Chapter 9 - JULIAN’S LIE
“When did you know?”
Julian looked at me.
“Claire—”
“When?”
“In the car.”
I felt something crack.
“You knew before we walked in.”
“About three minutes before.”
“And you didn’t tell me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I saw Mason’s name on the welcome sign.”
“And?”
“I froze.”
“That’s not an answer.”
He ran a hand through his hair.
“I needed to know if Vanessa was really the bride.”
“So you used me to walk into this room.”
His face tightened.
“Yes.”
The honesty somehow made it worse.
I laughed once.
“Fantastic.”
“Claire.”
“No. Don’t.”
“I should have told you.”
“You think?”
“Yes.”
Mason leaned against the doorway, enjoying every second.
Julian looked at him.
“Get out.”
Mason smiled.
“Not your room.”
“This isn’t your conversation.”
“It became mine when you lied to her.”
I looked at Mason.
“And you can shut up too.”
His smile disappeared.
Good.
I turned back to Julian.
“Why did you come in?”
His voice softened.
“Because five years ago I lost everything in about two weeks.”
I said nothing.
“My company. My apartment. Most of my friends. Vanessa told people I scared her. Mason backed her story. Nobody wanted to work with me.”
Vanessa stood frozen near the door.
Julian continued.
“I spent years trying to rebuild. Theater was the first place where nobody knew my name.”
“Hart.”
He nodded.
“I started over.”
“And tonight?”
“Tonight I saw the two people who wrecked my life standing under a sign with their names in gold.”
His voice broke slightly.
Just enough to make me angry and sad at the same time.
“I wanted to turn the car around.”
“Why didn’t you?”
He looked at me.
“Because you were sitting beside me talking about how nervous you were.”
I swallowed.
“You said you didn’t want Mason to see that he could still hurt you.”
I remembered.
Julian continued.
“And I thought, maybe for once, he shouldn’t get what he wants.”
“That still doesn’t give you the right to hide this from me.”
“No.”
He didn’t defend himself.
That mattered.
Not enough.
But it mattered.
“I’m sorry.”
I looked away.
Mason laughed softly.
“Beautiful.”
I spun toward him.
“What?”
“You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Find broken men and try to fix them.”
For a second, I couldn’t speak.
Then Julian moved.
Fast.
He crossed the room before I realized what he was doing and grabbed Mason by the front of his tuxedo.
“Say one more thing to her.”
Mason shoved him.
“I knew you were still crazy.”
Julian shoved back.
A chair fell.
Vanessa screamed.
Security rushed in.
I stepped between them.
“Stop!”
Julian immediately backed away.
Mason pointed at him.
“Get him out.”
Security looked uncertain.
I said, “He’s my guest.”
“This is my wedding!”
“And I’m leaving.”
That shut Mason up.
I picked up my purse.
Nora stood.
“I’m coming.”
I shook my head.
“No. Stay.”
“Claire—”
“I need air.”
Julian looked at me.
“I’ll go.”
“Yes.”
Pain flashed across his face.
But he nodded.
I walked past him.
Past Mason.
Past Vanessa.
Then Vanessa grabbed my hand.
“Claire.”
I pulled away.
She whispered, “If you leave now, Mason wins.”
I stared at her.
“You’re marrying him.”
Her eyes filled.
And she said something I never expected.
“I know.”
May you like
Then she looked toward Mason.
“And I think I made the biggest mistake of my life.”
