Chapter 14 #2
"You're simply not right for my niece," Julia said. She spoke with the confidence of someone announcing a fact rather than expressing an opinion. There wasn't a trace of hesitation in her voice. She sounded as though the matter had already been decided.
Those niceties before were just an act, huh? Impressive acting.
Carter stared at her for a moment. "Excuse me?" he asked. His tone remained polite, but only barely. He could already feel irritation creeping into his chest.
"Elena is… Elena."
The statement sounded absurdly simple.
Yet somehow Carter understood exactly what she meant.
"She comes from a different world than you do.” She continued before he could respond.
"You've attended school through scholarships and financial aid. You've spent years worrying about expenses she has never had to consider. The difference between your lives is larger than you're willing to admit." Her tone remained perfectly composed.
"Elena is an adult," he said firmly. "She can decide who she wants to be with." His voice grew stronger with every word. "You should probably let her make her own choices."
Julia's expression didn't change at all. If anything, she looked mildly bored. The reaction irritated him even more. It was like arguing with a marble statue.
"And for the record," Carter continued, "I just graduated from the best university in the country. I have job offers lined up. I work hard. I'm going to have a successful career."
Julia let out a soft scoff. The sound wasn't loud, but it landed like an insult. She looked at him the way people looked at children explaining how they planned to become astronauts. The reaction made his jaw tighten.
Then she reached into a leather folder beside her. She removed a paper and slid it across the seat toward him. Carter immediately disliked where this was going.
His eyes dropped to the number on the page. For a moment, he genuinely thought he had read it incorrectly. The amount was large enough to pay off every debt his family had ever faced and still leave enough left over to change their lives forever.
"Take it," Julia said. Her voice remained calm, as though she were offering coffee rather than attempting to buy a human being. "Most college relationships end after graduation anyway. Elena will move on."
For several seconds, Carter simply stared at her.
"You think I can be bought?" he asked. His voice came out sharper as anger rushed through him. Julia didn't seem remotely embarrassed.
"You can call it whatever you like," she replied. "I call it solving a future problem early." She crossed one leg over the other. Apparently she considered this entire situation perfectly reasonable.
Carter shoved the paper back toward her. "No thanks." He shook his head once in disbelief. "You can keep your money."
"I love Elena," he said firmly. "I'm not leaving her. I'm not walking away because someone offered me a check." His chest rose and fell with controlled anger.
Julia studied him for several moments. The look on her face reminded Carter of the expression people wore after discovering a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of their shoe. It wasn't outright disgust. Somehow it felt worse.
"We'll see about that," she said quietly. Her voice was almost conversational. The confidence behind the words unsettled him. It sounded like a prediction rather than a threat.
She tilted her head slightly.
"I understand your mother and sister are visiting. They must be thrilled about your graduation. Important day. But your father, still no show, huh?" Her tone remained casual.
The sudden change in topic immediately set off alarm bells in his head.
Carter froze. "You did a background check on me?" he asked.
A small smile touched Julia's lips. It vanished almost immediately. "I prefer to be informed." She sounded as though that explanation should satisfy him.
"Does Elena know what you're doing?" Carter asked. He couldn't imagine she'd approve of this conversation. The thought gave him a small measure of comfort.
Julia dismissed the question with a wave of her hand. "I'm not concerned about that." Her gaze returned to him. "Who do you think she'll believe, Mr. Evans?"
The question hung in the air. Julia didn't wait for him to answer. "Her aunt who raised her after she lost her parents? The only family she has?" she asked. "Or a random boy she met in college?" Her voice remained cool.
How can someone as good as Elena be related to this monster?
Carter was suddenly tired of this conversation. He reached for the door handle and pushed himself up from his seat. Every instinct told him to leave immediately. He wanted distance between himself and this woman.
“I just want what's best for Elena.” Julia's voice came from behind him.
Carter turned.
She offered him a pleasant smile, the kind that never quite reached her eyes.
“Family is precious, isn't it?” she said. “You seem very protective of yours. Your mother and sister seem lovely.”
Carter said nothing.
“I imagine you'd do anything to keep them safe.”
Her tone remained almost conversational.
“People rely on you, Carter. Don't make this harder than it needs to be.” She paused briefly before adding, “You should focus on them instead of chasing daydreams who are out of your league.”
The words settled heavily in the silence.
As the limo pulled away, Carter remained standing on the sidewalk feeling vaguely annoyed.
Julia clearly didn't approve of him. He felt stupid for earlier believing it was so easy.
Rich people loved reminding everyone how much power they had. Carter was irritated, and far more concerned about what Elena would feel when she found out her beloved aunt had just tried to scare off her boyfriend.
He let out a long sigh.
Julia's opinion didn't matter.
The only thing that mattered was Elena. If she agreed to marry him, which he was praying to god she would, he would deal with Julia then.
He shook his head trying to brush off the sudden foulness of mood caused by that unpleasant woman as he went into his apartment to get ready.
He had a proposal to make.