Chapter 6 I Had My Fun

Julian's face turned stormy in a flash.

That night, he'd convinced himself he'd arrived in time to prevent anything terrible from happening. What he hadn't expected was learning that Eloise had pulled the strings behind it all.

Sure, she was bratty and entitled, but this level of cruelty? That was new.

Eloise started panicking, her voice rising as she snapped, "I didn't do anything to you, Katherine! You went to that dinner on your own. You chose to drink! You were just upset my brother wouldn't sleep with you, so you threw yourself at some other man, and now you want to pin the blame on me?"

Katherine let out a chilly laugh. "If you're so innocent, let's get the cops involved. Let them sort out the truth."

The shift in the room was immediate.

Eloise stiffened, clearly shaken.

Get the cops involved? Not a chance. No matter how bad things got, Katherine was still Julian's wife, and if this scandal blew up, it would drag the entire Nash family through the mud.

In a panic, Eloise looked to Julian, hoping he'd bail her out.

But his gaze had already turned icy. "Go get your face looked at first," he said flatly.

He wasn't about to escalate things further. Eloise might be in the wrong, but she'd been slapped. That was punishment enough in his eyes.

To Katherine, his words hit harder than any blow. Her heart sank as a bitter emptiness settled in.

She should've expected this. Even if a random stranger had done this to her, Julian still wouldn't defend her. Honestly, he might've even been relieved it happened.

The room went quiet for a beat until Ivy's voice cut through.

"Julian, I'm to blame," she said, crying softly. "I didn't teach my daughter right. If you're upset, be upset with me. I'll go say sorry to Eloise, okay?"

Katherine didn't move. She was numb to this kind of shame by now.

Julian didn't even acknowledge Ivy. Instead, he looked straight at Katherine. "Come upstairs. My dad wants to see you."

He was only here because his dad had told him to bring Katherine up. He hadn't signed up for this drama.

However, Katherine stood her ground. "We're getting divorced. What's the point in pretending anymore?"

Julian's reply was sharp. "The divorce hasn't been finalized. Whether you really mean it or not, you're still expected to follow through on what's required of you."

Ivy gave Katherine a nervous nudge, trying to get her to comply.

Seeing Katherine's clear resistance made Julian even more annoyed. "Don't test my patience," he said, his voice sharp and cold.

Katherine bit down hard and said nothing. She simply walked ahead without a word.

So this... this was what it felt like when love completely ran dry.

There was a time when just catching a glimpse of him felt like magic. Back then, even a single word from him could brighten her entire day. But now? She watched his lips move and felt nothing-no interest, no hope, not even pain.

They climbed the stairs side by side.

Julian stood next to her, his towering figure casting a shadow over hers, just like their marriage-empty, stifling, and devoid of light.

His scent, all too familiar, clung to the air, making it hard for her to breathe. She instinctively shifted away, trying to create some space.

Julian noticed. He glanced at her sideways, his memory still fresh with how biting her words had been moments ago.

She hadn't always been like this. From the start, she'd played the role of the obedient wife.

But to him, it had always felt fake. She was exactly the type of woman he despised-someone who knew how to charm her way into power, who smiled sweetly while quietly scheming behind the scenes.

And when she'd used his father to corner him into marriage? That had sealed it for him. Disgust didn't even begin to cover it.

As they reached the second floor, Julian suddenly reached out and took her hand.

The warmth of his palm caught Katherine off guard for a moment.

"It's just for show," he said in a flat tone. "Don't read too much into it."

She stayed quiet.

They'd pretended to be a loving couple before-awkward and unconvincing-but it always involved a bit of physical contact.

Katherine took a deep breath and tried to stay composed.

Then Julian added a warning, "Don't say a single word about what happened with Lewis Group's CEO. You know who'll suffer if this gets out."

Every word he said made her feel sick.

She tried to pull her hand free, but he held on tight. In a burst of frustration, she dug her nails into his palm.

He flinched slightly. The sting faded fast, but the fury it sparked didn't.

She snapped back, "Relax. I'm not about to run to your dad and spill everything. It was just one night, right? I got paid, had my fun-no big deal."

Hearing that, Julian went still.