Catherine's POV
It was Saturday morning, one of those deceptively calm ones. Mom was in the kitchen, humming as she stacked pancakes.
Richard was at the dining table with the newspaper and me? I just sat there, patiently waiting for the boys to join us.
Richard had insisted on a "family breakfast." His words, not mine. "We'll all eat together, I have something important to announce."
Gabriel was the first to join us, looking unusually quiet for someone who normally carried sunshine on his shoulders. He greeted everyone with that polite smile, poured himself coffee, and sat beside me.
Now, we were all waiting for Julian, who came minutes after, with no apology for being late or greeting.
He slid into his chair and muttered, "What is that thing you had to say, that couldn't be said anywhere else but here? Please get to it, I have better things to do."
Mom and Richard exchanged a look, that oh, just ignore him kind of look.
Richard cleared his throat and set his paper aside. "So," he began, smiling like a man about to deliver wonderful news. "I called everyone here because I wanted to tell you all something exciting."
"Is it another campaign agenda?" Julian asked without looking up from his coffee. "Can't wait."
Richard's smile faltered. "Actually, no. This is personal." He reached for Mom's hand across the table, and my gut instantly knew where this was going.
Oh, no. Please don't tell me that mom is preg—
"We're finally taking our honeymoon," he announced proudly. "We'll be leaving in three days."
There was a pause. A long one. Mom beamed like she'd just won the lottery. "It's been delayed far too long, but we finally found the perfect time."
I blinked, unsure how to respond. "Wow, that's sudden."
"Yeah," Gabriel added, blinking. "But that's great. You both deserve a break."
I forced a smile and nodded. Honestly, I was happy for Mom. She'd been working herself to the bone lately but leaving in three days? That was practically now, which only meant I would be living with just the boys.
Just as I was about to ask where they were going, Julian leaned back in his chair and let out a low laugh, not the funny kind.
"You dragged us all here," he said slowly, "to announce your little vacation?"
Richard frowned. "Yes?"
"I mean, I thought it was serious," he continued, his tone sharp. "You had us thinking it was something that mattered."
Gabriel stiffened beside me. "Julian, come on."
"No," Richard snapped, finally losing the cool tone he always used for press cameras. "Don't stop him. Let's allow him to complain like he always does. Since he can't respect what we have, he's allowed to whine about it."
"Respect?" Julian scoffed. "You want me to respect this?" he gestured between them, "your picture-perfect act you keep shoving down everyone's throat?"
The air went cold. Even Mom stopped smiling.
"Julian," she said softly, "can't you just be happy for us? For your dad, at least?"
"Happy?" he shot back. "Tell the truth? You're all pretending this is some big family moment when it's just another PR stunt for the mayoral candidate and his lovely new wife."
"Enough!" Richard slammed his hand on the table, making the cutlery jump.
My heart jumped with it.
I had never seen him like that. His face was red, veins visible near his temple. The man who always smiled for the cameras was gone. This was someone else entirely.
Mom reached out quickly. "Richard. Don't give in. Just ignore."
But Julian didn't even flinch. He looked amused. "What? Did I hit a nerve?"
Richard pushed his chair back, almost standing. "You are seriously forcing me."
Julian laughed annoyingly. "Why are you so pressed? The loving husband hates to be reminded about his true self before his fairytale?"
"Stop this!" Mom's voice cracked this time.
For a second, nobody breathed. Even Gabriel looked lost for words.
Then Julian's gaze slid to Mom, cold and deliberate. "Oh, sorry, Stepmother." He said it like it was a slur.
My blood boiled. "Julian, that's enough!"
But he wasn't done. His mouth curved in that cruel smirk I hated.
"Congratulations, by the way," he said to her. "You must be proud. Not everyone gets to replace the woman who actually mattered."
The sound that left my throat was part gasp, part disbelief. "Julian!"
"Look how comfortable she is about being a fifth choice. It shows how little she values herself."
"Julian, stop it right now!" Richard roared at the same time.
But the damage was done. Mom froze, looking down at her plate, pretending not to be hurt but I could see her hands trembling.
It made something in me snap.
I stood up, my heart pounding in my ears. "We've all sat down here and tolerated your nonsense but I've had enough. I will not watch you talk to my mom like that!"
Julian's eyes flicked to me, full of mockery. "Oh, I forgot, the loyal daughter."
"Loyal?" I shot back. "Yeah, at least I am. Unlike your mother…"
The words flew out before my brain could stop them.
"..who abandoned her family."
The moment the sentence hit the air, I regretted it.
It was like time froze.
Julian's smirk vanished and his expression didn't just change, it shattered.
The chair scraped against the floor as he stood abruptly, his eyes dark and sharp. "How dare you talk about my mother," he said in a voice so low it made my stomach twist.
"Julian—" Gabriel started, standing too, but Julian brushed past him.
He didn't shout or throw anything. He just stormed out but the look he gave me before leaving was pure, cold fury.
The front door slammed shut seconds later, and the bang was as loud as a gunshot.
I sank slowly into my chair, my hands shaking. I didn't mean to say it, it just slipped.
Mom finally exhaled and reached for me. "Catherine, are you okay?"
I nodded weakly. "Yeah." But I wasn't. Not even close.
Richard muttered something about "that boy needing discipline" and stormed out next. Gabriel stood soon after, throwing me a look of disappointment. I screwed up.
The untouched pancakes sat in the middle like props from a happier world.
Mom rubbed her temples, sighing. "Sometimes, I think he just wants to hurt his father."
I didn't answer. I was still staring at the empty doorway, full of regrets and for the first time since meeting Julian, I was scared of what he would do.