Flashbulbs exploded the moment Brandon stepped out of the courthouse. Rain misted the air, but the crowd pressed closer, microphones thrust forward like weapons. The news had already leaked—Mr. Hughes himself was inside, demanding a private meeting. Julia stood just behind Brandon, her hand hovering near his back, steadying him without touching.
A reporter shouted, “Mr. Hughes! Will you take the deal?”
Brandon didn’t blink. “No.”
The single word sliced through the chaos. Cameras froze. Even the wind seemed to stop.
Then the uproar erupted.
“Why reject your inheritance?” “Is it because of her?” “Are you choosing this woman over your own bloodline?”
Brandon lifted his chin, voice measured but sharp. “I’m choosing what’s right.”
And just like that, the storm he’d spent years surviving
