Panic gnawed at me. I needed to know if Julian, my own son, could see what was happening. I called him, my hands trembling slightly as I recounted the frozen permits, Chief Harding’s name, and the obvious setup.
“Julian, she’s doing this,” I pleaded, imagining his face on the other end. “She kicked Leo, and now she’s systematically destroying my business. She’s bribing people.”
There was a long pause, filled only with the faint buzz of the phone line. I heard him take a deep, shaky breath.
“Mom, I… I don’t know what to say,” he mumbled. “Veronica can be… intense. But bribing? That’s a huge accusation.”
“It’s not an accusation, it’s what’s happening! She mentioned Chief Harding. The city just confirmed he’s behind the permit freeze.”
He offered vague apologies. “I’m so sorry, Mom. Truly. But I can’t… I can’t confront her about this. You know how she gets.”
“She kicked your brother, Julian!” I cried, my voice cracking. “Doesn’t that mean anything to you?”
Another silence stretched, heavier this time. He was choosing her. His comfortable life, his reputation, his fear of Veronica’s power – they were all more important than his own family.
“I’ll… I’ll look into it on my end,” he finally said, his voice flat. “But I can’t promise anything. Please, just try to stay calm.”
The call ended. My hand fell to my side, the phone suddenly heavy. My own son had chosen to stand by his manipulative wife. I was alone in this.
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