I ran a hand through my hair anxiously and went on.
“You’d think it would be easy enough, because it’s not like we’re drugged with truth serum and forced to reveal our secrets like we were in the first trial,” I said. “But I keep worrying I’ll do everything wrong. Like pick the wrong outfit. Or maybe I’ll say something wrong, because I have a habit of blurting stuff out when I’m anxious. It’s all so nerve-wracking. And it doesn’t help that the instructors keep telling us it’s the trial where most failed Selection girls slip up.”
“That doesn’t meanyou’llfail,” Julian said, squeezing my hand.
“I know. But please… tell me. How many girls fail that trial each year? Is it a lot?”
“It really depends on the girls and their partners,” he said, lifting one shoulder in a slight shrug. “I remember in my first year with the Club, I heard that every single Selection girl passed the second trial. But then in my second year, four failed.”
My eyes widened. “Four? That’s one fifth of the cohort!”
“Wait. Let me finish,” he said. “Those girls all had one thing in common. A shitty partner who didn’t help them prepare properly.”
I blinked. “You can help me prepare for the trial?”
“Of course. In the real world, husbands and wives help each other and make decisions together, don’t they?” he said, brows rising. “And I know this particular world, because I grew up in it. So I can help you practice. I can even help you decide what to wear that night if you’re struggling with it.” He hesitated, eyes flickering with certainty. “But… I’m willing to bet I won’t even need to offer you advice in the end.”
My brows furrowed. “Why not?”
“Because I believe in you. And I know you’re smart as hell.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “You’ll definitely pass the trial.”
I swallowed hard, stomach suddenly churning. “Julian… what if I don’t?”
“You will.”
“Please. Just humor me,” I said. “What happens if I don’t pass? It means I get removed from the training, right?”
“Yes.”
“And then you’re not allowed to marry me. So… would you have to marry someone else then?” I asked, tilting my head. “Someone your family picks? Or someone the Club picks?”
Julian shook his head. “A Club member's relationship is always his choice. So I can marry whoever the hell I want. And that'syou, Violet, whether you fail the training or not.”
“But I thought failed Selection girls aren’t allowed to marry Club members.”
“Technically, they aren’t. But if that happened, I’d no longer be a Club member.”
“Are you saying you’d quit the Club for me?” I asked, pulse suddenly racing.
“In a heartbeat.”
“But you’d lose everything,” I said, eyes widening. “All those connections and resources and protection. Your family's legacy, your position, everything you've worked for. Just… gone.”
He shrugged. “I’d find a way to figure stuff out,” he said, squeezing my hands again. “We’d do it together.”
I stared at him, trying to process what he was saying. “You'd really give up everything for me? Your entire life?”
“Violet.” He moved closer, his hands coming up to frame my face. “You’re my life now. Everything else is meaningless without you.” His eyes were intense, burning with an emotion that made my breath catch. “So yes,” he finished firmly. “I would give it all up in a heartbeat.”
Tears pricked at my eyes. “Julian...”
“I mean it, Violet. Every word.” He leaned his forehead against mine. “You're not going to fail the trial. But even if you did, even if everything fell apart, I'd still choose you. Every single time.”
The certainty in his voice, the absolute conviction… it broke something open inside me. All the fear and doubt I'd been carrying seemed to dissolve, replaced by something warm and solid.
“I think… I love you,” I whispered.
Julian went very still. Then his eyes widened slightly, and a smile spread across his face. Not his usual controlled smile, but something genuine and unguarded.
