Chapter 2
Julia slept, lost in a dark sea. When she finally surfaced, it felt like an eternity had passed.
She dreamed of Andrew holding Emily's hand with their boy in his arms.
The three of them stood in a blinding light, smiling at her. Their laughter was needles of ice, stabbing straight through her ears. She clapped her hands over them and tried to run, but her feet were glued in place. She couldn't move.
She snapped awake slick with cold sweat.
Andrew sat beside the bed, brow furrowed with worry. Seeing her wake, he leaned in close.
"Julia? Bad dream?" he asked gently.
He reached to wipe the sweat from her forehead. The moment his fingers grazed her skin, she jerked away.
His hand froze in the air, surprise flickering in his eyes before he forced a gentle smile.
"Hey, it's okay. I'm here."
Julia turned to stare at the wall, questioning flatly, "What are you doing here?"
"What else? I was worried about you."
He pulled out a velvet box, revealing a diamond necklace. The pendant, a diamond the size of a small egg, caught the morning light, almost blinding.
"I'm sorry I had to rush out of the funeral. Mason's fever hit 104 ℉. Emily was alone at the hospital, crying her eyes out. I couldn't just..."
"Fine," Julia cut him off.
Her gaze stuck on the necklace. Suddenly her stomach churned with nausea.
He moved the necklace toward her neck. "I took time off work. I'm all yours for the next few days. Try it on? I spent forever picking this out."
Julia turned away. Before she could refuse, his phone rang.
Andrew checked the caller ID. His expression shifted instantly. Phone in hand, he walked quickly to the window, turning his back and lowering his voice.
Julia couldn't see his expression, but she watched him nod and heard the soft reassurance in his tone, just like the way he had been soothing her seconds ago.
A knot tightened in her chest, squeezing the air from her lungs.
A single tear fell onto the back of her hand. She swiped it away.
Andrew ended the call and turned back to her, an apology already forming on his face. "Julia, I have to go home."
He added as his brow creased with genuine panic, "Mom wants Emily to marry into the Grant family in Harbor City. That guy's a notorious playboy. They can't throw her into the fire like that."
Julia watched the real concern in his eyes. Her throat burned.
She wanted to ask, "Is this really just brotherly concern? Was that child really an accident?" But the words died in her throat.
But what was the point? She was already planning to leave him. His answer wouldn't change a thing.
Andrew was already rushing out when he paused at the door. "Rest up, okay? I'll be back as soon as I'm done."
The moment the door clicked shut, Julia curled into a ball, burying her face in her knees.
It was late at night when Andrew finally came back. He dropped onto the couch with a heavy sigh, looking thoroughly defeated.
"Mom says Emily should be grateful the Grant family even wants her, especially since she has a kid. But that guy..."
Julia brought him water, saying softly, "Maybe she doesn't have to marry."
"What do you mean?" Andrew looked up.
"Your family just needs an adopted daughter for this alliance. It doesn't have to be Emily."
She traced circles on the glass, murmuring, "Just send someone else. As long as she's your adopted sister, what's the difference?"
Andrew's eyes lit up. He jumped to his feet. "Julia, you're brilliant! I'll start looking into..."
"No need," Julia replied, her eyes as deep as a still lake. "I have a friend. She'd be perfect."
"Really?" Andrew blurted out, hope sparking in his voice.
He was ecstatic, pacing the room and rubbing his hands together. "The wedding is in a month. Perfect timing! Julia, I don't know what I'd do without you."
He kept rambling excitedly, but Julia had already checked out.
She lowered her eyes and curled her fists.
Her wedding to Andrew was also scheduled for a month later.
There was no "perfect friend."
She was going to be the one to marry into the Grant family in Harbor City.
The farther from Andrew, the better. Ideally, they would never meet again.