Chapter 3
That night, I video-called the twins in secret.
Luca appeared first, his dark hair messy, eyes bright. "Mommy! When can we come? I want to see the big house Daddy told us about."
"Soon, baby. A few more days."
His twin sister, Rosie, shoved her face into frame. "Mommy, are there bad people there? Daddy said if anyone is mean to you, he'll—"
"Rosie." Ethan's voice came from off-screen, calm but firm. "What did I say about repeating Daddy's private conversations?"
I laughed. God, I missed them.
After the kids went to bed, Ethan's face filled the screen. He studied me for a long moment.
"You're tense," he said. "What happened?"
"Nothing yet."
"Julie." His voice softened. "I can be there in twelve hours."
"I know. But I need to do this on my own first. Once I get my mother's violin, I'm done. Then you and the twins come, and we handle the rest together."
He was quiet for a beat. "If anyone touches you before I get there, I will dismantle them. You know that."
I smiled. "I know."
After we hung up, I pressed my phone to my chest and breathed. Three more days until the private sale. I just had to survive three days.
The next morning, I came downstairs to find Dominic still there. He sat at the breakfast table as though he owned the house, reading the paper while Madeleine fussed over his coffee.
He looked up when I appeared. His gaze swept over me — quick, assessing.
I had changed since he'd last seen me. The grief weight I'd carried during our marriage was gone. I was leaner now, sharper. Ethan had made sure I ate well, slept well, lived well.
Something flickered in Dominic's eyes, but it vanished before I could name it.
"Sit," my father ordered. "We're discussing the engagement dinner."
"That doesn't concern me." I moved toward the kitchen.
"It does." Dominic's voice stopped me. "Madeleine wants you there. As her maid of honor."
I turned slowly. Madeleine beamed at me from her seat, hands clasped together.
"Julie, you're my sister. It would mean the world to me."
I looked at her. Then at Dominic. His jaw was set, as if daring me to refuse so he could confirm every theory he had about my jealousy.
"I can't be your maid of honor," I said simply. "I'm already married."
The room went dead silent.
Madeleine blinked. My father set down his fork. Dominic's eyes locked onto mine with terrifying intensity.
Then Madeleine laughed — a light, musical sound. "Julie, you don't have to make things up. If you don't want to do it, just say so."
"I'm not making it up."
My father's voice hardened. "Enough. If you were married, we would know. Stop embarrassing yourself."
Dominic said nothing. He just watched me, his expression unreadable. But I saw his hand tighten around his coffee cup — knuckles white.
I didn't bother arguing. I pulled out my phone to show my marriage certificate, but before I could unlock it—
Dominic stood abruptly. "I don't have time for this. Madeleine, let's go."
He walked out without another glance at me.
Madeleine lingered just long enough to whisper, "Julie, if you're going to lie, at least make it believable. Who would marry you?"
Then she followed him out, her heels clicking against the marble.
I stood in the empty dining room, phone still in my hand.
Fine. They didn't want to believe me. They would find out soon enough.
---
Luca appeared first, his dark hair messy, eyes bright. "Mommy! When can we come? I want to see the big house Daddy told us about."
"Soon, baby. A few more days."
His twin sister, Rosie, shoved her face into frame. "Mommy, are there bad people there? Daddy said if anyone is mean to you, he'll—"
"Rosie." Ethan's voice came from off-screen, calm but firm. "What did I say about repeating Daddy's private conversations?"
I laughed. God, I missed them.
After the kids went to bed, Ethan's face filled the screen. He studied me for a long moment.
"You're tense," he said. "What happened?"
"Nothing yet."
"Julie." His voice softened. "I can be there in twelve hours."
"I know. But I need to do this on my own first. Once I get my mother's violin, I'm done. Then you and the twins come, and we handle the rest together."
He was quiet for a beat. "If anyone touches you before I get there, I will dismantle them. You know that."
I smiled. "I know."
After we hung up, I pressed my phone to my chest and breathed. Three more days until the private sale. I just had to survive three days.
The next morning, I came downstairs to find Dominic still there. He sat at the breakfast table as though he owned the house, reading the paper while Madeleine fussed over his coffee.
He looked up when I appeared. His gaze swept over me — quick, assessing.
I had changed since he'd last seen me. The grief weight I'd carried during our marriage was gone. I was leaner now, sharper. Ethan had made sure I ate well, slept well, lived well.
Something flickered in Dominic's eyes, but it vanished before I could name it.
"Sit," my father ordered. "We're discussing the engagement dinner."
"That doesn't concern me." I moved toward the kitchen.
"It does." Dominic's voice stopped me. "Madeleine wants you there. As her maid of honor."
I turned slowly. Madeleine beamed at me from her seat, hands clasped together.
"Julie, you're my sister. It would mean the world to me."
I looked at her. Then at Dominic. His jaw was set, as if daring me to refuse so he could confirm every theory he had about my jealousy.
"I can't be your maid of honor," I said simply. "I'm already married."
The room went dead silent.
Madeleine blinked. My father set down his fork. Dominic's eyes locked onto mine with terrifying intensity.
Then Madeleine laughed — a light, musical sound. "Julie, you don't have to make things up. If you don't want to do it, just say so."
"I'm not making it up."
My father's voice hardened. "Enough. If you were married, we would know. Stop embarrassing yourself."
Dominic said nothing. He just watched me, his expression unreadable. But I saw his hand tighten around his coffee cup — knuckles white.
I didn't bother arguing. I pulled out my phone to show my marriage certificate, but before I could unlock it—
Dominic stood abruptly. "I don't have time for this. Madeleine, let's go."
He walked out without another glance at me.
Madeleine lingered just long enough to whisper, "Julie, if you're going to lie, at least make it believable. Who would marry you?"
Then she followed him out, her heels clicking against the marble.
I stood in the empty dining room, phone still in my hand.
Fine. They didn't want to believe me. They would find out soon enough.
---