Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Lena woke at 7:00 a.m. in a bedroom larger than her entire apartment.
For several seconds, she forgot where she was.
Then she saw the ring.
She sat up.
Her wedding ring.
A knock sounded.
Julian stood outside.
“Breakfast.”
“I'll be down.”
He walked away.
Lena stared after him.
Something about this marriage was already becoming strange.
He wasn't cruel.
He wasn't arrogant with her.
He respected the boundaries she had demanded.
That made him more dangerous.
Because hatred was easy.
Confusion wasn't.
At breakfast, Julian sat across from her reading financial reports.
Lena ate toast.
“You don't have to work today,” he said.
“I do.”
“Why?”
“Because I don't know how long this arrangement will last.”
Julian looked up.
“You're my wife.”
“For twelve months.”
His jaw tightened.
“Right.”
A housekeeper entered.
“Mr. Vale, there's a visitor.”
“Who?”
“Miss Eleanor Vale.”
Julian's face changed.
Lena noticed.
A woman entered the dining room.
Elegant.
Blonde.
Perfectly dressed.
She stopped when she saw Lena.
Then looked at Julian.
“You married her?”
“Yes.”
Eleanor laughed softly.
“You always did make terrible decisions when you were angry.”
Lena frowned.
“Who is she?”
Julian answered.
“My former fiancée.”
Silence.
Eleanor smiled.
“I suppose introductions are necessary.”
She approached Lena.
“Eleanor Pierce.”
“Lena Morales.”
“I know.”
Something cold passed through Lena.
“You know me?”
Eleanor glanced at Julian.
“Everyone knows who she is.”
Julian stood.
“Why are you here?”
Eleanor placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Julian with Eleanor.
They were standing outside a hospital.
He looked younger.
Happy.
Lena's chest tightened.
“You never told me.”
“There was nothing to tell.”
Eleanor laughed.
“Nothing?”
Julian's voice hardened.
“Leave.”
Eleanor looked at Lena.
“You really don't know, do you?”
“Know what?”
Eleanor smiled.
“Why he refuses to marry anyone he actually loves.”
Julian stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Eleanor's expression became serious.
“You think this woman is safe because she signed a contract?”
She turned toward the door.
“She isn't.”
After she left, Lena looked at Julian.
“What happened?”
“Nothing relevant.”
“She was your fiancée.”
“Yes.”
“Why did you break up?”
Julian didn't answer.
“Julian.”
He looked toward the window.
“She betrayed me.”
“How?”
“She gave confidential company information to my competitors.”
Lena went still.
“And you still loved her?”
His silence answered.
Lena pushed her chair back.
“I need air.”
She walked outside.
She didn't notice Eleanor watching from a black car across the street.
Nor did she see Adrian enter the passenger seat beside her.
“You were right,” Adrian said.
Eleanor looked toward the house.
“He already cares.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he looked afraid.”
Adrian smiled.
“Good.”
Eleanor opened her purse.
Inside was a photograph.
This one was different.
It showed Lena standing beside a hospital bed.
A sick elderly woman lay beneath a blanket.
Adrian pointed at it.
“That's her mother?”
“Yes.”
“Perfect.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Nothing.”
May you like
He smiled.
“Not yet.”
