135 Chapter 138
Silence stretched for several seconds. “The villa. With Julian.”
The man who deserved better than what I was giving him.
I slid behind the wheel and rested my forehead against it. How could I make Damien understand that my self–reliance wasn’t a rejection of him, but a coping mechanism built over years of abandonment? From my father to Julian, every man in my life had proven that depending on them was a mistake.
I handed him the sealed envelope containing my statement absolving his mother of criminal intent. It was the bare minimum required by law, carefully worded by my attorney. Nothing more.
As I pulled into traffic, my phone pinged with a news alert. I glanced at it briefly at a red light:
He gestured toward the exit, and I fell into step beside his wheelchair, counting the seconds until I could walk away from him permanently.
“No,” I replied immediately. “Our business is concluded.”
I slipped the papers into my bag, unable to deny the satisfaction I felt. It wasn’t about the property’s value, though that was substantial. It was about taking something back after everything that had been taken from me.
“Not a big deal.” Damien’s laugh held no humor. “Hazel, do you even see me as your boyfriend? Because partners typically inform each other about significant events in
their lives.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Damien’s name flashed on the screen, sending an immediate wave of warmth through me. I answered quickly.
I bit my lip. “I’m at the government service center. Finalizing the transfer for the villa.”
As I walked to my car, my thoughts turned to Damien. The ice in his voice had frightened me more than his anger would have. I’d hurt him with my independence— the very trait I’d cultivated to protect myself after Julian’s betrayal.
“And I don’t care,” I interrupted. “Your explanations, your apologies, your guilt–none of
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it matters to me anymore.”
“I’ve explained that
The call ended before I could respond. I stared at my phone, feeling a cold knot form in my chest. In my determination to handle things independently, I’d hurt him. Again.
“Hey,” I said, turning slightly away from Julian.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “It’ll be done in about an hour”
I felt my blood run cold, remembering Julian’s haggard appearance and unusual compliance today. The article mentioned no names beyond “a female member of the Grayson family,” but I knew it had to be Giselle. Julian’s sister had always been the vulnerable one, protected by their powerful parents.
As we moved away from the counter, Julian cleared his throat. “The letter?”
He reached for the paper bag with the hot cocoa and extended it to me once more. “Just take it. For old times‘ sake.”
“Damien-”
Julian’s tired eyes studied my face. “You’ve changed, Hazel.”
“I’m not giving up, you know,” he said quietly as we approached the doors. “On us.”
Giselle Grayson, his beloved younger sister, had been raped by a business associate of their father’s. The resulting ectopic pregnancy had nearly killed her physically, while the trauma had destroyed her mentally. Her suicide attempt had come shortly after learning the man would likely walk free due to the Graysons‘ fear of scandal.
“I’ve grown,” I corrected him. “There’s a difference.”
Julian’s face fell, looking more haggard than I’d ever seen him. “Hazel, after everything
I started the engine, determined to fix things. I wouldn’t lose the best thing that had ever happened to me because of scars left by lesser men.
But Damien was different. He’d never once failed me. Never once put someone else’s needs above mine. Never betrayed my trust.
The light turned green, and I continued driving, my mind racing. Years later, I would
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learn the full truth: that Julian’s uncharacteristically accommodating behavior during our villa transfer hadn’t been about reconciliation or even about helping his mother. It had been because his entire world was imploding.
By the time I learned this, Julian would be long removed from my life. But on that day, as I drove away from him for what I hoped was the last time, all I felt was relief that another chapter of my past was finally, officially closed.
And how had I repaid him? By treating him like an accessory to my life rather than an essential part of it.
“And you didn’t think to tell me?” The controlled frustration in his voice made my stomach clench. “You’re meeting your ex–fiancé to handle a major property transfer, and I find out because I happened to stop by your office?”
“Goodbye, Julian.”
“That’s precisely the problem. You didn’t think about me at all.” His voice grew quieter, which somehow made it worse than if he’d shouted. “I’m tired of being an afterthought in your life.”
I shot him a withering look. “None of your business.”
I looked at the cup, then at Julian’s hopeful expression. With deliberate slowness, I
took it from his hand.
I stared at the cup Julian was offering me, hot cocoa steam rising between us like the ghost of what we once had. Six years of mornings flashed through my mind–sharing this exact drink in bed, in his car, at my design studio. It had been our thing.
“Do you have the transfer documents?” I cut him off, glancing at the numbered ticket in his hand. We were still five numbers away from being called.
“I don’t accept drinks from strangers,” I said, keeping my voice flat.
“All set,” the clerk said, handing me the final documents. “Congratulations on your new
property.”
My throat tightened. “Of course I do. It just happened quickly after our agreement yesterday. I didn’t think—”
“Handle your business. We’ll talk later.”
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What I didn’t realize was how close I was to jeopardizing my future with Damien–the man who had chosen me first, always, without condition or expectation. The man whose steady presence I’d taken for granted while fighting old battles.
“That’s us,” Julian said, maneuvering his wheelchair forward.
I walked past him through the automatic doors, feeling him watching me. Just outside, I paused at a trash can, removed the lid from the cup, and placed it conspicuously on top of the garbage. I didn’t look back to see his reaction, but I knew he would notice. The message was clear: our past was disposable to me now, just as I had been to him.
“Number thirty–seven!” called the clerk.
I followed him to the counter, where a bored–looking government employee took our paperwork. The process was surprisingly smooth. Julian signed where indicated, I provided my identification, and within twenty minutes, the villa–worth over three million dollars–was legally mine.
“Thank you,” he said, tucking it into his jacket pocket. He hesitated, then added, “Do you have time for lunch? Just to talk?”
Not my problem anymore.
“Trouble in paradise?” Julian asked, unable to hide the hint of satisfaction in his tone.
“Yes.” He patted his briefcase weakly. “Everything’s prepared.”
It wasn’t a question.
I glanced at Julian, who was pretending not to listen while scrolling through his phone. “It’s not a big deal. Just paperwork.”
Chapter 138 – Final Papers, Fraying Patience
I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall, putting as much distance between us as the crowded government center would allow. The fluorescent lights hummed
overhead, casting everyone in an unflattering pallor. Julian looked particularly ghastly, his skin nearly translucent.
“Where are you?” Damien’s deep voice had an edge to it. “I stopped by your office and Cherry said you had an appointment, but it wasn’t on your calendar.”
“BREAKING: Grayson Pharmaceuticals Heir Suicide Attempt Linked to Sexual A~~ault
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Allegations”
I stopped walking. “There is no ‘us, Julian. There hasn’t been since the day you gave my wedding to my sister.”
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