CHAPTER 4

JULIAN

The look in her eyes should have seemed pitiful to anyone. And yet all I felt the longer I stared was disgust.

Pure disgust that made me want to rub my skin raw. I pushed her away, ignoring the whimper that left her.

Her head fell, eyes widening as she put together the pieces of the puzzle. She had underestimated my mother too much.

“But how?” she dared to turn to me. “We—I played the part right. How did she find out?”

Slowly, I made my way to the bar cart, my stomach burning with the hunger for alcohol. It was the only thing keeping me sane. The only thing preventing me from lashing out completely.

I poured myself some scotch and threw it back before fixing her with a hard look. She instantly shrunk under the harshness of my gaze.

“My mother is a smart woman,” I started. “Devilishly so. You think her casually mentioning it was a simple observation?”

Scarlet’s frown deepened. “So how…”

I set the glass down, moving closer to where she sat. Of course, she looked like she was going to bolt away at any minute, but I made sure she remained caged between my arms.

“Knowing my mother, there’s only one reason why she’d so brazenly make such a statement without even threatening to throw you out the moment she found out.”

The pieces were starting to form in my head too, and it was hard not to let out a bitter chuckle. She had played the part quite perfectly and became a marionette of the game.

“She planned it all.”

Scarlet’s eyes widened. I could see the gears running behind her eyes as she tried to make sense of it.

Without warning, I reached for her chin and pulled her closer. She let out a small squeak of surprise, but I didn’t budge. 

Yes, I had expected Vivian and not her. But it didn’t mean she would suddenly be spared since she was the wrong one.

She was Vivian in another font, except something about those animated eyes made me want to peruse her completely.

“Recently, the family’s accountant brought to my attention a recent transaction my mother had made. Five hundred thousand dollars in cash, wired to a certain offshore account. Now I was curious and wondered what sort of dealing my mother was involved in that would lead to that.”

My grip on her chin tightened. “You can imagine my surprise when I found the receiver’s name was Veronica Landers. It’s all too easy to pinpoint it as an alias for the real person: Vivian Lawson.”

Scarlet’s brow furrowed. I could tell she was finding it hard to make sense of what I was saying. And probably dreading where I was leading.

“When last did you see your sister?”

She paused. “About a week ago. My stepmother only convinced me about two days ago.”

“And why do you think she’d do so in such little time when she could have forced you from the onset?”

Scarlet was quiet, brows still furrowed as she let my words sink in. Then slowly, her eyes widened.

“Bingo.”

She understood. My mother had paid off both step-sister and stepmother just for this switch to happen. And the fact that I knew why sent a wave of discomfort down my chest.

I turned to the faux wife sitting just beneath me. She looked vividly disturbed, and red with anger.

“I don’t understand. How could they do this to me? Why are they putting me through this?”

Without warning, she shot out of her seat and began making her way towards the phone. “They had absolutely no right to do this! No right!”

Before she could dial anything, I snatched it out of her hands and tossed it to the side. 

She opened her mouth to protest, but it got cut off when I grabbed her shoulders. 

Her face was still red with anger, but an indescribable emotion lay behind her eyes now.

“Don’t do anything rash.”

“Anything rash?” She seethed. “Those people lied to me. Used me and then discarded me. And all for what?”

“Vivian—”

“Everything I have ever done,” She continued, her tone loud with anger. 

“Has been for the benefit of that family. Time after time, I have sacrificed so much for them. And now I even did this bec—”

Tears glossed her eyes, and her voice slowly cracked. “Because I just want to see my dad again. But all they ever cared about is their shitty selves. I hate them so much!”

It was…oddly interesting seeing her pour out her emotions like this. I’d initially pegged her as the foolish princess. The easily manipulated one who was desperate enough to do my bidding.

Years of living with my mother under her narcissistic reign, of climbing the corporate ladder, and of navigating between friend and foe had taught me two things. Give nothing. Take everything.

It was the only way I had survived till now. The reason why I was so emotionless and reclusive to any other person.

And yet this girl before me….

“It’s not just them.” I finally said. “My mother has her own reasons for doing this. She has no idea I know the truth. The reason I chose to marry you nonetheless.”

Scarlet’s eyes widened by just a fraction. She slowly looked away. “So…what do we do now? Do we go on with this charade?”

“Of course.”

Her head snapped back to me. Something along the lines of outrage lit up in her eyes.

“You’re not serious.” She didn’t hold back. “Your mother is manipulating you. She’s trying to destroy you.”

“Tell me something I don’t know.” I reached for my scotch and poured myself another.

“I plan to pay her back in kind.” 

Slowly, I made my way back to her. “That’s where you come in.”

The look in her eyes was one of heartbreak, mixed with pure wariness. She looked like she’d very well break under the weight of my words.

“And what do I gain from all of this?”

A shiver of excitement ran up my spine as I stepped forward. Maybe it was the sheer chaos of everything. But I was eager for all of them to pay.

“You get your own revenge served cold.”