I’d always seen through Camille’s act. I never called her out because, truthfully, I liked the thrill o it–that feeling of skating right along the edge without falling over.
And Julia? She knew. She always knew.
She’d climbed every rung beside me. She understood how my brain worked, how I rationalized things. Every excuse I threw out, every line I flirted with–Julia saw it all for what it was.
She wasn’t naive. She was just waiting for me to turn around and choose her again.
Julia gave me a thousand chances to get it right, and I burned through every single one.
In ten thousand and one ways, I failed her,
My chest ached as the words came out.
“You can resign. The company will make sure you get every penny you’re owed. I’ll have Nora, the HR Manager, reach out to you tomorrow.”
I turned and walked away from Camille without another glance.
I didn’t see her expression or catch the flicker of bitterness burning behind her eyes.
Julia’s POV
It was a typical day at Henderson & Steele LLP when Rafael swung open my office door with that playful grin.
“Julia, your ex–husband rejected my friend request.”
He dropped onto the edge of my desk, sulking like a big, dramatic dog.
Meanwhile, Lila slept peacefully beside me, her tiny breaths rising and falling softly.
I glanced at her first and then turned to Rafael with a sharp look.
“If he didn’t accept, just let it go,” I said firmly. “The divorce is signed. It’s final.”
Rafael reached out and twisted a strand of my hair around his finger, his eyes softening as they fell on my daughter’s peaceful face.
“Why’d you rush back to work? Didn’t we agree Lila should be a bit older first?” he asked.
I paused mid–keystroke, tapping a key automatically.
“Since I’ve got time, I might as well get reacquainted,” I replied. “I’m not some pampered house pet.”
He gave me a slow nod. “That’s the Julia I remember.”
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted our moment.
An intern peeked in. “Attorney Henderson, there’s a man outside asking for you by name.”
I frowned. My position here was entirely confidential
Only one person could’ve tracked me down.
With that, I walked into the reception area to find Adrian pacing grooves into the floor.
Chapter R
2:04 pm
He froze the instant our eyes locked. “Julia..you’re really here.”
Then Adrian turned to look past me, and I saw the shock in his gaze when he saw Rafael beside
- me.
“You?”
Rafael stood up casually. “Long time no see, Callahan.”
My heart skipped.
Rafael was my junior in college, and Adrian was from the finance department next door.
They weren’t supposed to have any connection.
Adrian took a breath, clearly unwilling to make a public scene.
“Julia,” he said, his tone direct, not tender, “come back with me. The firm’s hours are brutal. Hov will you manage with Lila here?”
Adrian’s gaze dropped to her, and I could see he was using our daughter like a lifeline.
Lila had become the connection that still bound us, and a mother knows that this tie is
unbreakable.
‘Lila’s still young. She needs her dad. You don’t want her growing up in a broken home, do you? I’ve let Camille go. We can still fix this, right? Get off work together, go grocery shopping, come home like before.”
That stung, but I forced a steady exhale and sat down on the couch.
‘There’s no going back, Adrian. I grew up in a broken home. I know exactly what that pain feels ike. I won’t let Lila go through it.”
paused, locking eyes with him. “Do you remember what happened the day I was discharged rom the hospital after giving birth?”
He blinked but still didn’t respond.
My incision was still hurting. I reached out to you for support, but you shook me off. And then Camille appeared in front of me. That was the first time I met her.”
tilted my head slightly, watching him swallow hard.
You forgot? You once told me you’d never hire a female assistant.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, and I saw that he’d forgotten or chosen to forget every wound, every romise, every detail.
But I remembered. Every single one.
