Chapter 13
The realization struck Jace like a thunderclap and burned the desire out of him, leaving nothing but panic and disgust at himself.
He shoved Lydia off, grabbed the glass on the nightstand, and threw back a hard swallow. His voice came out rough. “Get out!”
Lydia cursed under her breath and slammed the door behind her.
Silence filled the room. Jace sank onto the couch and threw an arm over his eyes. His heart pounded, not with desire but with a bleak certainty that scared him.
He had actually fallen for Avery. It wasn’t just her body anymore.
Back in the country, Julian and Tessa were the couple everyone on campus admired. Wherever they showed up, all eyes followed.
Tessa hung on his arm, soaking in the envy around them.
Only Julian knew how the polish had started to crack under the surface.
He found it increasingly harder to stay focused with Tessa. Even on dates, he would stare at her flawless profile while his thoughts drifted to Lambain, wondering what was happening
there
Updates about Jace striking out again gave Julian a guilty spark of satisfaction, followed by a sharper irritability he couldn’t shake. Jace was still there, trying to win over Avery.
“Julian?” Tessa rocked his arm and pouted. “Are you even listening? I said the new necklace is gorgeous. Can we go look at it this weekend?”
He snapped out of his daze, masked the impatience in his eyes, and answered flatly, “Sure.”
“What has been going on with you lately?” Tessa caught his distraction, and her eyes filled with tears. “You’re always somewhere else, and you’ve been so cold to me. Don’t you love me anymore? Is this what I mean to you once you’ve had me?”
Tessa pulled another sulky pout. Julian felt the weariness sink deeper.
Before, he would’ve pulled her close, soothed her tears, and given her anything she wanted. Now, he only watched those practiced tears roll down her cheeks, feeling nothing but impatience.
He kept his face calm and reassured her perfunctorily, “No. Don’t overthink it. I’m swamped with work and getting ready to take over the company. I’m just tired.”
27
“Work can’t be an excuse to ignore me!” Tessa wouldn’t let it drop. “I’m your girlfriend! You used to be so patient! Now, you’re even distracted when you take me shopping…”
Her demands sounded more unreasonable by the day. Her tears didn’t move him anymore. Instead, they made him want to leave the room.
Julian realized that he couldn’t treat her with the same wholehearted devotion he’d once promised himself he would. The love he’d chased for a decade had turned dull once he finally had her.
He felt like he was only playing the part of the perfect boyfriend-going on dates, sending gifts, and soothing her-while he was empty inside.
The crack finally ruptured during an ordinary dinner.
The foie gras tasted slightly off. Tessa took one bite, frowned, and set down her knife and fork. “Julian, this isn’t right. It’s definitely not fresh from overseas. Tell them to change it!”
Julian tried it and didn’t taste the problem. “It’s fine. Let’s just eat.”
“I don’t want to!” Tessa raised her voice, drawing stares from nearby tables. “You know that I have a picky stomach! How am I supposed to eat this? This place is loud and tacky! Let’s go somewhere else!”
He looked at her sulking across the table, and months of pent-up frustration, weariness, and that hollow ache all boiled over at once. He dropped his cutlery onto the plate, the metal ringing sharply against porcelain.
When he looked up, his eyes were cold, carrying a sharp impatience she had never seen in him before. He held his temper in check and asked, “Tessa, can you be reasonable for once?”
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