Chapter 9
Before he could spit out another word, I’d already pressed the blade to my wrist.]]
I shot him a crazy smile.
“Sign the divorce papers or watch me bleed out right here.”
I was desperate as hell, but I was also calling his bluff.
Lucky for me, it worked. Julian caved and promised we’d file for divorce tomorrow.
But come morning? The bastard had vanished.]
Once I realized he’d played me, I immediately took time off and hauled ass back to Boston to file the divorce papers myself.]
All I needed now was to wait for the court date, and I’d finally be free.
What I didn’t count on was Julian ghosting the first hearing, forcing us to wait for a second summons.
I was pacing around my hotel room, ready to put my fist through a wall, when someone knocked on my door.]
Thinking it was housekeeping, I swung it open only to find Mia on her knees with her little girl Lily clinging to her side.]
Seeing them there, I backed up like I’d seen a ghost.]
I tried slamming the door shut, but Lily squeezed through the gap.
“You mean lady! Give me back my daddy!” she yelled.[]
My eyes narrowed. Seriously? Mia was still pulling this emotional blackmail crap.
I gripped my phone, giving her the coldest stare I could muster.]
“Julian and I got married after you two split up. If you’re still salty about it, that’s your problem, not mine. I’m not your freaking matchmaker.”
“Elena, I’m not here to guilt trip you. Lily’s father isn’t who you think…”
Mia stopped mid–sentence, dug her nails into her palm, then looked me dead in the eye.
“Lily’s father is Julian. Just divorce him already–this kid needs her dad.“[]
I stared at the two–year–old by my leg and felt like someone had punched me in the gut.
How the fuck was this possible?
Julian told me Lily was born after her dad died. That’s why I never bitched when he spent time with her.
Now she’s telling me Lily is his kid?]
That meant Julian had been cheating on me three years ago.
While my head was spinning, Mia spilled her guts.
That’s when I found out she never gave a damn about her ex–husband.
She only married him to make Julian jealous, hoping he’d come running back, but he picked me instead.
Pissed off at getting rejected, she went through with the wedding anyway.
But after tying the knot, she was miserable and couldn’t stand her husband touching her.
When she spotted Julian holding me at the fire, the wheels started turning in her head.
That’s when all the lies began.
The kid was conceived the night they hooked up.
Julian thought he’d gotten wasted and screwed up, but what he didn’t know was that Mia had slipped something in his drink before he even walked through the door.
Julian felt like shit afterward, which is why he always took her side.
After that, they kept their distance and cut contact.
Until the day she popped out the kid and called him up again.
Julian was freaking out at first, but Mia told him the baby was full–term, which shut him up.
“So Julian still has no clue the kid is his?” I asked, noticing someone lurking behind Mia.]
“No. Back then, I just wanted to use the kid to get payback, to make him lose everything. I wanted him to hurt like I did.“[]
“But now he’s kicked me to the curb because of you. I lost.”
“Still, for the kid’s sake, he needs to be with me…”
ne…“]
“You’ve been fucking lying to my face this whole goddamn time?!” Julian’s voice exploded as he stepped into view, looking like he was about to murder someone.]]
