When they arrived at the front of her building. “I’ll have Edward pick you up from here. When would you finish? I want you home for dinner.” “I don’t know. Whenever I finish with all the responses to my readers. I'm uncertain about the duration, but I doubt we'll finish before dinner. He never cared if she ate with him before this. Michael only wanted to know dinner was ready and waiting for him. She only dined with him during their pretend married couple role-playing sessions at night. Dinner and sex before bed were his idea of what married life was about. Michael didn’t like what he heard from her. This didn’t bode well for her health. He now knew that she couldn’t burn the midnight oil, so to speak, without paying a high price for doing that. “You’re going to make yourself sick working like that, Juliette.” “Well, if I do, at least my being divorced from you means you won’t suffer from my failings. Ready to sign the documents yet?”
“Did you really interpret it that way? Your presence has a profound effect on me. I didn’t notice until you were gone.” He nipped at her throat as his body recovered from the surprise. His hands opened his belt, pants, and underwear. It didn’t take much to get them down to his knees and, shortly thereafter, to his ankles. Michael wrapped her thighs around his waist. One of his hands slipped between them and explored his wife’s pussy. A location he loved to experience often. He pushed her thin panties aside and the head of his cock stopped at her entrance. Michael stood tall and made eye contact with her. “Last chance to say no, my sweet little wife.” Juliette’s eyes glazed over with lust. She’d always loved sex and never said no to it. Julie rarely had the opportunity to have a lover. She leaned in and kissed him, demonstrating what she needed from him. Her butt cheeks tightened as her entrance angled toward him, silently begging him to continue. “This, little
Michael buckled his belt and turned to Juliette. “You need to get your overnight bag packed.” He didn’t mention her assistant before a buzzing sound came from the television. He saw Juliette blush as she groaned. “That’s probably Beck. He’s early.” Juliette moved to pass him and picked up a remote from the small coffee table. She pointed it at the small television on the wall and turned it on. Sure enough, there stood Beckett staring at the camera. “I left class early to get a head start. It’s not an inconvenience, is it?” That clarified his youthful appearance. He still went to school. Michael knew he planned to change that as soon as he could. His wife needed a competent and experienced assistant. Not some eager-beaver boy scout. Michael hated his jealousy towards every man in Juliette's life. He thought he’d be the only one. Now he needed to gain some control again. “Oh, sure come…” Juliette said, as sweet as pie and with as much innocence that Michael’s
“Sir, I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what’s going on here. Please fill me in. What has Julie so upset? I’ve never seen her this shaky before or flustered. Have you threatened to sue her or something?” Beck tried to be polite. Julie just called him her ex-husband. However, he questioned the necessity of being polite. Should he be kicking this man out of Julie’s apartment? They weren’t together and yet. “Oh, and you should fix the hem of your shirt. It’s messed up.” Beckett pointed to his own waistband of his pants to help Michael. Michael glanced down, rolled his eyes in annoyance, and neatly tucked in the shirt. “I’d say it’s not what you think. But it is what you think. I stated my case today and explained everything to Juliette. We’re getting back together and trying to make a go of it. She’s leaving here and returning to our home. Starting tomorrow, you’ll work from there, just keep your hands off her. “What? Wait. You think that we…?” Beckett pointed to
Michael now regretted hearing this. He mistreated a woman who deceived him about her disability and needs. Now Beckett tells him she’s putting everyone, including him, ahead of herself. Why should he care? Why did he care? “Are you accusing me of using her to my benefit” Michael’s back was up now. He hated having the tables turned like this on him. "Consider what she gained from the past three years with you." You have everything. You still have your social circles, your home, your job, and she must start over. But are you going to let her?” Michael observed Beckett's perceptive understanding of the world and persuasive voice. “She won’t accept help. Is that what you’re saying, along with I’m abusing her?” “Everyone abuses her, Michael, in. In one way or another, she’s the type of person who would die if it meant others would live. Even people she considers are her enemy. She’d make sure they were good before she took her
Aria was furious because she felt her life was spiraling into darkness. Her family wanted nothing to do with her because they had caught her lying in a live broadcast on her channel. Her modelling career was slow due to a designer's claim that she was demanding and made scenes. She wasn’t a clotheshorse, but that’s what he wanted. She had a big personality, and she wouldn’t mute it for his clothes. She had limited options remaining. Aria hated debasing herself to Leon, but what options did she have? Finding a job wasn't as simple for her. Her skills surpassed the demands of a mundane job. Aria struggled with her situation until Leon and his guards entered the lobby. She’d never tire of looking at his handsome face. His broad shoulders made him dwarf his guards in size. Part of his problems with people was because of his size and his money. He would threaten other men with his very presence, and they’d attack him to prove he wasn’t all that and more wrapped i
Juliette had to focus. She couldn’t let Michael take control of her every thought. She’d started her new life and had responsibilities, even if he still demanded everything she had. Hearing him speak to Beck like that hurt on so many levels. Beck had always been there for her. He cheered her on. She didn’t care if he improved his life around hers. It felt good. She still didn’t understand Michael’s attitude or intentions. He’d always told her how temporary she was and how disappointing she was for him. He only kept her around because he’d not found any better. Michael insisted if Aria became available, he jumped at the chance to have her. He’d done that within a day of her leaving. Why was he unhappy? He’s dragged Aria with him to what? To speak to Juliette and show Juliette how easy it was for her to be replaced? Then why make a point of calling her his wife when his lover was living with him? None of it made sense, and Michael wanting to reconcile for six m
Hours later, the food sat in the kitchen waiting for Juliette to arrive. She’d called for his driver to pick her up and Edward, his driver, called up to say she’d accepted her pass card from him and she’d entered the building safely. Michael thanked him and left his office to hear up their meal. As he waited by the microwave, he realized he felt nervous. He had sweaty hands and felt shaky. He’d not expected feeling like this about Juliette’s return. Should he feel like he’d won? She was back where she belonged. He could protect her from being taken advantage of. His life could return to normal with only a few minimal changes. He debated whether he should reset his five-year marriage plan. He hated the idea of delaying his plans, but he now had information about Juliette and Aria that changed things for him. Aria was flashy and a perfect show piece, but her character was riddled with problems. He valued honesty in others, even if h
Julie removed her earbuds as she sat at her desk. She’d just listened to the ready-to-print version of her fifteenth novel. It was survivable, at least. She felt Stephen and her publisher would love it. She could hear everyone out at the pool having fun. Michael entertained the early bird parents and kids as they slowly arrived for Johnathan’s birthday pool party. Their children’s parties seemed to be an event where people wanted invitations and their presence recognized by their peers. Julie couldn’t believe the changes that had happened over the last few years. Johnathan’s birth shone in her brain as the mark when Julie knew Michael was hers. He’d not settled, but he’d found a different direction for his life that made him happier. Michael had help from the parents, nannies, and several staff members minding the chaos of children everywhere. They’d long ago child proofed the house, and currently Michael hid his genuine prized items in a series of locked rooms away from t
Aria’s honeymoon was so much more than she had expected, and she used her social media accounts to poke the bear that was her father. She posted teasing photos of the place where she got married. Sold a few of her wedding photos to a couple of magazines with an interview hinting at why her father really wasn’t at her wedding and how disappointed she was at his betrayal of family ties. At the end of the interview, Aria made it good and clear that she’d broken off all ties with her father and she wasn’t interested in ever reconciling at any time in the future. He and his staff burned those bridges. As she went around Europe and saw the unique way of life there, some of it initially felt confusing and complicated. But she investigated other differences in how they treated people. It was something she’d not given much thought about until her life spiralled out of control and she finally understood why she was the way she’d become. It wasn’t pretty, and she had the photos and v
“Edward has everything in the car, Julie. We’re ready to head for the hospital. Now, you’re sure you’re okay with going through with a c-section? I mean, if you change your mind, you can still back out.” Michael could see how large Julie grew and wondered how his son hadn’t torn his way out. Michael worried Julie could no longer stand and walk safely. Life kept changing and he couldn’t believe he’d once thought this part of his life could go on without him. Over the last eight and a half months, he’d learned so much about a woman’s body he had to wonder if they were the same species. Women were so complicated, and Julie had some unique complications. A common comorbidity Julie had called EDS would complicate even the epidural she would need. Her joints had more range, and it caused her shoulders, back, and hips to be uneven. It could complicate administering the epidural. If she couldn’t get it, then she’d have to give birth naturally without it. This terrified Julie, alon
“I’m glad you’re doing this, Julie. Honestly, I don’t know what her father is thinking. But if he thinks she could embarrass him normally, to not come to his daughter’s wedding. Campaigning or not, he’s going to look bad. He recognized her as his daughter when it was convenient for him. Now he pulls this because it’s not convenient. His poll numbers will go down and he’ll lose the public confidence. If it gets out and it will that we showed up after that entire mess that started all of this. He’s sunk.” “You don’t think this is a mistake? She will not pull something fast. Like become caught in someone else’s bed?” “Julie, Aria’s been through a lot in the last six months. Leon didn’t just send her to rehab to just get off the medication. He sent her to a location that deals with complex abuse cases. She doesn’t realize it, but they did. He had to wait for over two years to get her a place there. It’s why I took her in like I did. I admit there were other stupid
The small plane landed at the secluded island airport, and Julie sighed in relief. There was something about travelling she disliked. To come all this way for a wedding for someone she didn’t like seemed crazy. But Leon was Michael’s best friend and Julie would muddle through it for five days there. What she still couldn’t get over was Aria’s request to come and bury the hatchet somewhere other than Julie’s back. She’d apologized. The hadron collider must have tested something again, and the world altered in reaction to the outcome of that test. That’s how Julie thought of why things changed in ways she didn’t see coming. Not that she believed the conspiracies; it was just a humorous way to look at her problem because Julie didn’t believe she’d ever find out the true reason these things changed. But jumping off into another timeline felt as sane as any other reason, and perhaps sometimes more logical. They stepped off the plane with the other guests, and a protracted line
Michael had said that he didn’t want to celebrate something that didn’t change. He didn’t want to admit he’d changed, and that changed their relationship. His explanation for this was he’d not been aware that he could be any other way until he’d seen how she lived in perpetual difference. Her effort to give him an easier existence while ignoring her own struggles had him questioning and rejecting much of his father’s teachings. It’d crossed over into his work life to and several people mentioned it over the months. So much so it became part of the water cooler gossip. Julie only found out about this after they’d gone back to the gym, and she heard the gossip at the juice bar. Michael hadn’t gone with her today as he now often did. Julie still struggled to become used to his constant presence around her. But she knew why this time around she struggled with it. Julie had to fight putting up a mask for the world and in that moment with Michael at the gym, she couldn’t figure
Christiana brought Aria upstairs, showed her the room, and helped her to unpack her things. Aria had to wait an hour before Leon came upstairs to her. But once Christiana ended with that, she gave Aria an odd warning before she left Aria to her own devices. “My dear, you’re not as sweet as you pretend to be, but that’s not a mark against you with me. The problem you will have been with the men of this family. They run this family with an iron fist, and we are not part of the conversation or the family business. So, if you think you will control anything or anyone within this family, then you’ll be walking a thin line between surviving or disappearing within an unfortunate accident. Please be careful what you say and do. This is something we say to all women who enter this family. Think carefully and long. If you stay, learn to keep your head down and your mouth shut. You can do and say anything outside of the family but don’t allow the bad to reflect on the family.”
“Julie love, you fell asleep. We’re here now. Let’s go in for our appointment.” Julie woke up to Michael’s voice. During their trip to her doctor’s appointment, she’d fallen asleep. Today she would talk to the doctor about her pregnancy and what to expect, including her birthing plan. Something she’d been avoiding because it absolutely terrified her. With pain, she had an odd relationship with it. There was no normal response to it for her. It either didn’t register or she was in a world of hurt that no one understood. Medications didn’t seem to work correctly either when dealing with pain. She’d believed that she was imagining this issue for most of her life, but Julie learned not too long ago that wasn’t the case. Her body resisted many pain medications, and she did in fact register pain differently to other people. “Great, let’s get this over with because there’re things I need to get done today.” She’d been grumpy for most of the day. Between
Julie sat there in the conference room with her lawyer. They’d been hashing out exactly how things would go from here on out. Michael had given her a file of documents which gave her terms he was willing to work with and he’d changed all the wording. Her lawyer had to review it all over the last few days and he had admitted to Julie that the generosity in the new offer was off the charts compared to the first time they sat down to get through this. But to stay was more beneficial for both parties. However, he warned her not to do anything if it wasn’t in her heart, or best for her safety. She should do what she believed was best for her and her child. “I will, I promise you that. But I will have to say that things have changed greatly in the last six months. I’m still unsure what changed things. If it was a single event or multiple events, but he’s not the same man. No, before you say it’s temporary, understand he’s happier now with the changes he’s made. It’s