Chapter 3 — The Gates Closed
Chapter 3 — The Gates Closed
At 11:57 p.m., the celebration turned into panic.
Guests rushed toward the entrance only to discover the enormous wrought-iron gates refusing to open.
The security guards who had saluted Chloe all evening now stood silently beside unfamiliar men wearing black suits with silver badges.
One of them stepped forward.
"I'm sorry."
His tone was respectful.
"But this property now belongs to Blackwood International."
Chloe laughed nervously.
"You work for us."
"Not anymore."
He handed Julian a sealed envelope.
Inside was a formal eviction notice.
Effective immediately.
Julian stared at the paper as though reality itself had become unreadable.
"There has to be a mistake."
"There isn't."
"The mansion belongs to my family."
"It belonged to your family."
Those words shattered whatever confidence he had left.
Guests quietly began leaving.
Some avoided eye contact.
Others whispered behind their hands.
Business partners who had praised the Ashfords only hours earlier suddenly answered important phone calls and walked away without saying goodbye.
Prestige disappeared faster than wealth.
Chloe grabbed her phone.
She called bankers.
No answer.
Lawyers.
No answer.
Board members.
Every number went to voicemail.
For the first time in her life...
Silence frightened her.
Meanwhile, I sat across from my father inside his private residence.
A fireplace crackled softly.
Someone had already prepared dry clothes and hot tea.
Alexander looked at me carefully.
"I warned you years ago."
"I know."
"I told you that anyone who truly loved you would never need your last name."
I smiled sadly.
"I wanted to believe love was stronger than money."
"And now?"
I looked into the flames.
"Now I know character is worth more than both."
My father nodded proudly.
"You've finally learned the only lesson I could never teach you."
Just after midnight, my phone vibrated.
Julian.
I stared at the screen for several seconds before answering.
His breathing was uneven.
"Elara..."
No anger.
No pride.
Only fear.
"I didn't know."
"You never asked."
"I can fix this."
"No."
"I still love you."
I closed my eyes.
"No, Julian."
"You loved having someone who forgave everything."
Then I ended the call.
Outside...
The mansion gates slowly opened.
May you like
Not to welcome the Ashfords home.
But to allow security officers to escort them out.
