Twin Cupids at Work Daddy Come Home novel Chapter 634

“Grandpa, this time, it’s good news. Shelly’s back.”

“Are you serious?” Christian sounded wide awake now.

“I swear it’s true. Don’t worry, Grandpa. I’ll get justice for Dad, but right now Julian’s got something on me and I need your help.” Claire took a minute to explain everything that had happened.

“If that video gets out, I’ll be kicked out of the Ballard family. My whole plan will collapse and I’ll never get close to Shelly. Please, Grandpa, you have to help me destroy it.”

Christian’s voice dropped lower. “Who has the video?”

“I’m not sure. Madeline said it’s saved on a computer somewhere in the Graysons’ house, or maybe Julian has it himself.”

Christian was quiet for quite a while before he finally said, “Alright. I understand.”

That was as good as a promise. Claire watched as the call ended, then let out a little smile.

Upstairs, Shelly stepped quickly into her room and dialed Maxwell’s number.

She couldn’t keep still. Downstairs, Maxwell had pulled her aside and told her the other Madeline had vanished—taken by the woman who’d just been in the living room. That meant her own daughter was in that woman’s hands right now.

Maxwell answered on the first ring. “Ma’am?”

“Who told you about Madeline?” Shelly’s voice was urgent.

“It was Ms. Monroe’s ex-husband, Mr. Grayson. He said Claire took Ms. Monroe away yesterday. Oh, and the Claire he was talking about is the same one you just met.”

“He’s a Grayson? And that woman’s last name is Monroe?” Shelly felt herself freeze for a second. “Is he from the Grayson family in the Capital?”

“Yes.”

“Is his name Julian?”

“That’s right. Do you know him?”

Shelly’s heart gave a painful little jolt. Julian, Claire—Brian’s son and adopted daughter. Of course she remembered them.

But she’d never imagined her own daughter would end up married to Julian.

She went quiet, her expression turning grim.

“Ma’am?” Maxwell lightly prompted.

“I understand. Reach out to Julian for me. I need to talk to him. Also, when I just agreed to let you leave the Ballard family, it was just to make that woman let her guard down. As long as she has Madeline, we can’t expose her. We need to be careful.”

“I get it. I’ll contact Mr. Grayson for you now.”

Half an hour later, at a private tea lounge—

The door opened. Shelly was already seated, watching as a tall, striking man walked in.

Julian.

Shelly looked up, calm as ever. “Something else?”

“Did you know my father, Brian?” His voice was quiet, but there was an icy edge.

For a moment, Shelly’s eyes clouded. “Yes, I did.”

Julian’s stare sharpened. “He died in a car crash thirteen years ago. You had something to do with that, didn’t you?”

Shelly watched him. For the briefest moment her lips parted. “I’m sorry about your father.”

That was as good as admitting everything. Julian’s face darkened. “So it’s true, just like my grandfather said.”

Shelly lowered her gaze. “It was all my fault. But none of this is about Madeline. I know how you feel about her, and you—”

“If it wasn’t for Madeline, I wouldn’t even be standing here talking to you.”

Shelly said nothing.

Julian turned and walked out.

Shelly pressed her lips together, staring at his cold, distant figure as he left.

She couldn’t help but imagine how much Madeline must have suffered all those years inside the Grayson family.