Chapter 135
Catherine’s POV
I looked for Julian in his room but he wasn’t there. I checked outside, he wasn’t there either.
The library was the only place I hadn’t checked yet. I found him there but he wasn’t reading. He was standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, staring out at the gardens with a drink in his hand.
“Julian?” I stayed by the door, afraid that if I moved too close, I would disturb the silence. “About the other night… I— I shouldn’t have blamed you the way I did. I was just too tired and angry, so I took it out on you. I’m sorry p>
He didn’t turn around. He took a slow sip of his drink, his voice sounding hollow when he finally spoke. “No need to apologize because I fully understand you. Your anger was valid. Most of the things you say when you’re angry at me usually are p>
The lack of bite in his voice hurt worse than a shout. Usually, he’d look at me with a smile and even pull me in for a hug but he did none of that.
“You don’t have to hide the fact that you are mad at me. I know I was wrong and my words hurt you,” I whispered, stepping further into the room.
“It’s okay if you chose to stay mad at me. You can forgive me whenever you want but for now, we need to talk p>
I had to get to the point, to the fire that was currently consuming my sanity. He didn’t respond but I continued. “Julian, about this morning… about what Richard said. The Gala. We have to do something. We can’t let him parade her around like she belongs here. Like she belongs with you p>
The thought of Lucy’s hand on his arm, of her smiling for the cameras while I was tucked away in some dark corner, made my blood boil with a jealousy I couldn’t suppress. She could take everything else but not Julian. I couldn’t just stand and watch her mark my place in his life.
“We aren’t doing anything,” Julian’s reply felt sudden and out of place.
I blinked, sure I had misheard him. “What? What do you mean by that p>
“There is nothing that we can do about what Richard wants. I’m going to the Gala with Lucy by my side. I’m going to let the photographers take their pictures, and I’m going to play the part of the reformed son p>
“You can’t be serious!” I crossed the room, grabbing his arm to force him to look at me. “Julian, look at me! You’re going to let her win? You’re going to let Richard use you like a pawn? She called you a thief! She’s trying to dismantle this family from the inside p>
“The family is already dismantled!” Julian finally turned, and the look in his eyes stopped my breath. They were dead. “Richard has won, Catherine. He’s always won. I’ve spent my entire life trying to find a crack in his armor, and all I’ve done is get myself bloodied. I’m tired. I’m just… tired of fighting him p>
“But we’re a team,” I pleaded with a cracking voice. “If we stand together, if we refuse to go along with this ’reconciliation’ lie, he can’t force us p>
“He can force us to do whatever he wants!” Julian’s voice rose, a sudden flash of his old fire, but it was scorched and bitter. “He owns the house, the name, the foundation, and apparently, he owns the truth. If he wants Lucy to be the star of the show, then she is. Just let it be or you will get hurt too p>
“I won’t,” I said, my jaw tightening. “I won’t sit back and watch her take everything. I won’t watch her take you p>
Julian’s face contorted. For a second, I thought he might grab me, might shake some sense into me, but he just gripped his glass so hard I thought it would snap.
“Stop it,” he growled, his voice vibrating with a dangerous edge. “Stop acting like there’s a version of this where we come out on top. There isn’t. Now leave me alone before I say something we both regret p>
He didn’t wait for my response. He slammed the glass down on a side table and stormed past me. He didn’t look back. He didn’t check to see if I was okay. He just left me in the library, surrounded by the weight of a defeat I wasn’t ready to accept.
How could he? Was he just going to accept Richard’s demand like that? No! This can’t be happening.
The first sob broke out before I could reach the door. I ran, my vision blurring with hot, stinging tears. I didn’t want to cry but I couldn’t hold the pain I was feeling. I hated the way Julian had looked at me like I was a ghost he was haunted by. I hated that he was so willing to give up on us.
I rounded the corner toward the grand staircase, desperate to get to my bedroom, when I collided with someone.
I recoiled, wiping my eyes frantically, but it was too late. Lucy was standing there, a silk scarf draped over her arm, watching me with the predatory intensity of a hawk. The smell of her perfume was just as toxic as her.
“Oh, look at this,” she murmured, a slow, cruel smile spreading across her face. She reached out, her fingers hovering just inches from my damp cheek. “I’ve only been back for a day and a few hours, Catherine, and you’re in tears already p>
I tried to push past her, but she stepped into my path, her eyes gleaming with a terrifying triumph.
“Don’t worry, honey, I’m just getting started. You will get used to the salt,” she whispered, her voice dropping to a chilling silkiness. “Trust me, it’s going to be easy. I’m sure you’re breaking down over the breakfast seating chart, meaning there will be more reasons for you to bawl your eyes out in the coming days p>
She let out a short laugh and walked away, leaving me sobbing in the hallway.