I looked up through blurred, tear-soaked eyes and met Julian's face. His brows were drawn tight, and buried deep in his gaze was a flicker of pain he almost managed to hide.
"Gertie, is this how you've been taking care of yourself while I was gone?"
I shoved him back with both hands.
"How dare you. How dare you say that to me."
"Why couldn't you have actually died? Was it fun—lying to me?"
"You faked your own death for that woman. What does that make me? Something worthless you could just throw away?"
"Enough!"
Julian's face went black with rage.
"All of it was my fault. Leave Grace out of this."
A laugh scraped out of my throat—raw, mocking.
"Mr. Weiss really does love his wife."
The words barely left my mouth before my hand swung up, and I slapped him across the face as hard as I could.
My wrist throbbed from the impact, and my heart ached so badly I could barely breathe.
He turned his head away, his Adam's apple bobbing, both fists clenched white-knuckle tight.
When he finally spoke, his voice came out raw.
"Gertie, I'm sorry..."
I listened to those words, raised my hand, and swung another slap across his face.
But before it could land, he pulled me into his arms.
That was when Grace's voice rang out behind us.
"Julian... what is this?"
"Grace, it's pouring out here. Why did you come outside?"
Julian shoved me away in a panic, turning to face those reddened eyes of hers.
Grace stared at him in disbelief, her voice hoarse and cracking.
"You lied to me. Told me you had business at the office. And all this time you were out here wrapped around this tramp?"
"If I hadn't noticed you left your phone behind, I never would've known what kind of man you really are!"
She lunged forward, grabbed a fistful of my hair, and slapped me hard across the face.
"Miss Harding, I was kind enough to invite you to dinner, and this is how you repay me? Throwing yourself at someone else's husband?"
Julian pulled her into his arms, his voice dropping low and soothing.
"Grace, stop. Don't do this. You still have the baby to think about."
That only made her spiral further. She screamed until her voice broke.
"Oh, so NOW you remember I'm carrying your child?!"
"And you go and do THIS to me!"
"You know the one thing I hate most in this world is a homewrecker!"
My scalp burned. My cheek stung like fire. I looked at Julian, at the guilt carved across his face, and my voice came out strangled.