1 The night Julian Thorne brought his adopted sister home, she padded to our bedroom door. The white nightgown she was wearing was dangerously short. "Julian? I'm scared... I can't sleep alone." Julian sighed, got out of our bed, and gently told me to go to sleep. I sat alone in the dark for a long time. Then I called a dozen male models from Ford and told them the party was at my house. … The music and laughter are what finally lured Julian from her room. "Out." His voice was quiet, but it sent an icy chill down everyone's spine. The models scattered. The living room was suddenly empty, save for the two of us. "What is this, Cassia?" Julian asked, his brow furrowed. Behind him, Zoe was still wearing that ridiculous white lace thing, her hair loose, looking like a victim. I leaned back on the sofa, crossed my legs, and sipped my champagne. "Your sister was scared. I just called some people to keep her company." Zoe’s face went pale. "What do you think I am?" I smiled, my voice sweet and sharp. "A shameless little tramp who hits on her own brother?" Julian’s face went cold. "Cassia." Zoe's eyes filled with tears, her body shaking with rage. "Who are you to talk? Everyone knows what you were! A slut! If it wasn't for our families' engagement, my brother would never have married a woman like you!" "Zoe, that's enough!" She recoiled, tears streaming. "You're yelling at me? For her? Didn't you hear how she insulted me? Fine! I'll leave! I'll just go!" She made a dramatic, sobbing dash for the front door, the tiny nightgown practically falling off her. Julian, exasperated, caught her, scooped her up, and carried her back to her room. When he returned, he looked exhausted. "Go to bed, Cassia." I just stared at him, cold. "I'm tired," he said, rubbing his eyes. "I'm exhausted. Can we please not do this?" "Did you hear what your sister called me?" "Zoe's young, she says things she doesn't mean. I'll apologize on her behalf." I laughed, a sharp, ugly sound. "She's not wrong. Our families are well-matched. A merger. An arranged marriage. And I was a party girl, Julian. I never had a shortage of men. Especially beautiful men." His jaw tightened. He crossed the room, pushed me back against the sofa, and gave me a hard, punishing kiss. His voice was a low growl. "Cassia, need I remind you that you are my wife?" I smiled, but my eyes were burning. "And need I remind you who it was that dragged me out of clubs, night after night? Who insisted on being my 'fiancé' when I didn't want one? Who was it that begged and pleaded to marry me?" He softened, resting his forehead against mine. "It was me. It was always me." I pushed him away. "Julian," I said, my voice flat, "it's her or me. Tomorrow, she's gone." I slammed the bedroom door. The next morning, Zoe was at the breakfast table, wearing Julian's shirt, happily greeting me. "Hi, 'sister!' Good morning!" I froze. The bottom dropped out of my world. 2 Julian, who hadn't set foot in our kitchen in the three years we'd been married, was standing at the stove. In an apron. Making soup. "Cassia, you have to try this! Julian's fish bisque is the best. Anytime I'm upset, he makes it for me, and it fixes everything!" Yesterday she called me a slut. Today she was bragging about how he took care of her. Julian just looked over, as if nothing was wrong. "You're up. Come sit." Did he think I was joking? Or had he already made his choice? I took a deep breath, fighting the nausea and rage, and called my new assistant. "Alex, I need breakfast. A black coffee and a croissant. My desk. Nine AM." I turned and walked out. I heard Zoe's complaint behind me. "I was being nice, and she's still pouting! Whatever. More for me. You made it for me anyway, right, Julian?" On the way to the office, I called my brother. "I want a divorce." "Are you kidding me?" "No." "Did... Julian agree? He fought like hell to marry you, Cassia..." "His opinion doesn't matter," I snapped. "I'm divorcing him." "Okay. Give me a month. I'll get the paperwork started." I threw my phone on the passenger seat and stared at the trees flashing by. This morning, I decided. I’m done, Julian. You and your sister can have each other. After the morning meeting, Julian's assistant, Scott, delivered a massive bouquet of my favorite yellow roses. I glanced at them and handed the vase to my new assistant. "Here. For your desk." Julian, who was waiting in my office, saw the whole thing. I didn't care. I pulled my black card from my wallet and tucked it into Alex’s shirt pocket. "The breakfast was perfect. A reward." Alex just smiled and took it. "Thank you, boss." Julian watched him leave, his face impassive. Then he cornered me, pressing me against my desk. "You know exactly how to make me angry. Is this your revenge?" 3 "Please," I sneered. "If I wanted revenge, I'd have given him a key to my penthouse, not a credit card." Julian’s face softened into a sigh. "I skipped my entire morning agenda to see you. Are you still mad?" He pulled me into his arms. "Cassia, what are you even mad about?" I almost laughed. I'd been furious for twelve hours, and he didn't even know why. I held up my phone. It was a friend request from Zoe. The profile picture was new. It was her, this morning, still wearing his shirt, posing playfully in a field of yellow roses. "The breakfast," I said, my voice dead. "You made it for her. We've been married three years, and you've never even boiled water for me." "The flowers. You sent me one bouquet. You gave her an entire garden." He was silent for a moment. "If that's what this is about, I can cook for you tonight. I can send you..." "Stop it!" I shouted. "Don't you get it? She is crossing a line, Julian! And you're letting her!" He looked baffled. "Cassia, what are you talking about? She's just my sister." "I'm a sister!" I shot back. "I don't prance around my brother's house in lingerie. I don't crawl into his bed at twenty-something years old. And I sure as hell don't leave bite marks on his collarbone." He flinched, his hand instinctively going to his neck. "Last night. Did you think I wouldn't see it?" He actually looked amused. "She's always been like that. She bites. Like a puppy." "I don't want to hear it," I snapped. "You forget, she's not your blood sister." He stiffened. "No, she's not. But don't imply something so disgusting." "Get out." But he just smiled, a slow, infuriating smile. He leaned in. "Cassia. It's been a long time since you were jealous." "I'll tell her to watch herself. Don't be mad. Please?" He knew exactly how to calm me down. I was about to say something when his phone rang. Zoe. 4 He glanced at the screen, sighed, and sent the call to voicemail. He took my hand. "I'll call my parents. I'll have her move back home." His lips brushed my ear. "Come home early. What do you want for dinner? This time, I'll make it just for you." I suddenly remembered him, years ago, dragging me out of a club, his face a mask of anger. But he never yelled. He just held my face, his eyes red-rimmed and desperate. "Cassia, what do I have to do? Just tell me." I softened. "Okay, Julian. I'll trust you. One more time." I squeezed his hand. "But if you lie to me... I will never, ever forgive you." He smiled, kissing my eyelids. "Cassia, I have never lied to you." … When I got home that night, Julian wasn't back. Zoe was on the sofa, radiating anger. "Why didn't you accept my friend request?" I ignored her. "Is there a reason?" "What did you say to him?" she shrieked, blocking my path. "Why is he making me leave?" I didn't want to engage. But she suddenly grabbed a vase and threw it at me. It shattered against my temple. The pain was blinding. I felt glass and rose thorns scrape my face and arms. Just as I stumbled, the front door opened. Zoe grabbed a jagged piece of glass and held it to her own wrist. "I was just trying to apologize!" she screamed at me, tears streaming. "Why do you hate me so much? Is this what you want? Do I have to die to make you happy?" Julian's eyes widened in horror. "Zoe!" "Brother..." she sobbed, "I know I'm the extra one. I won't get in the way of your happiness. I won't..." Blood welled up. Julian's face went white. He'd never looked so terrified. "Don't be stupid! I'm taking you to the hospital!" He swept her into his arms. He didn't even look at me. Panic seized me. "Julian! She's faking! She did this to herself!" He was already out the door. I slid down the wall, my legs giving out. My heart felt like it had been cut, too.
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