Building The Strongest Family

Chapter 426: Julian And Arthur

The heartfelt conversation between Arthur and Billy had already taken place, and Billy had since gone to rest.

Above the lawns, the lanterns cast a soft glow, their flickering lights reminiscent of dying stars swaying in the midnight breeze.

Most of the family members had turned in for the night, satiated from the evening’s food and comfort, and enjoying a fresh sense of peace that Arthur had brought back into their lives.

Yet, throughout the estate, there remained pockets of wakefulness: guards on patrol, night staff wrapping up their tasks, and one solitary figure standing on the balcony that overlooked the Lower Sanctum,Julian.

Leaning against the railing, his broad shoulders were tense, and his gaze was fixed on the sprawling city below. The wind playfully tugged at his coat, accentuating the tautness in his stance.

He didn’t appear to be angry or distressed; instead, he seemed like a man on the verge of confronting something he had long avoided.

Arthur stepped onto the balcony quietly, the door sliding shut with a soft hiss behind him. Julian didn’t turn around but spoke in a low voice, roughened by an emotion Arthur couldn’t quite place. "Do you have a moment?"

Arthur walked over to stand beside him at the railing. "Of course."

For what felt like an eternity, a profound silence enveloped them.Below, the Lower Sanctum sprawled out,a vibrant tapestry of illuminated towers, skybridges, glimmering highways, and meticulously designed districts teeming with life, even at this late hour.

It was a world far grander than anything the Osborns had ever imagined,a world Arthur had painstakingly built against insurmountable odds.

Julian let out a slow breath, his voice trembling as he finally broke the silence. "Do you remember how it was in Aurelia?" Arthur kept his gaze on the horizon. "Every detail."

Julian nodded slowly. "Good... because I can’t forget either,and I don’t think I should." His grip on the railing tightened, his knuckles turning white. "I remember you at twenty-five,barely older than a kid,a boy really—fighting battles no one your age should have had to face."

Arthur remained silent, allowing Julian the space to voice his thoughts.

Julian swallowed hard before continuing. "We were dying,not physically but in every other way: our reputation, our livelihood... our name. Your parents were gone... debts piling up... threats looming... assassinations... The government breathing down our necks while vultures circled."

His voice trembled again as he recalled those dark times. "We were just waiting for everything to collapse."

Arthur briefly closed his eyes, memories flooding over him like echoes from another time. "I remember."

Finally turning to face Arthur completely, Julian’s eyes were filled with years of heavy emotions,guilt intertwined with a loyalty that had never diminished but had always felt complex.

"I doubted you," he said bluntly. "There...I said it outright: I doubted the hell out of you."

Arthur paused, listening intently. Julian turned his gaze back to the vibrant city skyline as he continued. "When you took over the family business, I thought you were too young. Too inexperienced. Too shaken by everything we had been through."

His jaw tightened. "I feared that you would buckle under the pressure. Part of me resented that the weight had to fall on your shoulders when it should have been mine, or Nathaniel’s, or Richard’s."

Finally, Arthur turned to face him. "You were scared. So was everyone else."

Julian shook his head firmly. "No, I was more than scared. I was unjust."

He exhaled deeply, the admission surfacing something raw within him. "I told your uncles, aunts, and even your cousins that we were expecting too much from you,that you weren’t ready and that we were risking the future of the Osborns on someone who hadn’t fully healed from what happened in Aurelia."

A humorless laugh escaped him,broken and sorrowful. "What I didn’t say was that I didn’t want you to fail; I just couldn’t stand to watch you fall apart trying to save us."

Arthur leaned against the railing, a serene expression on his face. "That wasn’t unfair; that was just being human."

Julian shook his head firmly. "No, Arthur... I doubted you and your abilities,even while you fought for us and bled for us."

His eyes sparkled with unshed tears, not overtly dramatic, but enough to reveal his feelings. "Yet, you kept going. You led us through hell, rebuilt everything from the ground up, and turned our once-fading name into the empire we see before us."

He motioned towards the vibrant city below, alive with lights and energy. "Everything you see here,it’s yours. You’ve given us safety, influence, and pride. And I never thought you could pull it off."

Arthur looked out at the lower district,the towers he designed, the systems he created, the lives he touched,feeling a wave of surreal achievement wash over him.

"Uncle Julian," he spoke softly, "you don’t need to apologize."

Julian took a shaky breath, his tone earnest. "Yes, I do." He faced Arthur completely, his eyes red and voice thick with emotion. "Because I didn’t just misjudge you; I was blind to everything you sacrificed for us. I recognized your achievements but missed the toll it took on you inside."

The wind swept across the balcony, carrying the scent of rain, as Julian’s voice dropped to a whispered confession.

"When you became distant... when you shut yourself off... I thought that was just who you were now, not realizing it was the price you paid to protect us,and that’s my fault."

Arthur inhaled deeply, letting Julian’s words hang in the air before stepping closer and placing a reassuring hand on his uncle’s shoulder. "I forgive you."

Julian caught his breath, covering his mouth with one hand as he fought to hold back his emotions. "I don’t deserve that."

"You’re family," Arthur replied earnestly. "You stood by us when everything fell apart. You fought by my side. You taught me so much. You protected Billy and Liz when I couldn’t. That means more to me than any past doubts."

Julian lowered his hand, his eyes shimmering with a mix of gratitude and sorrow. "You’ve become something amazing," he murmured, his voice thick with feeling.

"Not the weapon I feared you might turn into. Not the machine the world thought you were destined to be. You are... you. Finally. And seeing that again..."

His voice faltered, filled with unspoken longing. "I didn’t realize how much I missed it."

Arthur’s expression softened, warmed by a familiar connection. Without hesitation, he pulled Julian into a tight embrace, a grounding and reassuring gesture.

For a moment, Julian froze in surprise, but then he wrapped his arms around Arthur, holding him tightly as years of unspoken regret and pride surged between them.

Neither spoke.Neither needed to.

When they finally stepped back, Julian wiped his face with the back of his hand, trying to regain his composure.

"Look at what you’ve created," he said hoarsely, gesturing toward the illuminated city before them. "You did this. And I... I’m grateful to see it."

Arthur leaned against the railing again, reflecting on their journey together. "You were part of this too," he gently reminded Julian. "Everyone contributed. I may have laid the groundwork, but it was our family that kept pushing forward."

Julian took a deep breath, feeling steadier. "Well... now you don’t have to shoulder it all alone."

Arthur nodded. "I know."

They stood side by side in comfortable silence, gazing over the empire they had rebuilt from the ashes.

The wind shifted slightly, bringing with it the distant hum of the city,a subtle sound of an air tram gliding through the upper lanes,its vibrant heartbeat thriving under their legacy.

For the first time in years, their silence felt light.

It was healing,it was recognition and togetherness.

As they stood side by side, they took in the shimmering city lights,a symbol of their shared past,forged through struggles, and at last liberated from the pain of old scars.