Chapter 6

The off-white lace sofa cover Chelsea'd carefully chosen was gone, replaced by a tacky red blanket with oversized roses, wrinkled and thrown haphazardly across the couch.

The small watercolor she'd had a friend bring back from Shorell was taken down, and in its place hung a garishly colored, poorly printed landscape, crooked on the wall.

Even the plain coasters on the coffee table had been replaced with bright red plastic ones.

Fury exploded inside Chelsea, as if someone had brazenly invaded her personal space.

"Who did this?!" she snapped, her voice ringing through the room.

Julianna peeked out from the kitchen, a rag still in her hand. She put on a timid face, but her eyes showed no real fear. "Oh, Chelsea, you're back. I replaced them."

"Who said you could touch my things?" Chelsea's voice was ice-cold. "This is my home. Every single thing here is picked out by me!"

"Chelsea." Arthur barged in, instantly stepping in front of Julianna like he was her shield. He scowled at Chelsea. "Why are you freaking out? Julianna was being thoughtful.

"She said the place looked too dull, so she wanted to brighten it up, make it feel more welcoming. What's so wrong with that? Do you have to go off like this?"

Seeing them standing there, united against her, Chelsea finally lost it. Her patience and sanity snapped for good.

Chelsea was done talking. She stormed over, ripped the tacky red blanket off the couch, balled it up, and hurled it out the door.

Next, she tore down the painting, smashing the frame so hard that glass flew everywhere. Then she grabbed those cheap plastic coasters, tossing them out, too, not caring about the mess.

"Get out!" Chelsea jabbed her finger at the door, screaming at Arthur and Julianna. "Both of you, get out of my house. Right now. Don't let me see you here again."

Arthur had never seen Chelsea so furious and out of control. The cold, ruthless look in her eyes unsettled him in a way he couldn't explain.

Julianna was even more terrified. She shrank behind Arthur, trembling and sniffling in fear.

Arthur started to say something, but under Chelsea's murderous glare, he awkwardly shut his mouth and dragged Julianna out of the house.

They left, humiliated and defeated.

Chelsea sank onto the couch, surrounded by the mess, feeling utterly exhausted. Her body numb, a cold emptiness settling deep in her bones.

She had no idea how much time had passed when the door clicked open. Arthur came back alone.

Chelsea looked up, her voice icy. "Where's Julianna?"

Arthur walked over and sat down across from her, his tone soft and affectionate. "I sent her away. I bought her a ticket and sent her back to her village. Chelsea, I've thought it through. I can't let an outsider come between us.

"I was wrong to let her move in and upset you. From now on, it's just the two of us. Let's make this work, okay?"

Chelsea stared at him, stunned, unable to believe what she was hearing.

He sent her away? Just like that?

Late at night, Chelsea woke up to find the bed next to her empty, the covers cold as ice.

Arthur wasn't there.

Feeling uneasy, Chelsea got up and threw on her robe.

She went to the window and heard faint rustling coming from outside, near the old patch of grass. Mixed in were low, muffled voices, like someone was trying hard not to be heard.

Carefully, Chelsea unlatched the door and slipped out.

The summer night's moonlight was faint, but it was enough to outline two figures entwined in a heated embrace at the edge of the overgrown patch.

Chelsea would know that back anywhere. It was Arthur.

And the woman tangled up in his arms, her clothes disheveled, letting out those barely suppressed moans? It was Julianna, the very woman Arthur claimed he'd sent away just hours ago.

They were actually hooking up right here, practically in the backyard.

Chelsea felt a wave of icy nausea crash over her, so strong her knees nearly buckled.

She clamped a hand over her mouth, nails digging into her palm, to keep herself from making a sound.

But what really made her blood run cold was the conversation that drifted over, broken and muffled.

"Arthur... I think I'm pregnant. What am I supposed to do?" Julianna's voice was a mix of tears and coquetry. "Are you... going to send me back to the village? They'll ruin me there, tear me apart..."

"Shh, keep your voice down." Arthur panted, his breath ragged. "I'd never send you away. That was a trick to keep Chelsea off my back. Baby, just hang in there a little longer. Right now, I have to play along with her, keep her happy. My promotion to deputy director depends on her dad giving the go-ahead.

"Once that's settled, and I'm solid at the factory and have real power and status, I'll dump her without a second thought. Then I'll make it official with you, give you and the baby a good life, and you'll never have to put up with anyone's crap again..."

"Really? Arthur, you're so good to me..." Julianna's voice turned even more seductive, and the sounds that followed were even more explicit, mixed with Arthur's vague promises and Julianna's eager responses.