Chapter 3

Annie Farley POV:

My first instinct was to bolt, to find a back exit, any escape route from Julian' s predatory gaze. But then I looked at Mrs. Gable. Her face was pale, her hands still trembling, her eyes darting between me and the angry mob outside. She didn' t deserve this. Her small coffee shop, her quiet life, were being shattered because of me.

Julian' s words were a trap, his public display a calculated move. He knew I wouldn't let an innocent person suffer because of his charade. He knew I couldn't stand by while Mrs. Gable was caught in the crossfire.

"I'll handle it, Mrs. Gable," I managed to whisper, my voice hoarse. I hated the sound of it now, so weak, so broken. It was nothing like the voice Julian had stolen from me.

She clutched my arm. "Anna, don't. They're crazy out there. Let me tell them you're not here."

Her kindness, her fear for me, twisted my gut. That was precisely why I had to go out. I couldn't let them hurt her. She was eighty years old, her health fragile.

I pushed open the door and stepped out, into the blinding flashes of cameras, into the howling storm of accusations. The air thickened with hostility. It felt like walking onto an execution block.

"There she is!" someone shrieked. "The plagiarist!"

"Look at her face!" another voice jeered, cruel and close. "That scar makes her even uglier!"

My hand flew to my cheek, a futile attempt to hide the visible proof of my past. The scar, a constant companion, burned under their collective stare.

"You deserve everything you got!" a woman screamed, spitting her words like venom. "You tried to destroy Kaylene's career!"

The chorus of accusations swelled. My head reeled. It was the same script, the same tired lines, just five years later.

Then, a man' s voice, sharp and cutting, sliced through the noise. "And what about your poor grandpa? Died of a broken heart because of you! You killed him!"

That broke me. A wave of nausea washed over me. Grandpa. Always Grandpa. It was the one wound that never healed, the one guilt I carried like a lead cloak. My vision blurred. The faces in the crowd morphed into grotesque masks. Their voices became a distant hum, a meaningless buzz in my ears. I felt like I was drowning.

Julian stood a few feet away, watching. A statuesque figure of calm amidst the chaos. His expression was unreadable, a mask of practiced concern that didn't quite reach his eyes. He orchestrated this. Every single scream, every flash.

Mrs. Gable, bless her heart, tried to push through the crowd to reach me. "Leave her alone! She's a good girl!"

But they were too many, too angry. Someone shoved her. She stumbled, nearly falling backward onto the wet pavement. My heart leaped into my throat.

"Hey!" Julian's voice, suddenly sharp and commanding, cut through the din. He moved, striding forward, his hand catching Mrs. Gable before she hit the ground. His presence was enough. The crowd, momentarily stunned by his intervention, quieted. He held Mrs. Gable gently, then turned to the mob, his face a picture of righteous indignation. "This is not how we treat people. This is not the answer."

His words, meant to sound noble, sickened me. He was playing the hero, calming the very beast he unleashed. The irony was a bitter taste in my mouth. He glanced at me, his eyes holding a silent message: See? I' m still here to save you.

I knelt beside Mrs. Gable, checking her for injuries. "Are you okay?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. Her frail body trembled against mine.

Julian dismissed his security detail, who quickly began to push the crowd back, creating a small bubble of space around us. Then he turned his full attention to me. "Annie," he said, his voice softer now, almost tender. "We need to talk."

My stomach clenched. My heart pounded a frantic rhythm against my ribs. "Julian," I said, the name feeling foreign, like a stone in my mouth. It had been years since I'd uttered it.

He flinched. Just a tiny tremor around his eyes. "Annie," he repeated, a hint of accusation in his tone. "Why are you still running? Why are you hiding from me?"