He Kept Postponing Our Marriage for Her Crises… So I Ended It Myself Chapter 05
“Fine. The doctor said the first two weeks of Chloe’s rehab are critical, and she needs you around
for it. So just cooperate. Please.”
His voice cracked, barely. Almost soft.
“And Arthur… I won’t go too far. I know where to draw the line.”
Silence from the other side. Assuming she was giving him the silent treatment, he reached for the
basement door handle.
Ms. Jenkins hurried over before he could open it. “Sir, Miss Mercer is awake. She’s crying for you
Julian’s hand stopped on the door handle.
He closed his eyes for a beat. “I’ve got it.”
But before he went up, he turned back.
“Bring some bedding down to my wife. And warm water.”
“And the pastries I asked you to set aside tonight, bring those too. She didn’t eat.”
“And don’t let Chloe find out about any of this. It could set her back.”
Ms. Jenkins hesitated, then nodded. “Yes, sir.”
She headed for the storage room to find the bedding.
Julian went upstairs and opened the guest bedroom door.
Chloe was sitting up in bed. The second she saw him, she hurled a pillow at his chest. “Where did you go? Did you go see the mean lady? You don’t want Chloe now?”
Julian caught it, sat on the edge of the bed, and softened his voice the way you would for a scared kid. “No, sweetheart. I heard a noise downstairs. That’s all.”
“Liar! You’re a liar!”
Chloe flung herself into his arms, tears streaking down her face. “Julian, you don’t want Chloe anymore, right? Chloe’s broken. Chloe’s not good anymore. The mean lady’s better. You want her now, don’t you?”
“Never.” Julian rubbed her back, his voice almost nothing. “You’re the good one. You always hav
been.”
Chloe locked her arms around his neck, the same way she had for that entire week.
She pressed her mouth to his neck and sucked hard.
Julian held still. He didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away. His jaw tightened, a hard swallow the only sign of
his tension.
He hated it.
Every mark Chloe left on his neck was another nail in the coffin. Every word he’d ever said to Audrey Hayes about Chloe being “just like a sister”, gone. Ruined.
But he didn’t have a choice.
The Brooks family and the Crawfords had both closed in on him, demanding answers.
Locking Audrey in the basement looked like punishment. That was the point. What it really was, though, was the only way to keep her out of their reach.
The Crawfords wanted her. He couldn’t give her up.
The Brooks family wanted someone to pay, so he put on a show for them.
Keeping her locked beneath his own roof, right where he could keep an eye on her, was the only protection he could offer.
And Arthur? Julian had already found out that someone was waiting at the airport. The second Arthur tried to board a plane, they’d take him.
He’d taken the passport and tickets himself, not to punish Arthur, but to keep him from walking straight into their trap.
But he couldn’t tell her any of it.
If Audrey knew the truth, she’d run straight into the fire to get Arthur out.
And if both of them ended up caught, he wouldn’t be able to save either one.
Chloe nuzzled into his chest.
She lifted her head, eyes wet and wide. “The mean lady, how long is she staying down there? You’re
going to keep her locked up forever, right?”
Julian’s gaze dropped. Whatever he was feeling, he buried it.
A beat passed before he answered. “A month. For now.”
“A month’s too short!” Chloe stuck out her lower lip. “You said she’s the one who made Chloe like this. So how is a month enough?”
“That’s enough.” Julian’s tone went sharp for half a second before he caught it and smoothed it out.
“Come on, sweetheart. Sleep. We’ll figure it out tomorrow.”
Chloe opened her mouth again, but Julian was already reaching for the lamp. The room went dark.
Chloe caught his fingers and held on, mumbling against the pillow. “You’re not allowed to leave.”
He almost smiled. He was about to say yes when a scream tore up from the basement.
“Sir! Oh God, sir, come quick!”
