Chapter 14 - The Echoes of Doubt
I did not go back to my office that afternoon.
I went straight to the penthouse, pouring myself a stiff glass of bourbon and staring out at the Manhattan skyline.
The poison Marcus had planted in my mind was spreading rapidly, infecting every single beautiful memory I shared with my husband.
When Julian finally came home, the sky was completely dark.
He looked exhausted, loosening his tie and pouring himself a drink from the crystal decanter.
"Elias said you left the building early," Julian said softly, walking over to press a kiss to my temple.
I did not lean into his touch.
I took a step back, the physical distance feeling like a massive, unbridgeable canyon between us.
"Is it true, Julian?" I asked, my voice trembling with suppressed, terrifying emotion.
Julian stopped completely, his blue eyes darkening with immediate concern.
"Is what true, Elena?"
"Did my trust fund save your casino project from total bankruptcy?" I demanded, my voice rising in volume.
Julian’s face turned completely ashen.
He set his glass down on the marble counter, the sound echoing loudly in the silent penthouse.
"Marcus spoke to you," Julian stated, a lethal fury suddenly vibrating in his deep voice.
"Answer the question, Julian!" I screamed, a tear finally breaking free and trailing down my cheek.
"Yes," Julian said, his voice entirely calm, entirely devastating.
"Your grandmother owned the land, and without the merger, Vance Holdings would have lost billions."
I felt my knees go weak, the ultimate betrayal crashing over me all over again.
I had traded one manipulative monster for a billionaire version of the exact same thing.
"So our entire marriage was just a real estate transaction to you," I whispered brokenly.
Julian crossed the room in a single, desperate stride, grabbing my shoulders tightly.
"It started as a strategic maneuver to destroy Derek and save my company," Julian admitted, his eyes burning with absolute, frantic truth.
"But the moment I saw you fighting in that hospital, I fell entirely, irrevocably in love with you."
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"You have to believe me, Elena," he begged, stripping away his arrogant armor for the very first time.
"You are my queen, and my empire means absolutely nothing if you are not sitting on the throne beside me."
