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last update Zuletzt aktualisiert: 24.02.2026 22:45:53

Day Three

The pretending was the hardest part.Lia sat across from Julian at breakfast, forcing down toast while he read the morning paper. This had been their routine for five years of silent mornings where Julian absorbed the news and she existed quietly beside him.

She'd forgotten how suffocating the silence was.

"Dr. Richardson emailed," Julian said without looking up. "She wants us to do the communication exercise tonight. The one where we share something we appreciate about each other."

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    The first letter arrived on Monday.Handwritten envelope, no return address, delivered with the regular mail. Lia recognized Julian's handwriting immediately.She should have thrown it away. Should have called Patricia, documented the violation, added it to the growing pile of evidence.Instead, she opened it.*Lia,**I know you don't want to hear from me. I know every word I write is probably just making things worse. But my therapist says I need to be honest about my feelings, even if no one ever reads this.**I'm in therapy. Real therapy. Three times a week. Dr. Patel says I have codependency issues stemming from childhood trauma. That my mother's control shaped every relationship I've ever had. That I don't know how to love someone without trying to own them.**I'm trying to be better. Not for you, I know it's too late for us. But for myself. So maybe someday I can have a healthy relationship with someone who isn't you.**I'm sorry for everything. I'll probably say that a thousand

  • His Open Marriage, My Forbidden Secret    56

    He was here."Caspian was already out of bed, pulling on jeans. "Where?""The treeline. Just beyond the fence. He texted me after I saw him." Lia's hands shook as she showed him the message. "He said he needed to see where I'd be sleeping.""That's it. I'm calling the police." Caspian grabbed his phone."He's already gone—""I don't care. This is the third violation. The judge needs to know he's escalating." He dialed, spoke in clipped sentences to the dispatcher. "Yes, I'll stay on the line until officers arrive."They came within fifteen minutes. Two patrol cars, lights off to avoid alerting whoever might still be watching. The officers searched the property, found footprints in the soft earth near the fence line. Cigarette butts. Evidence that someone had been standing there for a while."We'll file a report," the lead officer said. "Document the violation. But unless he's still on the property, there's not much we can do tonight.""What about tomorrow?" Caspian asked."His lawyer

  • His Open Marriage, My Forbidden Secret    55

    Security dragged Julian backward, but his eyes never left Lia's face."I'm sorry," he called out. "I just needed to know—""Let's go, Mr. Ashford." The guards pulled him around the corner. His voice faded down the hallway.Lia's monitors beeped frantically. The nurse pressed buttons, checked readings."Your blood pressure just spiked. You need to breathe. Deep breaths.""He violated the restraining order—""And security's handling it. You need to focus on staying calm for the baby." The nurse adjusted Lia's IV. "I'm giving you something to help you relax.""I don't want—""Doctor's orders. You're at risk for preterm labor. We're not taking chances."The medication hit fast. Lia's limbs felt heavy, her thoughts sluggish. She tried to fight it but her eyes drifted closed.When she woke, morning light filtered through the blinds. Caspian was in the chair beside her bed, watching her with dark circles under his eyes."You came back," she murmured."Dorian called. Said Julian showed up." H

  • His Open Marriage, My Forbidden Secret    54

    Don't go there," Caspian said immediately."I wasn't—""You were thinking about it. I can see it on your face." His hand tightened on hers. "Whatever's happening with Julian, it's not your responsibility."Lia stared at the phone, at Julian's broken face in that video. "What if he hurts himself?""Then that's his choice. Not your fault.""Caspian—""No." His voice was firm. "You can't save him. You tried for five years and it nearly destroyed you. Don't let him pull you back in now."Dorian's phone rang again. He listened, then exhaled. "Crisis team's inside. They got him out. He's being transported to Northwestern for psychiatric evaluation."Relief flooded through Lia. "He's alive?""Yeah. Uninjured. Just..." Dorian paused. "Lost."They drove to Isla's in silence. Lia couldn't stop replaying Julian's video in her mind. The raw pain in his voice. The complete hopelessness."He was her victim too," she said quietly.Caspian looked at her. "What?""Margaret. She spent thirty-four years

  • His Open Marriage, My Forbidden Secret    53

    Judge Andrea Morrison's courtroom was nothing like Judge Harmon's.Where Harmon's had been all dark wood and intimidation, Morrison's was bright, efficient, modern. Where Harmon had looked at Lia like she was something he'd scraped off his shoe, Morrison met her eyes with professional neutrality."Ms. Ashford," she said, reviewing the file. "Or should I say Ms. Chen? I see you've filed to reclaim your maiden name.""Yes, Your Honor." Lia's voice was steady. Caspian sat behind her in the gallery, a silent presence giving her strength."Good. Let's begin." Morrison pulled up documents on her screen. "I've reviewed the case history. The previous judge's recusal, the evidence of bias, Mrs. Margaret Ashford's witness tampering." She looked up. "This is one of the messier divorces I've seen. But the law is actually quite clear."Patricia leaned forward. "Your Honor, we're requesting—""I know what you're requesting, Ms. Morrison. And I'm granting it." Judge Morrison typed something. "The ma

  • His Open Marriage, My Forbidden Secret    52

    Caspian was downstairs in seconds, Dorian right behind him.Lia watched from the window as they approached the car parked across the street. The interior light came on. Julian was slumped in the driver's seat, phone in one hand, empty bottle in the other.Caspian yanked the door open. Even three floors up, Lia could hear him."Get the fuck out of the car."Julian stumbled out, nearly falling. Dorian caught him, kept him upright."I wasn't doing anything," Julian slurred. "Just sitting. Just thinking.""You were watching her window. That's called stalking.""I was remembering." Julian swayed. "This is where she ran. After she left me. Came straight here to hide.""She wasn't hiding. She was escaping." Caspian pulled out his phone. "I'm calling the cops. Violating restraining order, stalking—""No. Please." Julian grabbed Caspian's arm. "I'll leave. I'll go. Just don't—I can't go back to jail. Not tonight."Caspian shook him off. "You should have thought about that before you parked out

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