Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven

Julia Stanford had never met her father, and now he was dead, reduced to a black headline in the Kansas Star: INDUSTRIAL BILLANT HARRY STANFORD WASTE AT SEA!She sat there, staring blankly at the photograph on the front page of the newspaper, conflicted.Should I hate him for what he did to my mother, or love him for being my father?Should I feel guilty that I never reached out to him, or should I be mad that he never reached out to me?None of this mattered anymore, she thought.He is dead.For her, her father had been dead since she was born.Now he's dead again, defrauding her of something beyond words.She had an indescribably strong sense of loss.How stupid!How can I miss someone I don't know?She glanced at the portrait in the newspaper again.do i look like himShe looked at the mirror on the wall.eyes like.I also have deep sunken gray eyes.

Julia went into the bedroom, dug out a worn cardboard box from the closet, and found a leather-bound scrapbook inside.She sat on the edge of the bed, turning over.For two full hours, she quietly flipped through these familiar contents.There are numerous photographs of her mother in governess attire with Harry Stanford and their three children, mostly taken on a yacht, at Rose Hill or at the family cottage in Hobe Bay. Julia picked up several yellowed newspaper clippings reporting a scandal in Boston many years ago.The faded headline still shines: There were also dozens of op-eds, full of insinuations.

Julia sat there for a long time, lost in remembrance of the past. ※※※ She was born at St. Joseph's Hospital in Port Milwaukee, Wisconsin.Her childhood memories are of living in an apartment in a walk-up building and moving from city to city.For a period of time, they had no money and little food.Her mother was always sick and it was difficult to find a stable job.At a young age, she quickly understood that she could not ask her mother for toys or new clothes. Julia started school at the age of six, and her classmates always laughed at her because she always wore the same clothes and worn-out shoes every day.When other kids teased her, Julia got into fights with them.She has a rebellious character and is often called by the principal to give lectures.They were overwhelmed and helpless with her.She often causes trouble.They could have expelled her, but there was one catch: she was the smartest student in the class.

Her mother had told her that her father was dead, and she accepted that fact.But when Julia was twelve, she accidentally stumbled across a photo album filled with photographs of her mother and a group of strangers. "Who are these people?" Julia asked. Julia's mother felt it was time to tell her child the truth. "Sit down, baby." She took Julia's hand and squeezed it tightly.She couldn't think of a better way to tell this to the child. "This is your father, and these are your half-sister and two older brothers." Julia looked at her mother in bewilderment. "I do not understand."

The truth finally came out.All this disturbed Julia's peaceful mind.Her father is still alive!She also has a half-sister and two older brothers!How could she accept this all of a sudden? "Why...why did you lie to me?" "You are too young to understand. Your father and I... had a relationship. He was a married man, and I... I had to leave him. I was pregnant with you." "I hate him!" said Julia. "You can't hate him." "How did you have such a relationship with him?" "He and I are both responsible for this matter." Every word hurt her heart. "Your father was a very attractive man, and I was young and foolish. I knew our affairs were not going to end well. He told me he loved me . . . but he was a married man, He had a family of his own. And then...and then I got pregnant." It was hard for her to go on. "A reporter caught this incident by accident, and it was reported in every paper. I ran away. I tried to take you back to him, but his wife committed suicide. I... I have no more Face him and his children. You see it's all my fault. So don't blame him."

But Julia could not forgive him. One more thing, she never mentioned to her daughter.When Julia was born, the clerk at the hospital asked her, "We have to fill out the birth certificate. Is the baby's name Julia Nelson?" Rosemary had just said "yes", and then there was a fierce mental struggle: no!She is the daughter of Harry Stanford.She has the right to bear his surname and is entitled to his maintenance. "My daughter's name is Julia Stanford." She had written to Harry Stanford, telling him about Julia, but she had received no reply. She had, Julia thought, a family she knew nothing about, and a family so prominent that the newspapers often reported about it.These all strongly attracted her.She went to the public library and looked up everything she could about Harry Stanford.There are dozens of articles written about him.He's a billionaire living in another world, one definitely not Julia and her mother's.

One day, one of Julia's classmates laughed at her as a poor ghost. Julia retorted: "I am not a poor ghost! My father is the richest man in the world. We have a yacht, an airplane, and a dozen beautiful houses. .” The teacher heard this. "Julia, come here." Julia went to the teacher's desk. "You shouldn't lie like that." "I'm not lying," Julia retorted. "My dad is a billionaire! He knows a lot of presidents and kings." The teacher looked at the little girl in rags standing before her and said, "Julia, this is not true."

"It's true!" said Julia obstinately. She was sent to the principal's office.Since then she never mentioned her father at school. ※※※ Julia finally knew why they kept moving: the news media.Harry Stanford frequently appeared in newspapers and magazines.These gossiping newspapers and magazines kept digging up that old scandal.The reporter with a keen sense of smell finally found Rosemary and her address.She was therefore often obliged to leave quietly with Julia. Every report on Harry Stanford was a must-read for Julia.Each time, she wanted to call him, wondering if he had been trying to find them all these years.I will say to him, "I am your daughter. If you want to see us..."

He would come back to them when he got the call, love them again, he would want her mother, and they would live happily ever after. ※※※ Julia had grown into a beautiful maiden.She had shoulder-length jet-black hair, a generous, expansive disposition, and glowing gray eyes much like her father's.Her figure was slender and well-proportioned.But what is most memorable about her is that smiling face. Because they were forced to move frequently, Julia completed her high school in five different states.During the summer breaks she worked in a department store, selling medicine behind a pharmacy closet, among other things as a receptionist.She is very independent.

They later moved to Kansas City, Kansas, where Julia finished college on a scholarship.She still can't tell how to live this life.Her friends thought she was so beautiful that she should be a movie actress. "You'll become a star overnight!" Julia shrugs off this suggestion, saying, "Who wants to get up so early every day?" But the real reason that keeps her from being interested in the show business is that she wants to keep her privacy.For Julia, she and her mother had been harassed by the press all their lives because of what happened so many years ago. Julia had always dreamed of reuniting her parents one day, but that dream was shattered on the day her mother died.Julia felt a strong sense of loss.All this has to be known to my father, Julia thought. Mother was an important part of his life.She looked up the phone number for Stanford headquarters in Boston.It was a receptionist who answered the phone.

"Good morning, Stanford Industries." Julia hesitated. "Stanford Industries. Hello? What do you want?" Julia slowly put down the phone.My mother would never let me make this call. She is alone now.There is no longer a relative. Julia buried her mother in Memorial Park Cemetery.No one came to the funeral.She looked at her mother's tombstone silently, her thoughts fluctuating: Mom, this is so unfair.You made a mistake and paid for it with your whole life.I wish I could share your pain.I love you so much, Mom.I will Always Love You.All her mother left her in this life was a bunch of old photos and newspaper clippings. ※※※ With her mother gone, Julia began to think about the Stanfords.They are rich.She can go to them.Never, she made up her mind.Harry Stanford did this to my mother, and I couldn't ask for their help. But she has to earn a living.She is faced with a career choice.She began to think wildly.Maybe I can be a brain surgeon. Maybe be a painter? Opera singer? physicist? astronaut? In the end she decided to take evening classes at Kansas City University first, taking secretarial courses. Julia went to the employment agency the day after she graduated from night school.A dozen or so applicants were waiting to be summoned outside, and Julia was seated next to an attractive woman about her age. "Hello! My name is Sally Connor." "Julia Stanford." "I've got to get a job today," Sally lamented. "I was evicted from my apartment." Julia heard the call. "Good luck!" said Sally. "thanks." Julia stepped into the career counseling office. "Please sit down." "thanks." "I learned from your application form that you have no work experience, but the secretarial school has a high opinion of you, and they strongly recommend you." She looked at the file on the table and continued. "Your shorthand record is ninety words per minute, and your typing speed is sixty words per minute?" "Yes, ma'am." "I do have an errand here. There's a small architectural firm and they're in need of a secretary. It's not very well paid, and I'm afraid—" "Okay," Julia said quickly. "Very well. Then I'll send you there." She handed Julia a piece of paper with her name and address on it. "They will interview you at noon tomorrow." Julia smiled happily and said, "Thank you." She felt a deep surge of excitement. Sally was called in when Julia came out. "I hope you succeed," said Julia. "thanks." On impulse, Julia decided to stay and wait.Ten minutes later, Sally came out with a big smile on her face. "I got an interview. She called. I'm interviewing for a job as a receptionist at Mutual tomorrow. How are you?" "I will also know the result tomorrow." "We're going to make it. Why don't we have lunch and celebrate?" "OK." ※※※ They chatted at the dinner table, and soon felt like seeing each other late. "I found an apartment in Overland Park," Sally said. "Two bedrooms and one living room, with kitchen and bathroom, very nice. I can't afford the rent by myself, but if the two of us..." Julia smiled. "I don't think that's a bad idea," she said, crossing her fingers, "if I can get that job." "You will!" Sally reassured her. This is my golden opportunity, Julia thought, on the way to Peters, Eastman, and Tolkien.It affects my life choices.I mean, it's so much more than just a job.I am about to work for an architectural designer.They are people who live in a dream world. Their designs can change the space of the city and create beautiful miracles with stones.Maybe I can also study architecture so I can help them and be a part of their dreams. Their offices were in a dingy, dingy commercial building on the Rue d'Amour.Julia took the elevator up to the third floor and stopped in front of a dilapidated door.Over the door was a sign "Peters-Eastman-Tolkien Architects".She took a deep breath, let herself relax, and walked in. The three are waiting for her in the reception room.As soon as she entered, they couldn't wait to look at her. "Are you here to apply for a job as a secretary?" "Yes, sir." "My name is Al Peters." The man had already bald. "Bob Eastman." He wore a ponytail. "Max Tolkien." This one was potbellied. They all looked to be in their forties. "We hear this is your first secretarial job," said Al Peters. "Yes," answered Julia, and added immediately, "but I am receptive and can bear hardships." She felt that it was not time to mention her intention to go to night school for architecture.She's going to wait until they start to get to know her. "Well, let's try you out for a while," Bob Eastman said, "and see how it goes." Julia was excited. "Oh, thank you! I won't let you lose..." "As for salary," said Max Tolkien, "I'm afraid we won't be able to pay you much at first..." "That's nothing," Julia said. "I……" "Three hundred dollars a week," Al Peters told her. They are right, the money is not much.Julia made up her mind quickly. "I accepted." They looked at each other and smiled. "Great!" said Al Peters. "Let me show you around our office." The so-called visit took only a few seconds.A small reception room and three offices that look like they were furnished in the days of the Salvation Army.The restroom is in the hallway.Al Peters did the business, Bob Eastman did the design, and Max Tolkien did the building. "You have to work for the three of us," Peters told her. "I know." Julia knew she had to be indispensable to the three. Al Peters checked his watch. "How about we have lunch at twelve thirty?" Julia felt a surge of excitement.She is now a member of the group.They want to invite me to lunch. He turned to Julia. "Down the street, there's a deli on the corner. I'll have a corned beef sandwich with rye, mustard, and a potato salad, and a Danish." Tolkien said, "I'll have pastrami and chicken soup." "Yes, sir." Bob Eastman spoke too. "I'd like a plate of barbecue and a non-alcoholic drink." "Oh, don't forget my corned beef is leaner," Al Peters told her. "Leaner corned beef." Max Tolkien said, "My soup needs to be hotter." "Okay, the soup needs to be hot." Bob Eastman: "My drink is a Diet Coke." "Diet Coke." "Here you are." Al Peters handed her a twenty-dollar bill. Ten minutes later, Julia came to the deli and said to the shopkeeper behind the counter: "Give me three sets: a corned lean beef rye sandwich with mustard, potato salad, Danish flatbread, a pastrami, hot Chicken soup, another barbecue platter, diet Coke." The shopkeeper nodded. "You work for the architects of Peters, Eastman and Tolkien, don't you?" ※※※ Julia and Sally moved into the Overland Park apartment the next week.The apartment consists of two bedrooms, a living room with old furniture from various tenants, a kitchenette, small dining room and bathroom.No one would think of this place as a luxury hotel, Julia thought. "We take turns cooking," Sally suggested. "I agree." The first meal was cooked by Sally and it was delicious. The next evening it was Julia's turn to cook.Sally took a sip of Julia's cooking and said, "Julia, I don't have much life insurance, why don't you and I divide the work, I cook and you clean the room?" ※※※ The two get along well.On weekends they went to the movies at Glenrend Four and went shopping in Bannister.They also go shopping for clothes at Super Flea Bargains together.Once a week they went to a cheap restaurant for dinner—sometimes at Stevenson's Old Apple Farm, sometimes at Max's Café for some Mediterranean specialties.When they have money, they occasionally go to Charlie.Listen to a jazz concert at the Charles Theater. ※※※ Julia enjoyed working for Peters, Eastman and Tolkien.It would not be accurate enough to say that the business is slow.In fact there are hardly any customers here.Julia feels like she won't be doing much to change the skyline of the city, but she's having a lot of fun with her three bosses.She's like their stand-in parent to whom everyone confides in their thoughts and worries.She is competent and efficient, and she keeps the office in order very quickly. ※※※ Faced with the company's lack of clients, Julia decided to do something about it.But what can she do?The next morning she hit upon an idea. There was a report in the Kansas City Star that the newly formed Federation of Executive Secretaries would hold a working luncheon chaired by Susan Bundy. At noon the next day, Julia said to Al Peters, "I might be a little late for work." He smiled. "No problem, Julia." He thought it was their luck to have her as secretary. Julia came to the Hilton Plaza Hotel and walked to the dining room where the luncheon was being held.The woman sitting at the table by the door asked her, "What can I do for you?" "Yes, I'm here to attend the working luncheon of the executive female secretary." "Your Name?" "Julia Stanford." She looked at the guest list before her. "I'm afraid it's not on the list..." Julia smiled. "Is that Susan? I have an urgent matter to speak to her. I am the executive secretary of Peters, Eastman, and Tolkien." The woman looked troubled. "This……" "Don't bother you. I'll go in and find her myself." In the banquet hall, a group of well-dressed ladies were chatting happily.Julia walked up to one of them and asked, "Which one is Susan Bundy?" "There she is." She pointed to a tall, conspicuous woman in her forties. Julia walked straight over. "Hello. My name is Julia Stanford." "Hello." "I work for Peters-Eastman-Tolkien Architects. I'm sure you've heard the name." "this……" "This is one of the fastest growing construction companies in Kansas City." "I see." "Although I don't have much time, I am happy to do my part for the federation." "Oh, that's very kind of you. Your name is..." "Stanford." A good start. ※※※ Most of the members of the Federation of Executive Women Secretaries come from large companies in Kansas City.Soon, Julia established a network of contacts with them.At least once a week she has lunch with one or two members of the federation. "Our company is about to build a new building in the Oras district." Julia will report the information to her bosses shortly. "Mr. Hanley intends to build a summer resort in Tunganoche." The Peters-Eastman-Tolkien Company had acquired the project before other companies knew the information. Bob Eastman called Julia into his office one day and said, "It's time for you to get a raise, Julia. You've done a great job. You're a great secretary!" "Can you do me a favor, then?" Julia asked. "certainly." "Call me the administrative secretary in the future, which will help me to carry out my work." ※※※ Sometimes Julia saw newspaper articles about her father or saw footage of him being interviewed on television.But she never mentioned it to Sally or her bosses. When Julia was very young, she had a dream: she wanted to leave Kansas one day and go to a beautiful and magical place like her classmate Dorothy.There are many yachts, private jets and villas there.But with the news of her father's death, that dream was dashed forever.I had found my home in Kansas, though, and she had an amusing grimace at the thought. I no longer have a home.No, I have, Julia corrected herself.I also have two half brothers and a half sister.They are my relatives.Shall I see them?to go, or not to go?I don't know what we think of each other? Her decision turned out to be a matter of life and death.