Chapter 9 - A Different Kind of Test
Thanksgiving arrived. Julian and Maya drove up to my estate.
I didn't dress in rags this time. I wore a simple, elegant dress. When Maya walked into the grand foyer and saw the chandeliers, her jaw dropped. She looked at Julian in shock.
"Tommy... what is this?"
Julian smiled sheepishly. "My name is Julian Thomas Vance. My mother is Victoria Vance."
Maya froze. She looked at me, then at Julian. And then, she did something Chloe would never have done. She didn't fawn over the wealth. She didn't look at the expensive art on the walls.
She crossed her arms and glared at my son. "You lied to me for six months about who you are? You let me split the bill at the diner when you're a billionaire?!"
Julian panicked. "Maya, I can explain! I just wanted to make sure you liked me for me!"
Maya rolled her eyes, but a small smile betrayed her anger. She turned to me. "Mrs. Vance, your son is an idiot. But he's a good worker. It's a pleasure to meet you."
May you like
I laughed out loud. A real, genuine laugh. "Maya, I think we are going to get along brilliantly."
At dinner, Sam—the former waiter, now a thriving freshman in college and a beloved intern at my company—joined us. We sat around the table, not as business moguls or socialites, but as real people.
