He Wanted Me Hidden, I Became Untouchable Chapter 04
I never expected Lauren Vale to find me before I found Julian.
Lauren recognized me almost immediately. Wearing a designer gown, she stepped directly into my path.
“You must be Luna Bennett.”
I frowned. “You know me?”
“Surprised?” Lauren looked completely at ease. One hand rested meaningfully on her stomach. “Julian Ashford is my husband, at least on paper. As his wife, I have every right to know what’s going on in his life, including…”
She paused, then finished softly, “His mistress.”
My hand curled into a fist before I could stop it.
“So you knew about Julian and me all along?”
Lauren lifted her chin and smiled. “Yes. I knew from the beginning.”
“I know exactly what kind of man Julian is. He’s controlling and hates anyone interfering in his life, so there was no point in making a scene.”
“Besides, he never withholds anything I’m entitled to. Love, a title, power, status. He hasn’t given any of it to anyone else.”
“What else could I possibly want?”
I opened my mouth, then fell silent.
If Julian had given Lauren all the love that was supposed to be hers, what had he given me?
What had three years with me meant to him?
Lauren saw the way I faltered and continued.
“Do you know why Julian suddenly came back to Harbor City?”
I’d never asked myself that question.
Julian had spent years traveling between the two cities. He always said it was for work, and it wasn’t unreasonable for a man to put his career first.
I had never asked him to revolve his life around me.
So when he said he would miss my birthday because he had to attend a dinner, I hadn’t complained.
But now Lauren watched me and said each word clearly.
“Because I’m pregnant.”
The words hit me like a clap of thunder. I stared up at her in disbelief, the question rising to my lips before I could stop it. “So?”
“Did you come here to show off?”
“To tell me how much Julian loves you?”
But did Lauren even need to show off?
She was Julian’s wife. His child growing inside her was the most natural thing in the world.
I was the one who had no place there.
What was I, anyway? What right did I have to ask for anything?
“You know, Julian loves this baby. The day we got the test results, he set up a charitable foundation in the baby’s name. He said he wanted to do some good for the child.”
That explained it. I gave a bitter laugh at my own expense.
Baycrest was still being developed back then, so it hadn’t been built up much. And it sat right on the coast.
At night, you could lie on the beach and see a sky full of stars.
Julian loved watching the stars with me. He also loved playing in the sand with the kids nearby.
I had assumed that meant he liked children, so I tested the waters. “Julian, do you like kids?”
He had looked at me for a long moment before answering.
“No.”
Now I finally understood.
It wasn’t that Julian didn’t like children. It was that I was never supposed to be the one who gave him a child. I could never be that woman.
I didn’t want to engage with Lauren anymore.
Everything that had happened today had knocked me off balance. I needed a minute to clear my head.
But just as I turned to leave, Lauren suddenly grabbed my arm. I instinctively yanked my wrist free.
She lost her balance and stumbled back two steps, one heel sliding across the floor.
She hit the ground hard.
A passing server immediately rushed over to help her up. “Ms. Vale, are you all right?”
“Get away from me!” Lauren hissed. The moment she was on her feet, she raised her hand and slapped me.
She moved too fast for me to dodge.
“Smack.”
The slap landed squarely against my cheek.
A hot, stinging pain spread across my face.
By the time Julian reached us, he had seen everything. He almost stepped forward, but his assistant reminded him that a paparazzo was nearby. Julian weighed the consequences and stopped.
I let out a quiet, bitter laugh at my own expense.
I’d actually been waiting for Julian to come over and defend me, the way he always used to.
But I’d forgotten.
My Julian was dead.
The man standing there now was only Lauren Vale’s husband.
I walked past him, ready to leave. Julian lowered his voice. “Come home. I’ll explain everything…”
I cut him off calmly. “Don’t bother.”
“Julian, we’re done.”
