Chapter 595
Chapter 594:
Elbert closed the thick oak door behind them. The noise of the party faded to a distant murmur. He walked to the sideboard, poured two glasses of aged whiskey, handed one to Justin, and settled into his leather chair. He did not waste time on pleasantries.
“What is the situation with Carmen?” Elbert asked, his voice sharp and direct.
Justin took a sip of his drink and looked his father squarely in the eye. The time for half-truths was long past.
“Father,” he said, his voice steady. “She is already part of this family p>
Elbert raised an eyebrow and waited.
“Carmen Golden,” Justin said, letting the words carry their full weight, “is Aaden’s biological mother p>
Elbert’s hand froze. The glass stopped halfway to his mouth. His eyes widened with genuine shock.
U𝘱𝘥𝗮t𝖾𝗌 𝗲𝗏𝗲r𝗒 𝘄ee𝗄 оո
Justin laid out the story clearly and without embellishment — the car accident seven years ago, the dissociative amnesia, the conspiracy Conrad Sterling had orchestrated and sustained.
Elbert listened without a word. When Justin finished, the older man stared into his glass for a long time. The study was entirely quiet, save for the steady ticking of the grandfather clock.
Justin held his ground and let the silence stretch. He had prepared himself for this moment — for his father’s potential wrath, or worse, his cold dismissal. He had burned political bridges and risked his entire career to bring this truth to light. He would not retreat from it now.
Elbert broke the silence at last.
“You destroyed your political allies,” he said slowly, looking up at his son. “You took down Sterling. Was it worth it p>
“Without a second of hesitation,” Justin said immediately.
Elbert held his son’s gaze for a long moment. Then a faint smile touched the corner of his mouth. He nodded once.
“Collins men take responsibility for their choices,” Elbert said. “Welcome her home p>
The tension drained from Justin’s shoulders in a single, long exhale. The last obstacle was gone.
He set his empty glass down and left the study, moving quickly back toward the patio. He found Carmen standing at the edge of the lawn, watching Aaden chase fireflies near the tree line. He came up behind her and pulled her into his arms, whispering the news against her ear.
Carmen burst into tears. They held each other tightly in the warm evening air, believing at last that the weight of their past had finally lifted — ready to step forward not as a fragile arrangement built on secrets, but as a family, whole and out in the open.
The drive back to the Washington townhouse was quiet.
Aaden sat in the back seat with his head resting against Carmen’s shoulder, fast asleep. The long day of running and playing had worn him out completely. Justin watched them in the rearview mirror, and for the first time in years, a deep, settled peace took root in his chest.
It was late by the time they arrived home. Justin carried a sleeping Aaden inside and up to his room while Carmen followed with his small backpack. They tucked him in together, and Carmen pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before they pulled his bedroom door quietly shut behind them.