Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 283

The smile on Julian's face slowly faded.

He placed the teacup gently on the coffee table, running his finger along the rim as he stared at Willa. "Ms. Vance, I heard your father was just released from prison?"

"Your child is barely a year old and very adorable. Raising a toddler alone while caring for an aging father—life must be quite a struggle for you."

A sudden chill swept through her body, and Willa's breath hitched.

She had far too many vulnerabilities for someone to exploit, but right now, she had to force herself to stay calm.

"Mr. York, are you threatening me?"

Julian shook his head lightly. "Not a threat. A collaboration."

He stood up, walked over to the window, and spoke slowly with his back to her. "Your father is getting older and needs premium healthcare. Your child is young and needs the best educational resources. I can easily provide all of these for you."

After a moment, he turned around and laid it out plainly. "You don't have to do much. Just stay by Randal's side, whisper in his ear, and gather a little information for me. That's all."

"Mr. York." Willa took a deep breath. "I'm just a regular journalist. I don't play undercover games. Besides, I have nothing to do with Randal, so I definitely can't whisper anything in his ear."

"That's fine. You don't have to answer me right away. Take your time to think it over."

Julian walked back to the sofa, pulled out a business card, and held it out to her. "Call me whenever you've made up your mind."

Willa didn't reach for it, only asking flatly, "Are we still doing the interview?"

His fingers paused. Looking slightly awkward, he placed the card on the coffee table and sat back down.

"Let's begin."

Willa looked down, placed her voice recorder on the table, and systematically asked her questions according to her outline.

Julian didn't intentionally make things difficult again and was highly cooperative throughout, which allowed her to relax slightly.

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