Chapter 3

The front door slammed with a thunderous crash, shaking the whole house. Edward strode to the window, then spun around and grabbed me off the bed.

"Julia Miller, what the hell are you trying to do? Who said you could fire Briella?" he shouted. "What right do you have to meddle in the company's affairs?"

When we started the company, Edward fired a manager for being rude to me. "This company belongs to both of us. No one can disrespect you," he once told me.

But now, all because of Briella, he was giving me that look, saying I had no right to meddle in.

My heart ached with jealousy as I finally spoke, "Do you really like her that much?"

Edward froze, a flicker of panic flashing in his eyes. "Like her? What are you even talking about? Julia, could you not twist things?"

His words just made everything feel so absurd to me.

Who's actually twisting things here?

I looked up at him, my gaze dripping with mockery. "Edward, do you seriously think I'm an idiot? After all these years, you really think I don't know you? I saw everything with my own eyes that day."

Edward froze, completely stunned, his eyes filled with utter disbelief.

I picked up the divorce papers from the nightstand and handed them to him. "Let's get divorced. You know I can't tolerate even the slightest betrayal."

Edward grabbed the divorce papers and ripped them to pieces. "Julia, I'm never going to divorce you."

I couldn't figure out why, after all this, he wouldn't agree to a divorce.

Seeing the look in my eyes, Edward just curled his lips into a half-smirk. "Yeah, I cheated. But you know, we've been together for more than ten years. We're just... too familiar with each other.

"It's gotten to the point where holding your hand feels like I'm just holding my own. I'm a man. I need more than just comfort. I need excitement.

"Briella brings back that spark and makes me feel alive again. I won't lie. I do like her. But I'm not divorcing you."

I stared hard at Edward, my voice trembling. "Edward, how can you even say that? Do you still have your conscience?"

Edward took my hand, his tone gentle, just like always. "Julia, even if I don't love you anymore, we're still family, still friends. You know that. We're so much a part of each other. It's like we're in each other's blood. I'm not divorcing you."

I slapped Edward hard across the face and lashed out at him, hitting and scratching like I'd gone completely crazy.

I didn't know how long it went on, but finally, Edward shoved me onto the bed. "Have you finished making a scene yet? I can't stand you when you're like this.

"We're not out there hustling for turf anymore. Why are you still so damn crude? You wanna know why I like Briella? It's because she's nothing like you."

Ever since I was a kid, I had to grow thorns just to make it through.

Whenever someone tried to push me around, I'd fight back with everything I had.

Just for that future that Edward kept promising me, I'd scrape for every cent, never letting anyone take advantage of me.

He said I was nothing like Briella. Of course, I was not like her.

Edward shot me a cold, hard stare. "I'm not divorcing you. If you can't stand me cheating, then go find someone for yourself. We could just have an open marriage. If you can't handle that, don't say I didn't give you the option."

I stared at Edward, completely stunned, my eyes growing blurry with tears.

He knew exactly how much I loved him and was so sure I'd never even think about cheating on him.

That's why he could say all this so fearlessly.

The moment his phone rang, the icy look on Edward's face vanished. He spoke softly into the phone, "Hang tight. I'll be back soon. Wait for me."

With that, Edward strode out of the room.

I just sat there on the bed, feeling like a shell of myself, until my phone buzzed with a new notification.

Briella's message popped up, her tone full of provocation. [I heard he doesn't even touch you anymore. Bet it sucks being all alone in that big bed, huh?]

[Edward's totally obsessed with me now. He just can't get enough of me.]

[Julia, how long do you really think you can keep calling yourself Mrs. Miller?]

Seeing them all over each other in that video, I felt like my heart turned to ice.

Tears slipped down my cheeks.

I finally made the call I'd never dared to make. "Hey, does your offer still stand?"