Chapter 18
Back at the Barrett house, Julie found herself in an uncomfortable position. It was almost like a dream come true for her, when her mother suddenly started to shower her with attention. After years of feeling neglected and unloved, Julie was finally getting the love and attention she had always craved. Margaret would bring her favorite dishes, ask about her day, and even take her shopping one time. For once, Julie knew what a mother's love felt like.
But the dreams turned sour when Margaret asked for something she couldn't give. She didn't pay much attention to her mother's little comments here and there about how Mason and Raven’s marriage wasn't right, how Mason deserved someone better. Until one evening, as they sat in the parlor, Margaret dropped the bombshell.
"Dear, I've been thinking," Margaret said, her tone deceptively gentle. "Why don't you try to convince your brother to divorce that girl."
Julie's heart sank. "What? No, mom. I can't do that."
Margaret's eyes narrowed, and the warmth she'd shown for weeks vanished. "What do you mean, you can't do that? Have I ever asked you to do anything for me?"
"Mom, it's not that simple. Mason and Raven are perfect for each other. Plus, I doubt he'll agree to get divorced, especially after the ultimatum Dad gave him."
Margaret's expression softened. "Julie, we both know that you're the only one Mason listens to. I'm only trying to help him. Marrying Blair would be beneficial to him. All I want is what's best for this family, but nobody cares about my opinion in this house. Your father still treats me like his assistant and my child can't even stand by me."
Julie felt guilty for making her mom sad. She had always been vulnerable to her mother's manipulation, and this time was no different. "Don't say that Mom, and even if I tried, Mason wouldn’t listen to me. Also... Raven's not as bad as you think; she's a really sweet girl, and I'm sure you'll love her if you get to know her properly."
Margaret sighed, as if disappointed but then she smiled, a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. "It's okay, darling. Forget I said anything. But at least invite Mason to my birthday celebration. It'll be celebrated at the beach house, and I'm sure he'd come if you asked."
Julie felt a sense of relief, thinking that her mother had dropped the topic of the divorce. If all she had to do was invite Mason to her mom's birthday party, then she could do that. After all, it was just a party. But unknown to Julie, Margaret had other plans for Mason.
That night, Julie called Mason. It was late, and she was hesitant, knowing he'd be tired. But the party was in two days and Mason hated late invitations.
"Hey Mason," she said when he answered.
"Julie? What’s wrong, why did you call so late." Mason asked, concerned. But he also sounded exhausted.
"Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to invite you to my mom's birthday party. It's in two days, at the beach house. Please don't say no, it would mean a lot if you could come. And you can bring Raven too if you'd like."
There was a long pause on the other end, and Julie prayed silently for him to agree. "Why does your mom suddenly want to celebrate it at the beach house? She always does it at a fancy restaurant."
"I don't know, maybe she wants to have something different this year. Also, the beach house is quite large, so maybe she'll invite a lot of guests."
Mason sighed. "Alright, Julie. We'll be there."
"Thank you," Julie said, her relief palpable. "Goodnight, Mason."
"It's morning, airhead."
\~~~~
Meanwhile, back in France, Candice was making her plans. She's been occupied with meetings, photo shoots, and parties, but all she could think about was New York. She had cleared her schedule, making sure that nothing would interfere with her trip in two weeks. She still wasn't aware that Mason was already married and had found out about her affair with Justin.
Even after finding out about Mason’s true identity, she kept seeing Justin. Her greed clouded her judgment and she wanted to have both men to herself. But there was one person who had grown tired of Candice’s scheming, and that was her assistant, Mia.
Mia had worked for Candice for years, watching as she manipulated everyone around her to get what she wanted. But what bothered Mia the most was how Candice was still sleeping with Justin even after she discovered who Mason was. Mia had always had a crush on Justin, and it pained her to see him being played by someone like Candice.
Unable to keep quiet any longer, Mia decided to take matters into her own hands. She knew Justin wasn't equally a nice guy, but she couldn’t stand by and let him be blindsided. That afternoon, while Candice was busy with a photo shoot, Mia stepped outside and called Justin.
"Hello?" Justin’s voice was smooth, and it made her heart flutter.
"Umm, it's... it's Mia. I have something to tell you, it's about Candice." She stuttered.
"Really? And what's my dear Candice up to now?" Justin asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm but Mia didn’t notice. She hated how he referred to her as his dear Candice.
"She's planning to go to New York in two weeks. I'm just trying to look out for you; if she goes back, she and Mason will get married. And I don't want you to get hurt."
Justin is well aware of Mia’s little crush on him but pretends not to notice.
There was silence on the other end, and Mia wondered if she had made a mistake. But then Justin spoke, his voice low and sad. "Thank you for telling me, Mia. I need to go now." He hung up and Mia felt satisfied.