APTER030 OLIVIASPOV Iwalkedinto thehugelaundryroom,balancingaheavybasketinmyhands.Itwasfilledwithmydirtyclothes,mostlydressesIhadworninthepastweek.Themaidshadofferedtodomylaundryforme,butIhadrefused.Itwasntabouttheworkitselfitwasabouthavingsomecontroloversomething,nomatterhowsmall.
EversinceIleftAdrian,mylifehasbeenanythingbutstable.EverythingfeltuncertainlikeIwaswalkingonthinice.Butatleast here,inJuliansmansion,Icoulddosmalltaskslikethis,thingsthatmademefeellikeI wasntcompletelyhelpless.
Isetthebasketdownandbeganseparatingtheclothes,tossingafewpiecesintothewashingmachine.AsIgrabbedahandfulofunderwear,myphonevibratedonthecountertop.Iwipedmyhandsonmydressbeforepickingitup,glancingatthe caller ID.
Mom.
Isighed.ShemusthavegonetomyapartmentandfoundoutIwasntthere.IhadnttoldanyonethatIwasstayingwithJulian,notevenmyfamily.AndIknewexactlywhyshewascalling.
Takingadeepbreath,Ipressedtheanswerbuttonandliftedthephonetomyear.Hi,Mom.
Olivia,darling,wherehaveyoubeen?herworriedvoicecamethroughimmediately.
Ihesitatedforasecondbeforereplying.Imatafriendsplace.Doyouneedsomething? Afriendsplace?sherepeated,hertonesharpwithdisapproval.Whyareyoustayingwithafriendwhenyoushouldbeinyourhusbandshouse? Iclenchedmyjaw.Herewegoagain.
Mom,werenotdoingthis.
Oh,wearedoingthis,sheinsisted.Adrianhasbeenpatientwithyou,Olivia.Hesgivenyouspacebutenoughisenough.Itstimeforyoutostopactinglikeachildandgobacktoyourhusband.
Irolledmyeyes.Ofcourse,shewastakingAdriansside.Mymotheralwayshadthisfantasyaboutaperfectmarriage,asifrelationshipswere somethingyoujustenduredforthesakeofappearances.

Iopenedmymouthtoargue,butbeforeguldsayanything,anothercallbeepedin.Ipulledthephoneawayfrommyearandlookedatthescreen.Andtomysuprise,IsawthenameoftheonepersonIleastexpectedtocallme Adrian.
Mystomachtwisteduncomfortably.Whywashecallingmenow? Olivia?Areyouevenlisteningtome?Momsvoicesnappedmeoutofmythoughts.
TheressomethingimportantIneedtotakecareof,Mom.Wecantalkaboutthislater,Isaidquickly.
Theresnothingmoreimportantthanthis… Bye,Mom,Icutheroff,endingthecallbeforeshecouldsayanythingelse.
Adrianscallwasstillringing.Istaredatthescreenforamoment,debatingwhetherIshouldignoreit.Apartofmewantedtoletitgotovoicemail,toavoidtheconversationentirely.Butanotherpartofmewascurious.
Takingadeepbreath,Ianswered.
Foramoment,therewassilenceontheline.Thenhisfamiliardeepvoicecamethrough.
Hello,Olivia.
Iswallowedhard.Itfeltstrangehearinghisvoiceafteralmostamonth.Whatdoyouwant,Adrian?Iasked,myvoicesharperthanIintended.
Whatdoyoumean?AreyousayingIcantcalltocheckuponmydearwife? Iletoutadrylaugh.Wife?Youlostmeasawifethedayyoudecidedtosleepwithanotherwoman.
Ohreally?hesaid,asmugnesscreepingintohistone.Letmeeducateyouonsomething,Olivia.Youmightthinkthatway,butlegally,yourestillmywife.Untilthosedivorcepapersaresigned,nothinghaschanged.
Igrittedmyteeth.Trustme,onceIputafewthingstogether,thosepaperswillbeonyourdoorstep.

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Therewasabriefsilencebeforeheletoutalowchuckle.Whyareyoubeingsomean? 1 Iscoffed.Mean?Youtreatedmelikeastrangerforyears,Adrian.Doyouevenhearyourself?Istoppedforafewseconds,hewasalreadymakingmelosemytemperandIdidntwanthimtoaffectmylifeanymore.
Hmm.Hepausedforasecondasifchoosinghisnextwordscarefully.Iwantustotalk.
Well,weretalkingnow.Saywhatyouwant.
No,Imeaninperson.
Ifrowned.Youwanttoseeme? Yes.
Ihesitated.AndwhywouldIcometoseeyou ? Hisvoicedroppedintosomethingcolder,moreserious.Thisisntarequest,Olivia.If 2/3 CHAPTER030 you wantthosefundsIinvestedinyourparentscompanytostaythere,youllcometoseeme.Illsendyoutheaddress.
Blackmail.
Ofcourse.
Ipinchedthebridgeofmynose,feelingfrustrationcreepin,IknewAdrianwasntthetypetojustaskforsomethinghealwayshadleverage.Andrightnow,myfamilysfinancialstabilitywasthatleverage.
Iletoutaslowexhale.Fine.Sendmethetimeandplace.
Therewasanotherlowchucklefromhisend.Illseeyousoon! Andwiththat,heendedthecall.
Istaredatmyphone,myfingerstighteningaroundit.

WasIreallygoingtoseetheonepersonamtryingtogetawayfrom? Moreimportantly,wasitsafe? Themenwhotriedtotakemebeforetheywerestilloutthere.Ididntknowiftheyhadgivenupsearchingforme.Iftheyhadbeensentbysomeoneelse.MeetingAdrianmeantsteppingintoadangeroussituation,nomatterhowIlookedatit.
ButIalsoknewonethingforsureJulianwouldntlikethis.Atall.
Asoftbeepinterruptedmythoughts.Iglanceddownatmyphone.
Adrian:Meetmeat7PM.Herestheaddress.
Igroanedundermybreath.Thisevening?Hecouldnthavegivenmeatleastadayto prepare.
NowIhadtofigureouthowtotellJulian.
Iturnedbacktothe washingmachine,pressingthebuttonstostartthecyclebefore.leavingthelaundryroom.MyfeetcarriedmethroughthehallsofJuliansmansion, my-mindalreadypreparingfortheargumentIwasabouttohave.
Asexpected,Ifoundhimoutside,sittinginthegardenwithhislaptop.
HelookedupasIapproached,hisfingersstilltyping.Hey.Youhaveamoment? Sure,whatsup?heasked,/eyesflickeringbacktothescreen.
Ihesitatedforasecond,thenfinallysaidit .
IjustgotoffthephonewithAdrian.
CHAPTER031 CHAPTER031