The woman he could replace in public without consequence.
My phone vibrated again.
Another message from Chloe.
This time, it was a short video.
I should not have opened it.
But I did.
The camera shook slightly as Chloe filmed herself inside the hotel ballroom. Golden chandeliers glowed above her. Violins played in the background. Men in tuxedos and women dripping in jewels moved like figures inside a glittering painting.
Then she turned the camera toward Julian.
He was standing beneath a crystal arch, speaking with Senator Miles and two foreign investors I recognized from the business pages. Chloe slipped her arm through his, pressing herself against him.
Someone laughed and asked, “Julian, is this the lucky Mrs. Cross?”
Chloe giggled.
Before she could answer, Julian smiled.
“Not yet,” he said smoothly. “But some upgrades are worth waiting for.”
The group laughed.
My fingers went numb around the phone.
Not yet.
