Chapter 109 Veins Of Betrayal
Chapter 109 Veins Of Betrayal
ROSEMARY
The financial trail finally unraveled like a loose thread on an expensive garment.
I had been digging through subsidiary reports for hours, cross-referencing payments and contracts with a quiet, relentless focus. The discovery hit me like cold water to the face — a high six-figure ambassador deal routed through one of Laurent’s smaller fashion partners, buried under layers of obfuscation, but unmistakably linked to Sable RavenCroft.
Sable.
The sister of the woman Julian had almost crossed lines with. The woman who had once been part of his world in ways I could never fully understand.
Rage, hot and immediate, surged through me. I grabbed my phone and called the brand manager directly, voice sharp enough to cut glass.
“Why was Sable RavenCroft given that deal?” I demanded, not bothering with pleasantries. “Who authorized it? I want names. I want explanations. Now.”
The manager stammered, clearly caught off guard by the sudden fury from the CEO. I realized halfway through my tirade how uncharacteristically vicious I sounded — lashing out, voice trembling with betrayal and exhaustion.
I stopped mid-sentence, closing my eyes and forcing a measured breath.
“I’m sorry,” I said, voice quieter. “That was out of line. Please send me the full paperwork. I’ll review it personally.”
I hung up, hands shaking.
The deal had Julian’s fingerprints all over it. I was sure of it. It felt like he was still out here protecting his exes. Still choosing to protect the ghosts of his past over the future we might have had.
I called Nyra next, voice tight with barely contained emotion.
“Sable has a deal with one of our brands,” I said. “Julian arranged it. I know he did. He’s still protecting them. Still playing games even now.”
Nyra’s response was calm but firm. “Take a breath, Rosemary. I’ll handle it. Don’t do anything rash. Let me look into the paperwork first.”
I ended the call, staring at the city lights through the window, feeling more alone than I had in months.
NYRA
I went straight to Julian’s hotel after Rosemary’s call.
He opened the door looking like a man who hadn’t slept in days — disheveled, eyes hollow, the charming mask completely gone.
“You absolute idiot,” I said, pushing past him into the room. “Sable’s deal. I know you arranged it. The only reason Rosemary hasn’t called you yet is because the paperwork hasn’t fully linked back to you. But I know. And if you really want her back, you need to tighten this shit up. Stop playing games. Stop protecting your old life. Choose her. Actually choose her.”
Julian sank onto the edge of the bed, running a hand through his hair. “I do want her. More than anything. I thought the deal would buy time. Keep Sable quiet. I was trying to protect us.”
“By lying to her again?” I snapped. “You’re digging your own grave, Mr. Dale. Fix it. Or watch her walk away for good when the contract ends.”
He looked up at me, eyes raw with exhaustion and regret. “I’m trying, Nyra. I swear I’m trying.”
I left him there, staring at the floor like a man condemned.
ROSEMARY
I stood at the window long after Nyra’s call, the city lights blurring into streaks of gold through unshed tears.
Julian had arranged the deal for Sable.
The betrayal cut deeper than I expected. I had started to believe he was changing. That he was choosing me.
Now, with less than two weeks left, I was starting to wonder if I had been fooling myself all along.
The texter sent one more message that night:
He’s still protecting them. Ask him why Sable got the deal. Ask him what else he’s hiding.
I didn’t reply.
Instead, I poured myself another glass of wine and stared at the empty side of the bed, wondering how much more of my heart I was willing to lose before the contract finally ended.