Chapter 1
Julie POV
“Do you mind telling me who she is? The one you can’t stop talking to since this party started? The one I didn’t invite and who wasn’t even on the guest list, nor your…”
“Julie, not now, please. Can you stop nagging me? You promised, remember?” he said cutting me
off
You still haven’t answered my question, who is she?” I asked..
“She’s my investor’s daughter–the biggest one, in case you forgot. The one I told you about,” he added, as if that was supposed to ring bell.
“Can you at least stop talking to her? For tonight, Alex?” I asked.
“This is supposed to be our moment. It’s your birthday, and we are supposed to celebrate it together–not you spending time with her,” said
He scoffed, pulling his hand away. “And risk my top investor because of your silly insecurities? Hell no. Can you please get your act Together? I’m so tired of your constant insecurities–they’re draining, Julie. Please, stop already,” he said as he walked off, leaving me standing there like an idiot.
“Alex” Alex!” I called after him, but he didn’t even look back for once.
1 turned to the guests, who were now staring at me, surprised by what was happening. I forced a smile their way, trying to ease the
tension.
Maria walked towards me as she asked. “Julie, what is going on?”
I didn’t answer, as I really wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone, so I walked away. But she followed me.
“Julie, are you sure you’re okay?” she asked. I knew Maria was definitely not the one to give up, so there was no ignoring
*No I’m not sure. It is Alex. I said.
“Are you still suspicious of him?” she asked with her hands folded.
her.
“Did you see how he was all around her!” I whispered, my voice shaking. This was supposed to be special- a moment for us to celebrate his birthday together. But he can’t keep his eyes–or hands off her.”
-Who?
“Bella, or whatever her name is.”
Maria looked at me for awhile before she started laughing.
“You can’t be serious,” she said between chuckles. “You really think there’s something going on between him and Bella?”
“Why not?” I shot back.
She shook her head, still smiling. “Alex barely tolerates her. He’s only entertaining her because of her father. You’re overthinking this, Julie. It’s all in your head.”
“And how are you so sure??
iding toward her
“Because I know Alex, He’s not a cheat, unlike my husband, who can’t stop fantasizing about you,” she said, nodding husband
I followed her gaze and saw him waving at me from across the room, I waved back at him with a smile.
He is just being friendly,” I said.
“Yeah, and maybe if he was half as friendly to me, we would never have a reason to fight every day,” she said with a scoff
“Oh, shit, the birthday present before I forget,” I said, walking off without waiting for her response, as the conversation was starting to get awkward
4:58 PM P
Chapter 1
I walked towards Alex who was with a guest.
“Alex” I whispered in his ear, “can I have your car keys? I want to put your birthday present in the trunk before I forget.”
He hesitated but eventually handed me the keys. “Sure.”
“Thanks and sorry for earlier.” I said as I headed to his car.
I placed the neatly wrapped gift inside, but as I set it in the trunk, one of the gifts fell deep into the compartment. I looked at it; it was a compartment I had never noticed before. My curiosity got the better of me.
I took a closer look at what was inside and found two bags tucked away. One was a carry–on bag, the other a school bag. My pulse quickened as I pulled them out.
The carry–on bag was filled with Alex’s clothes, which wasn’t entirely strange, but the school bag made my heart stop. Inside, I found his briefs, toiletries, and a phone.
A phone I’d never seen before.
I turned it on, my hands trembling. The lock screen was simple, and with one guess, I got it–it was our daughter’s birthday.
The moment the phone unlocked, my worst fears were confirmed. Picture after picture of Alex and Bella flooded the screen. They weren’t just standing together at events–they were on beaches, at resorts, laughing, holding hands. The timestamp on each photo matched the so–called “business trips” he’d been taking for the past two weeks.
But it didn’t stop there.
Scrolling further, I found photos of… Maria and her husband with them. They knew?
They were all in on this lie.
What shocked me the most was a text from Maria that had just been sent to him… ten minutes ago.
Maria: Be careful. Julie is getting suspicious.
Alex. She won’t find out. She’s too trusting
My head spun. Maria, my so–called friend, had been helping him cover this
this up.
I laughed. At least this proves that I wasn’t just being paranoid after all, he was actually cheating on me. How could I have been so stupid not to put the signs together? The lipstick I found in his car, the late nights, the feminine perfume he always had on him whenever he came back home, or even his excessive spending?
Wiping the tears from my face, I closed the bags and shoved them back into the compartment. But when I straightened up, my eyes landed on something else in the trunk–a knife.
The sharp edge glinted under the dim light of the garage.
Without thinking, I picked it up, the cold steel heavy in my hand. As I stared at Bella and Maria, who were talking to each other, only one thought crossed my mind.
Footsteps echoed behind me.
I turned, it was Alex, standing behind me, looking puzzled. “I’ve been calling
But I didn’t answer or move. All I could think about was how much he had lied to me, the years I had spent foolishly believing that he
calling you, and you didn’t answer. Are you okay?” he asked.
With
Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy DaisyNovel. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.