I’m lost in my thoughts when Julianna finally turns back around.
Her eyes are wide. Tears well, lining her dark lashes. They spill over as her chin wobbles, and she worries her lip. There’s heartbreak written all over her face.
What the fuck is going on?
“I need to tell you something, and I need you to listen to every word.” She squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head. “And don’t do that thing you do where you cut me off and all that bullshit like you did last time.”
I jerk back. “Last time?”
She sighs and cracks her eyes open. Her tears have spilled over, and now there’s mascara streaming down her cheeks. “I just need you to hear me out.”
“Okay.” I feel like throwing up with how torn apart she looks. I can tell this is big.
She tightens her arms around her chest and huffs before pinning her eyes to mine. “I wrote the article.”
“What article?” I pinch my brow.
She sighs, stamping a frustrated heel into the ground. “The article, Holt. The anonymous one in your magazine about Rome.”
All the blood drains from my body. I feel lightheaded.
“What?” I breathe out, my lungs burning.
“I’m so sorry,” she says weakly, stepping closer. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“What the fuck, Jules?” I shout, anger quickly replacing my shock. “What do you mean, you didn’t mean for this to happen?”
“I don’t know,” she sobs. “I was angry with Rome for what he did, and I thought it would be an easy way to get back at him. There’s no way he could tell it was me.”
“What did you think would happen?” I can’t contain my anger. It bubbles over like a fucking volcano erupting. My skin is white hot and searing.
“I didn’t mean for you to get hurt. I thought he’d be annoyed as usual and just move on. I didn’t think he’d take this out onyou.”
My jaw drops, and it takes several seconds for me to draw in another breath as I come to terms with my sister’s confession.
“This is fucking Rome Montgomery we’re talking about. The same Rome Montogomery who made our lives miserable growing up. The same one who picked on you relentlessly as kids. The one who embarrassed youanychance he got!”
“Exactly.” she fires back, her eyes full of hatred and pain. “But I’m not the one who has spent the past year trying to play at being his best friend.”
“Fuck!” I scream, fisting my hair. I spin in a circle, forcing myself to catch my breath. “Do you understand what this has done? What you’ve done to me and the magazine?”
“I’m not the one suing you.” She shakes her head “Rome is.”
“Yeah, but he’s suingmebecause ofyou!” I scold. “He wouldn’t have any reason otherwise.” I take a moment to catch my breath. My brain is fucking exploding. The entire empire I’ve built is crumbling because of my own sister. “Why are youjust now telling me this? It’s been weeks, and this has threatened to destroyeverything, Julianna.”
“I tried to tell you. That day in your office, after the auction, but I couldn’t. You were angry with me for what I said about Selene, then you dismissed me. After that day, I tried to fix it on my own. I’ve called Rome, I’ve left messages at his office, but he won’t return my calls. I don’t think he knows it was me who wrote the article, but he must be ignoring me because of this lawsuit against you.”
“I can’t fucking believe this.” I grind my teeth so fucking hard, I think they might crack. “How could you do this to me?”
“You don’t understand,” she cries, wrapping her arm around her stomach. Her face is slack, and her skin pale. “I didn’t do this to hurt you. I promise, I didn’t. I did it to hurt him. I wanted to hurthim.” She bends over as if it’s the only thing she can do to keep it together.
But then she collapses to the cold, hard ground, her arms wrapped around herself and her shoulders wracking with her sobs.
I flick my gaze to my mother’s headstone, and my heart breaks. Breaks for my mother. Breaks for Julianna. Breaks for everything we’ve lost.
When I look back to my sister, I’m almost certain it breaks completely.
I close the distance between us and drop to my knees in front of her.
