Chapter 139: Between Them

Chapter 139: Between Them
Inside were documents.
Legal contracts. Financial reports.
And her name.
Lexi Thorn.
Her breath caught.
She scanned the papers with growing horror.
They detailed a trust fund. Property transfers. Financial securities.
All set up in her name.
All dated... before Julian had ever confessed he loved her.
Before he had even admitted his feelings.
Before he had even kissed her.
Lexi’s hands shook.
This wasn’t just a romantic gift.
This was a transaction.
A security blanket.
A way for Julian to control her — to make sure she stayed.
Whether she loved him or not.
A knock at the door made her jump.
Julian’s voice, low and tender. "Lexi?"
She shoved the folder back and forced a smile as she opened the door.
"Hey," she said, hoping he couldn’t hear the way her heart was shattering.
He smiled at her, oblivious. "Dinner’s ready."
Lexi let him lead her away.
But inside, a war was raging.
Because she didn’t know if she could trust him anymore.
Not completely.
Not when love could be tangled up in manipulation.
Not when every beautiful thing could hide a lie.
—
That night, as Julian held her in his arms and whispered promises against her hair, Lexi stared at the ceiling, wide awake.
She loved him.
God help her, she still loved him.
But love wasn’t enough if it was built on lies.
And deep down, she knew one thing for certain:
If she wanted to survive in Julian’s world, she would have to stop trusting blindly.
She would have to protect herself.
Even from him.
Especially from him.
Because the real enemy wasn’t always outside the walls.
Sometimes, it slept right beside you.
For the next few days, Lexi played her part to perfection.
She smiled when Julian kissed her.
She laughed at his jokes.
She let him wrap his arms around her at night and murmur dreams about their future.
And every second of it, she was building walls inside herself.
Strong, impenetrable walls.
Because she had seen the truth tucked inside those documents.
And she couldn’t unsee it.
No matter how many times she told herself Julian loved her — he didn’t trust her.
He had tried to buy her loyalty.
That kind of betrayal didn’t fade.
It festered.
It grew.
Lexi didn’t cry anymore.
She didn’t scream or rage.
She simply learned how to be silent.
How to pretend.
How to protect herself.
It was a skill she hadn't needed in a long time.
But survival demanded it now.
Because if the past had taught her anything, it was this:
The moment you let your guard down, you lost everything.
And Lexi Thorn had lost enough.
Never again.
—
Meanwhile, the shadows gathered around them.
Unseen enemies whispered in dark corners.
Plans were being set into motion.
Plans that would not only destroy Julian — but would also use Lexi to do it.
And she was too busy building her walls to notice the storm closing in.
—
The first real crack came one rainy afternoon.
Julian was in his office, arguing on the phone, pacing like a caged lion.
Lexi sat curled on the couch, pretending to read a book.
When the doorbell rang, both of them stiffened.
They weren’t expecting anyone.
Julian muttered something sharp into the phone, hung up, and crossed to the door.
Lexi sat up straighter, nerves sparking.
She watched as Julian opened it cautiously.
A uniformed courier stood there, holding a plain brown envelope.
"Delivery for Mr. Styles," the man said.
Julian took it, frowning.
The courier vanished down the hall.
Julian closed the door, locked it, and brought the envelope inside.
Lexi watched as he slit it open with a paper knife.
She watched as his face turned to stone.
"What is it?" she asked, voice soft.
He said nothing.
Just handed her the contents.
Photos.
Dozens of them.
Surveillance shots.
Lexi leaving a café.
Lexi meeting with an unknown man in a dark alley.
Lexi handing over a folder.
Her stomach dropped.
Her blood ran cold.
Julian’s voice was low, dangerous. "Who is he?"
Lexi opened her mouth.
No words came out.
She felt the walls closing in.
Felt her lungs squeezing.
This wasn’t just suspicion.
This wasn’t just betrayal.
This was proof.
And whoever had sent it knew exactly what they were doing.
—
Julian didn’t shout.
He didn’t throw things.
He simply stared at her with those cold, unreadable eyes.
Lexi’s heart splintered into a thousand sharp pieces.
"I can explain," she whispered.
"Explain," he said softly. Deadly.
She tried to breathe.
Tried to gather the lies she’d been telling herself.
"It’s not what you think," she began.
Julian’s mouth twisted. "No? Because it looks a hell of a lot like my business partner stabbing me in the back."
Lexi flinched.
"I never wanted to hurt you," she said desperately. "I swear—"
"Then what were you doing?" he demanded. "Who were you meeting? What were you giving him?"
Lexi shook her head, tears burning her eyes. "I can’t—"
"You can," Julian snapped. "You just don’t want to."
Silence stretched between them, thick and poisonous.
Finally, Julian let out a low, bitter laugh.
"I should have known," he said. "Everyone leaves eventually. Everyone betrays."
"Julian—"
He held up a hand.
"Don’t," he said.
Then he turned and walked away.
Lexi sank back onto the couch, shaking.
And for the first time since she had met him, she didn’t know if they would survive this.
—
That night, Lexi stayed in the guest room.
She couldn’t bear to be near him.
Couldn’t bear the crushing weight of his silence.
The shadows outside seemed to press harder against the glass.
The rain fell harder.
And in the dark, she realized something chilling.
Whoever had sent those photos wasn’t just trying to hurt Julian.
They were trying to destroy him.
From the inside out.
By tearing apart the only thing he still trusted.
Her.
And it was working.
—
The next day was worse.
Julian didn’t speak to her.
He didn’t even look at her.
He locked himself in his office.
Lexi wandered the house like a ghost, hollow and broken.
Her phone buzzed once.