Chapter 2

Julian's POV

When I got home, I glanced at the date I'd circled in red on the calendar.

On a whim, I went into the kitchen and cooked an entire feast.

I felt like taking a gamble.

I wanted to believe that the watch Sienna had bought me earlier that day held even the tiniest bit of genuine affection. I wanted to believe that ten years together meant more to her than the thrill of someone new.

Just once, I wanted to win.

Sadly, gamblers rarely came out ahead.

By midnight, Sienna still hadn't come home. She hadn't even bothered to send me a message.

My notifications, on the other hand, wouldn't stop buzzing. A new story had started trending.

"Sienna Taylor Buys Out Luxury Men's Counter for Her Young Companion."

The accompanying photos told their story.

Sienna leaned casually against the counter. She toyed with a designer cufflink, and she teased Gavin until he laughed.

I looked at the spread I'd prepared and scoffed.

I slowly got up and took an elegant wooden box from the drawer.

I pulled out the 99th love letter Sienna had written me.

The paper had yellowed with age and grown brittle to the touch.

I struck a match and watched the flames consume the promises of eternal love written across the page.

The words blackened and curled in the fire before crumbling into ash.

The 99th letter was gone.

Just one letter remained.

Our marriage was almost over.

Sienna finally came home at 3:00 am. She reeked of alcohol.

She frowned at the faint smell of something burning, then noticed the untouched food on the table.

She hurried into the master bedroom and wrapped her arms around me from behind.

"Julian, I'm sorry," she said, resting her chin in the crook of my neck.

Her breath was warm against my skin. "I drank so much last night that I blacked out. I remembered it was our anniversary, though. That's why I came straight home as soon as I woke up."

I didn't turn around. Keeping my gaze on the darkness beyond the window, I gently slipped my hand from hers.

"Our anniversary was yesterday, Sienna."

My voice was so flat that it seemed to snap her from her drunken haze.

When she realized that I wasn't going to argue with her, the little guilt she'd felt quickly gave way to irritation.

She scowled at me. "So what if I got the date wrong? I'm out there working till late while you sit comfortably at home. Isn't that enough for you?"

I turned to face her.

"You're right. It's never enough for me," I said, my voice trembling. "From now on, don't bother coming home on our anniversary. Just make sure the money hits my account on time."

Sienna visibly relaxed. She was convinced the matter was settled.

As far as she was concerned, money could solve anything. If one transfer wasn't enough, she could always send another.

She pulled out her phone and asked, "How much do you want? I'll give you whatever you ask for."

I tore my gaze away.

"I want to enroll Noah in an elite preschool in Alveria and get away from here for a while."

Sienna's fingers froze over her phone.

The guilt in her eyes vanished, replaced by a sudden coldness.

"I can give you money. If one million dollars isn't enough, I can send you two million instead."

She stepped closer, her voice growing more forceful with every single word. "But you and Noah are staying here. Neither of you can leave."

I stared into her unyielding eyes. A familiar heaviness settled in my chest.

Was this Sienna's way of telling me that she couldn't bear to let us go?

But it was too late. I couldn't love her anymore.

My phone vibrated. I had just received two million dollars.

I gave up trying to argue with her and buried my emotions. "Fine. I won't leave."

Satisfied with my answer, she went upstairs to catch up on her sleep.

I headed to the living room alone and glanced at the wooden box.

Inside it was the 100th and final love letter.

It was the letter she wrote on the day she proposed to me. That letter is what started it all.

Whether Sienna had truly loved me or not didn't matter.

Our marriage was down to its last letter.