Chapter 4

The chill of the hotel stairwell seeped into Alexis’s skin as she lay on the cold floor, her arms wrapped tightly around herself.

Her sobs had quieted to shallow gasps, leaving her drained and hollow. For the first time in her life, she felt utterly untethered, like a ship lost at sea with no beacon to guide her back to shore.  

She barely registered the sound of footsteps approaching.

At first, she thought they might belong to Ryan or Sophia, coming to twist the knife even deeper. But when a warm, gentle voice broke through her haze, she looked up, startled.  

“Alexis?”  

It was a man, tall and dressed in a dark jacket, his face shadowed by the dim lighting of the stairwell.

He crouched in front of her, concern etched into his features.  

She blinked, trying to place him, but her mind was too foggy, her emotions too raw. “Who...?”  

“I’m Julian,” he said softly, his tone steady but laced with care. “I sent the message. I couldn’t just leave you to find out like that and not be here afterward. I’m... I’m sorry you had to see it this way.”  

The mention of the message made her stiffen, anger flaring momentarily through her grief. “You sent me that text?” she rasped, her voice hoarse. “Why? Are you here to gloat or...”  

“No,” Julian interrupted, his hands raised in surrender. “Not at all. I just... I’ve seen enough of what they’ve done. I couldn’t let it go on any longer. You deserve to know the truth.”  

Her defenses began to crumble under the sincerity in his voice.

Something in his steady gaze told her he wasn’t a part of Ryan and Sophia’s betrayal, he was the bearer of truth, no matter how painful.  

Still, her exhaustion outweighed her anger.

Her body sagged back against the wall, her hands trembling in her lap. “I don’t know if I deserved to know,” she muttered bitterly. “Not like this. Not now. I thought...”  

Her voice broke, and tears welled again. She couldn’t finish the sentence.  

Without hesitation, Julian extended his hand. “Come on,” he said gently. “You shouldn’t be sitting here like this. Let me help you.”  

Alexis hesitated, staring at his outstretched hand. Every part of her screamed to push him away, to wallow in her grief and fury. But the loneliness pressing down on her was unbearable.

Her chest heaved, and before she could stop herself, she reached for him.  

Julian pulled her to her feet with surprising strength and steadied her as she swayed.

When her knees buckled, he caught her, and she collapsed against him.

Her body shook as the tears came again, this time louder and more uncontrollable.  

“I trusted them,” she sobbed into his shoulder. “I trusted both of them, and they...”  

“They don’t deserve you,” Julian murmured, his arms wrapping around her protectively. “Neither of them. You’re worth more than this.”  

His words, simple yet sincere, broke something inside her.

She clung to him, the storm of her emotions pouring out in waves of anger, heartbreak, and grief.  

“I loved him,” she choked out. “I loved him, and he.. he destroyed everything. And Sophia, God, she was my best friend. How could they do this? How could they...”  

“They’re selfish,” Julian said, his voice steady but firm. “They didn’t think about you. They thought about themselves. But that doesn’t mean you deserved it.”  

Alexis clung to him like a lifeline, her sobs gradually subsiding into shaky breaths.

Julian didn’t rush her, didn’t pull away. He just held her, a quiet presence in the chaos of her unraveling world.  

When she finally pulled back, her eyes red and swollen, she studied him. “Why are you here?” she asked, her voice cracking. “Why did you send that message?”  

Julian hesitated, his brow furrowing. “Because I’ve seen what they’ve been doing, and it made me sick. You didn’t deserve to be kept in the dark. I don’t know you, Alexis, but I know you deserve better than them. Someone had to tell you.”  

His words settled over her like a balm, soothing the raw edges of her pain.

She didn’t fully understand his motives or his presence, but right now, she didn’t care.  

Alexis wiped her face with trembling hands, trying to steady herself. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.  

Julian nodded, his expression kind but serious. “Let’s get you out of here,” he said. “You don’t need to be anywhere near them right now.”  

Alexis let herself lean on someone else, letting Julian guide her away from the ruins of her life.

She didn’t know where she was headed, but she knew she couldn’t stay. 

The soft hum of the elevator and the gentle press of Julian’s hand against the small of her back were the only things grounding Alexis as they ascended.

She felt detached, floating somewhere between numbness and the unbearable weight of her heartbreak.  

When the elevator doors slid open, Julian guided her into a luxurious suite at the top of the hotel.

The room was immaculate, its wide windows offering a glittering view of the rain soaked city below.

The soft lighting and tasteful decor should have been comforting, but Alexis barely registered her surroundings.  

“Here,” Julian said, steering her toward the plush leather sofa. “Sit down. You’ve had a rough night.”  

She sank into the cushions, her head heavy with exhaustion and a whirlwind of emotions.

Julian disappeared briefly into the adjoining kitchenette, returning with a glass of water and a small bottle of whiskey.  

“You need this more than I do,” he said, pouring her a measure of the amber liquid.  

Alexis stared at the glass he handed her before knocking it back in one gulp, the alcohol burning its way down her throat.

She barely flinched. “Another,” she muttered, holding the glass out.  

Julian hesitated but poured her another.

He watched her closely as she downed the second drink and then a third, her movements sharp and determined.  

“You don’t have to drink your way through this,” he said gently.  

Alexis let out a bitter laugh, her lips twisting into a humorless smile. “Why not? It’s not like I have much else to lose right now.”  

Julian sighed, his expression a mixture of concern and resignation. “It’s not your fault, you know.”  

She scoffed, leaning forward with the empty glass in her hand. “Isn’t it? I was so blind. God, I planned a wedding for a man who was screwing my best friend!”

She laughed again, a broken, manic sound that made Julian wince.  

“You’re not stupid,” he said firmly, sitting across from her. “You trusted them. That’s not a fault, it’s human.” 

Alexis ignored him, her gaze fixed on the empty glass. “Do you think they laughed about me? Do you think they planned all this while I was picking out centerpieces and cake flavors?”  

Her voice cracked, and Julian leaned forward as if to comfort her, but she suddenly stood, swaying slightly.

The alcohol was taking hold, and her words spilled out faster now, more jagged and unfiltered.  

“I loved him, Julian. I loved them, both of them. I thought Sophia was like a sister to me. And what do I get for that? Betrayed. Humiliated. Left with nothing.”  

She staggered toward him, her glass slipping from her hand onto the carpet.

She didn’t notice. Her eyes were glossy, her cheeks flushed from the whiskey.  

“And you...” she said, pointing a trembling finger at him, her expression shifting to something unreadable. “You. Why are you even helping me? What do you want?”  

Julian stood, keeping his distance. “I don’t want anything, Alexis. I just couldn’t stand by and let them hurt you anymore.”  

Her laughter was bitter again, tinged with desperation. “Oh, you’re some noble knight now? Is that it? Saving the damsel in distress?”  

She stepped closer, closing the distance between them, her hands reaching for his collar.

Julian froze as her fingers gripped the fabric, her face mere inches from his.