Chapter 9
Damien’s throat tightened as he swallowed as tears finally spilled over.
“I’m sorry.” His voice cracked like splintering wood.
“I thought you were naive, gullible. But the real fool was me too stupid to recognize my
Aragged breath
“I hurt you, hurt mir baby, hurt Sebastian…”
His words dissolved into shuddering sobs, shoulders shaking with the weight of his grief.
I watched his breakdown inspassively, memories flickering behind my eyes:
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Sebastian secretly measuring my wrist while I slept, just because I’d once mentioned wanting a diamond bracelet.
Sebastian grinning through a shirt niined by taco sauce at the food market, his laughter warm as summer sun.
Sebastian decorated the entire room with candles and roses to surprise me for
And his final roar outside the operating room:
“She deserves true love!”
A bitter ache bloomed in my chest.
Perhaps Sebastian had loved me in the end.
But he was gone now,
So I didn’t offer forgiveness.
Not for my mother.
Not for the baby I’d lost.
Not ever for Sebastian.
Forgiveness was a weight too heavy to bear.
When Damien’s tears subsided, I spoke calmly:
“Did you bring the papers? Let’s settle down the divorce
His jaw clenched. Ten minutes passed before he muttered,
“What what do you losow?”
I studied his bloodshot eyes, truths turning to ash on my tongue.
What was the point?
my birthday, but he burned himself in several places.
I’d suspected the impersonation early–noticed when “Damien’s” scarred right hand suddenly Iwaled overnight.
Caught “Danie’s” ears turning pink when he taught me to surf.
Recognized the deliberate detours around the cake shop near Lovers‘ Bridge
I’d understood Damien sent lais brother to entertain me while he cussed Scarlett.
Known Sebastian started our game as a cruel joke, only to fall for me in earnest. And realized this i
always Scarlett’s sick amusement.
I’d known everything
From the very beginning
Darion’s gare darted like a cornered animal before he gritted out,
“Give me a chance to make it up to you, Julie Sebastian would’ve wanted us to
“Stop lying.”
Chumer 9
BookSpom
His breath hitched. “What?”
I turned toward the horizon. “Sebastian told me he wanted me to be happy.”
“And I could never be happy with you,”
Damien crumpled like a marionette with cut strings.
“I’ll keep the founding shares. Take everything else,” he whispered.
Inodded.
Bystanders gathered, phones raised, but the man who once prized dignity above all things didn’t care
He stumbled away–back howed, tears carving, tracks through his designer stubble.
I didn’t watch him go.
Did his bears think they could wash away the bloodstains?
After his unexpected visit, peace returned to my life.
Until Scarlett came shrieking to my doorstep, her manicured nails chipped, hair a bird’s nest of greasy strands.
“Juliettel You ruined everything! First Sebastian, now Damien–what poison did you feed him? He’s leaving me because of you.”
Her reek of stale perfume and desperation almost made me pity her.
Almost
“We’re divorced. Damien is your problem now.”
