Chapters
Julia slept soundly that night and woke up the next morning ready to fix herself breakfast. But as she reached the top of the stairs, the nich scent of freshly cooked food drifted up to meet het.
Penelope had already prepared breakfast for everyone and was busy hand grinding coffee for Sebastian. She looked up, saw Julia, and flashed her smile “Jules, you’re up! Come here. I made sandwiches. Hope you like them.”
“With Munt Penny’s cooking, who wouldn’t?‘ Xavier chimed in with a bright grin.
But as soon as the words were out, he shot Julia a quick, wary glance. He was afraid of her–no, it was more than that. He hated her.
She’d be so different lately. Since when did she look at him with that cold, distant stare?
Back then, whenever he complimented Penelope, Julia saw it as a challenge. She’d get even sweeter, and that was his chance to slip out of those endless tutoring sessions.
bulia could read Xavier like a book. She let out a faint, joyless smile. Did he actually think she wouldn’t see right through his little act?
There had been a time when Julia loathed Penelope, but only because the thought of Sebastian sharing that kind of closeness with another woman ate at her. She’d never let herself dwell on how Penelope doted on Xavier.
As the Holt family’s eldest grandsen, Xavier’s upbringing was non–negotiable. Sebastian’s mother had made that painfully clear to Julia, so she couldn’t adford to slip up.
The truth was, Julia had always wanted Xavier to have a carefree childhood. She k
knew he was a bright, happy boy who loved comic books, video games, And the outdoors.
But as Sebastian’s wille and the ever–watched “Mrs. Holt” in high society, she had no choice but to loop up a strict front.
That was why Xavier was always venting to Sebastian about how tough Julla was on him.
He never knew that behind her strict exterior, Julia had spent years researching teaching methods from every comer of the globe, all to find the right balance between firmness and warmth.
She might have seemed like an unrelenting mother, but there was more to her. Once, when Penelope was still her intern, Julia made her these hand- drawn fairy tale books and told her to use them to bond with Xavier.
Even the trout almondine Xavier loved? Julia had personally taught Penelope how to make it
Unexpectedly, all those sacrifices had backfired. Her face went cold, tinged with something between absurdity and despair.
“What are you wearing?”
Penelope hadn’t expected Julla’s first question to be about her outfit. She gave a cowardly reply. “1–it’s just a dress. I didn’t have anything clean to change into last night, so I grabbed this from the walk–in closet. Jules, is something wrong?”
How ridiculous.
Some outsider was wearing Julla’s clothes, brewing coffee for her husband and making breakfast for her child, and now had the nerve to ask if something was wrong.
Sebastian must have sensed juba winding up for a fight because he cut in with a frown before she could speak, “Julia, it’s just a dress. Leave it. You’ve got my blackcard, Go buy ten more if it’s that big a deal.”
Julia couldn’t hold back a scoff when she heard that.
A wave of nausea twisted in her stomach, though she couldn’t tell if it was from morning sickness or the hollow ache where breakfast should have been.
“Sebastian, have you forgotten that this dress is…”
That was the dress she’d had on after they slept together for the first time
Julia had been so young back then, fresh out of college and full of wide–eyed optimism. At some corporate cocktail party, she’d actually believed she could swing a billion–dollar deal for her company.
She drank too much with a client, not knowing someone had slipped something into her drink. Next thing she knew, she was waking up in bed with Sebastian
The next morning, she found her clothes ripped to shreds. With nothing left to wear for work, she sat on the bed, her face flushed with shame. Sebastian found her embarrassment charming. He had his assistant get her a designer dress and made her his secretary.
julia remembered every detail of that day because it was where their story began. But Sebastian? He’d forgotten. And now, he’d let Penelope wear that sabe dress. The thought made Julia sirk
Sebastian took in fulla’s hesitation, his mouth twisting into a smark as something sharp glinted in his eyes. “Well? Out with it. Julia, is this dress really that important to you?“.
Penelope jumped in before things could escalate, gripping hulia’s hand. “Jules, it’s not Mr. Holt’s fault. He didn’t know. I was the one who put it on. He didn’t stop me because he felt bul, but I never thought you’d be so upset… I’m sorry, Jules. I’ll take it off right now. Please don’t be mad!”
Her voice was desperate, tears threatening to spill.
J2
Disgusted, Julia jerked her hand away. “Don’t bother. It looks better on you anyway–keep it. In fact, take whatever you want from my walk–in closet. All
Then she lifted her chin and shot Sebastian a scathing look. “Everything here is yours now, Penelope.”
“Julia” Sebastian snapped, slamming his hand on the table. “Do you have to be so harsh with her?”
“I’m not the one bring harsh. You two are.”
Julia’s phone chimed with a notification, She looked down, scanning the alert lighting up her screen–13 days left on the countdown.
At this point, she might not even last that long. She’d have to bail early. She never would’ve guessed Sebastian could be this ruthless, tightening the scrows a little more each day.
First, it was her clothes. What was next?
The thought had just crossed her mind when she caught a whiff of Penelope’s Iragrance.
Perfume?
It was faint but unmistakable, as if it were Penelope’s natural scent. Julia hadn’t picked up on it from a distance, but now, standing close, it surrounded
her.
She had always been sensitive to scents. Her face went pale as banning perfume on women.
she sudden
suddenly remembered the note she’d written at her desk, the one about Sebastian
So that was his game. When it came to Penelope, he really had no limits. He’d toss out all his rules for her.
Julia let out a dry laugh, but the tears came anyway, faster than she could stop them. In that moment, waiting for the countdown to finish felt Impossible. She just wanted to leave now.
Her parents, grandfather, and Haley were all waiting for her. How could Sebastian let Penelope mock her like that, tearing apart everything she’d been through for the past ten years?
“If you think we’re being too harsh on you, get out!” Sebastian snapped, his patience gone as he stared Julia down. “You mope around the house like the world owes you something.Julia, you wanted a divorce, didn’t you? Let’s get it over with.”
Julia’s chest heaved as she fought to keep her anger in check. Fine, then let’s-”
The word divorce never made it out. Her hands clawed at her throat instead, her lungs fighting for air, her skin blazing hot. Her eyes went wide with disbelief as she stared at Penelope
Was that the smell of floral perfume?
A hollow laugh escaped Julia as she choked out her final words. “Sebastian, II you wanted me dead, you could’ve just said
Then the darkness took her
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Chapter 6
