Chapter 2
Julian wrapped a careful arm around Martha’s shaking shoulders, pulling her fragile body closer against his chest. Every muscle in his body was coiled tight, ready to spring. He glared up at Chloe, who hadn’t moved an inch from her spot near the decorative marble pillar. She still held the wooden broom like a prop in a play, her posture entirely relaxed.
“You lock her up?” Julian’s voice dropped to a low, dangerous growl, vibrating with a rage he had never experienced before. “You starved her, Chloe? While I was away working to support this household, you treated my mother like a prisoner in her own home?”
Chloe sighed, a theatrical sound of mild disappointment, as if Julian were a child throwing a tantrum over a broken toy. She leaned her hip against the pillar, the red satin slip dress shimmering under the chandelier lights. “Julian, honey, you are listening to the ravings of a confused old woman. Her mind has been slipping for months. You know the doctor said her memory is failing. She probably fell against the banister and imagined the rest. You shouldn’t let her delusions upset your workday.”
“Liar!” Elena shouted. The young maid scrambled to her feet, her face flushed with righteous anger. She pointed a trembling finger directly at Chloe, then reached into the pocket of her black and white apron. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she pulled out a sleek smartphone and held it up high so the screen caught the harsh overhead light. “She didn’t fall! And she isn’t crazy! Look at this, Mr. Julian. Check the blue sewing boxes in the guest closet, and check the hidden cameras she didn't know were there!”
On the bright screen of the smartphone, a high-resolution photograph was clearly displayed. It showed a bedroom bathed in dim afternoon light. Chloe was wrapped in the arms of a tall, muscular stranger, her lips locked in a passionate kiss with a man who was definitely not Julian. The details were undeniable, captured from a downward angle that left no room for interpretation.
Julian stared at the phone, the breath knocked completely out of his lungs. The room seemed to tilt on its axis. He slowly stood up from his kneeling position beside Martha, his knees popping in the dead silence. He left his suitcase behind, walking in a slow, robotic trance until he stood face-to-face with Chloe. Only inches separated them now. He could smell her expensive perfume, a sweet scent that suddenly made him feel violently sick to his stomach.
Chloe’s smile finally vanished. Her eyes flicked down to the smartphone screen, then back up to Julian’s wide, shell-shocked eyes. She didn't flinch.
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With a voice barely louder than a whisper, Julian asked the only question left in his shattered mind. “Chloe... Who is that man standing beside you?”
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