretending to busy herself with dishes, but her ears strained at every word.

"You can't stay here," James said sharply. "Hiding in some dingy apartment with... people like her? It's beneath you, Brandon."

Julia's hand froze on the dishcloth.

"Beneath him?" The words echoed in her skull, stinging sharper than any insult she'd heard before. She bit her lip hard, forcing herself not to storm back into the living room.

James's voice lowered. "This girl-what's her name, Julia?-she's a distraction. You don't belong in this world. You're Hughes, whether you like it or not."

Julia's throat tightened.

For a moment, silence stretched. Julia's chest ached. Then Brandon's voice cut through, firm and cold.

"Don't talk about her like that."

Julia's breath caught.

James scoffed. "You can't be serious. She's... ordinary. Disposable. You think this girl can help you rebuild your life?"

"I didn't ask for your approval," Brandon snapped. "Julia's worth ten of the parasites I grew up surrounded by. She doesn't care about my name, and that's exactly why I'm here."

Julia's heart twisted. She pressed a hand to the counter, steadying herself.

Why would he defend me like that?

Her pulse thundered with confusion. He was hiding something-big enough to terrify him into running away. And yet, he stood up for her, as if she mattered.

When James finally left, the air in the apartment was thick. Brandon leaned against the doorframe, shoulders tense. Julia avoided his gaze, her emotions tangled between fury, doubt, and... something else she refused to name.

"You heard everything, didn't you?" he asked quietly.

Julia turned away. "Don't flatter yourself. I don't care what your lawyer thinks."

But her voice wavered, betraying the storm inside her.

Brandon's jaw tightened, but he didn't push. He simply walked past her into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him with a quiet click.

Julia slumped against the counter, her fists trembling.

The next morning, Julia's phone buzzed as she prepared for her shift. An unfamiliar number flashed across the screen.

"Miss Julia Reed?" a smooth voice asked.

"Yes?"

"This is Hughes Corporation. We've reviewed your application. There's an opening, and we'd like to schedule you for an interview this week."

Julia nearly dropped her phone. Her? At Hughes Corporation? She hadn't applied-she knew better than to step foot anywhere near them.

"W-what position?" she stammered.

"Administrative support. Recommended through Mr. James Whitmore."

Julia's blood ran cold. James.

Her gaze slid to Brandon's closed door, her heart pounding. Was this a trap? A chance? Or another way for the Hughes family to pull her into their web?

Either way, she was about to be pulled into a world she'd sworn never to touch again.