Just as I say “Ten,” I see Ryan take a reluctant step back. Soon enough, I notice it’s not entirely by his choice. Emily's fingers are wrapped tightly around his arm, pulling him away from me. Her face is set in a hard line, eyes blazing with an expression I can’t name. Ryan tries to shrug her off, but Emily holds him firm, blocking his path. “Emily,” he says. “What the hell are you doing? I’ve told you so many times not to involve yourself in these fights. Let me handle Julie.” Emily doesn’t budge, doesn’t look away. Her voice is cold, quiet, but beneath it, there’s a fire bubbling up, one I’ve never seen from her before. "That woman," she says, eyes fixed on him, "just survived a near-death experience. Do you really think she won’t go through with her threat? That she won’t burn this entire house down if she wants to? I have properties worth a lot scattered all over this place, Ryan. You’re not going to make her light them up. Do yourself some good and calm the fuck down.” Ry
I stare at her blankly. “Frozen? There must be some mix-up. Maybe the machine’s acting up? That’s my account. I would know if it’s frozen.”The receptionist’s expression remains stoic, as if she’s used to dealing with late-night guests having issues with their cards. “I’m afraid so, ma’am,” she says. “It’s showing as restricted.”I feel frustration simmering beneath my skin. Whatever this is, it has Ryan’s name written all over it. Yet, at the back of my mind, I doubt. It might be a coincidence, because I can’t figure out any possible way Ryan could have done it, frozen this account without my approval. It’s a joint account. There’s a reason it’s called joint, because two people have to sign off on decisions involving the account. So yes, there has to be a reasonable explanation for this. There better be.“What am I supposed to do?” I ask.Angela shifts uncomfortably, typing again, like maybe she’s hoping a magical solution will pop up on her screen. When it doesn’t, she looks back at
A couple of minutes after I hang up the call, I see an Aston Martin pulling into the hotel’s driveway at a crazy speed. It sounds a lot like it’s heading in my direction. I quickly step aside, not wanting to add ‘hit by a car’ to my list of today’s problems.That is until I see Luke flying out. He doesn’t even bother to turn off the car before he’s out of the door, his face hard.“Julie,” he says, “what happened? Did that son of a bitch kick you out?”I open my mouth to answer, but nothing comes out. The words feel caged somewhere deep inside me. How do I explain the mess I’m in? How Ryan has stripped me bare of everything, left me stranded, powerless… humiliated. I try again, but all that comes out is a shaky breath.Luke’s eyes narrow. He’s watching me carefully, taking one slow, measured step at a time. He stops right in front of me, close enough that I can feel the warmth of him, close enough that I can smell his faint cologne, something deep and woody that makes me want to pull h
We pull up to Luke’s place a few minutes later, and I almost forget to breathe.This isn’t just a house. It’s a mansion—a literal mansion, all sharp angles, stone walls, and towering windows. The driveway winds through a huge garden, the kind of lush, manicured greenery that feels like something out of a dream.Luke glances over, catching me staring, and smirks. He hops out of the car, strolling around to my side.“Do you live here alone?” I ask, half whispering.“Why?” He looks amused. “Does it seem lonely?”“Lonely? No, just… massive.”He laughs softly. “I like space,” he says, and though the answer feels simple, I get the sense there’s more to it.“I can see that,” I say.He extends his arm dramatically. “Welcome to my castle, Julie. Mi casa es tu casa.”The air is cool, and the scent of jasmine drifts over us as we head up the stone steps. I glance around, taking in the enormous front door and stone pillars. This place feels almost enchanted.Inside, it’s even more impressive. We
~~Ryan O’Brien~~ Ryan O'Brien stares down at the stack of papers in his hands, the ones just handed to him by a server. TO: RYAN O’BRIEN YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action, which is brought to obtain a divorce, and to appear before the Ravenswood District Court of the State of New York, Greenwood County, within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons upon you." Complaint: "PARTIES: Plaintiff: JULIE JENKINS (currently known as JULIE O’BRIEN) Defendant: RYAN O’BRIEN ... GROUND FOR DIVORCE: Adultery (Domestic Relations Law § 170(1)) …… The world blurs for a second. A divorce Summon? He reads it again, slower this time, each word grating against his mind, and his grip tightens on the paper. Somewhere in the background, he hears a faint hum. It’s Emily. She’s hovering beside him with her hand on the back of his chair. “How did she manage that so quickly?” Emily asks. She doesn’t sound unhappy about it. In fact, Ryan could swear there’s a hi
Ryan lets out a shaky breath. “So this is what it comes down to? Blackmail?”“Call it what you want,” Elaine says. “But yes, Ryan. Blackmail. You want Julie back? You want your life back? You get me out of here. Simple as that.”He runs a hand through his hair, barely able to look at her. He doesn’t want to do this. The very idea makes him sick to his stomach. But what choice does he have? Julie is slipping through his fingers, and with her goes everything—his reputation, his family’s respect, his carefully crafted life.“Fine,” he says. “I’ll talk to my lawyer. If, by some miracle, he gets you out, you’re going to fix it. You’re going to make Julie see that this divorce is a mistake.”Elaine’s smile is wide. “Of course,” she purrs, leaning back with a satisfied sigh. “I’ll do whatever it takes, darling. I’m sure Julie and I will have a lovely little chat.”He can feel bile rising in his throat. He stands, shoving his chair back, unable to stay in the room with her any longer. He turn
~~Julie~~In my dream, I’m floating somewhere soft and far away. And then—bang—the calm shatters, replaced by a loud, insistent pounding. Someone is knocking on a door, and it sounds like they’re one bang away from kicking it down. I bury my face deeper into my pillow, hoping the noise will stop. But it doesn’t.Thump. Thump. Thump.Groaning, I open my eyes and squint at the clock on my nightstand. 4:47 a.m. It’s basically the middle of the night. Who in their right mind is awake at this hour?I drag myself out of bed and stumble to the door, throwing it open. And there, in all his early morning glory, stands Luke. “Morning, Julie,” he says.He’s in workout clothes. The shirt stretches across his chest and shoulders in ways that should be illegal. His shorts fit just right, showcasing his toned legs, and don’t even get me started on the definition of his arms. A faint sheen of sweat is already on his brow, like he’s fresh from a warm-up. I can barely believe he’s a real human being,
At first, I’m just too stunned to say anything. It’s like my brain’s stalling, processing, until finally, I blurt out the only thing I can manage:“Aren’t you supposed to be in jail?”There’s this unbearable, casual calm in her voice. “I made bail,” she says, like she’s talking about a nail appointment. “I’m bipolar and off my meds. They can’t hold me.”Oh, come on. I want to scream, but I swallow it down. “I don’t know what magic trick you pulled to get out, but don’t call this number again. I’m getting a restraining order.”“Sweetheart, you can do whatever you want. But for now, just listen to me. Please?”A request from her—a polite one at that—throws me for a second. Against my better judgment, I don’t hang up. My pulse is pounding. She takes my silence as permission.“I wanted to apologize, Julie,” she says. “For being… difficult. For pushing you. You know, I’ve got a condition.”It’s ridiculous. The laugh that escapes me is hard and hollow, almost a bark. “Oh, is that your excus