Jamie is crying beside me. Relief, I think.
And me? I feel lighter than I have in two years. Free of the five-year trap. Free of Asher. Free of the weight of billions I never wanted. Just free.
And I'm never giving it up again.
CHAPTER
FORTY-NINE
JULIE
Gregory walksus to the door of the conference room. The board members are still inside, gathering their own documents, speaking in low voices about transition plans and quarterly projections. I don't look back.
Jamie's hand is tight in mine as we step into the hallway. The carpet is plush beneath my feet, the walls lined with expensive art I don't recognize. Everything about this building screams money and power. And I just walked away from all of it.
The elevator is at the end of the hall. I can see Ryan standing near it, his posture alert, protective. Clearly, staying in the car wasn’t for him. When he sees us, his expression shifts—concern, then confusion as he takes in Jamie's tear-streaked face and my own shaky composure.
"Hey," he says as we approach. "You okay?"
I open my mouth to answer, but I don't know where to start.I just turned down tens of billions of dollars. Dean is still fucking with Asher. I'm free.
"I'll explain in the car," I manage. "Let's just?—"
"Julie."
The voice stops me cold. I turn slowly. Asher is hurrying up the hallway toward us.
"You miserable fucking piece of shit," Jamie hisses, stepping in front of me.
Ryan moves too, positioning himself between Asher and us, his body language screamingdon't come any closer.
But I put my hand up. "It's okay," I say quietly.
"Julie—" Ryan starts.
"It's okay."
I look at Asher. At the man I married. The man I thought I knew. "He can say what he has to say."
Jamie makes a sound of protest, but she doesn't stop me when I step around her. Asher and I stand there in the hallway, five feet apart. The distance feels like miles.
"I don't understand," he says finally. "You said no. To all of it. Why?"
Behind me, I hear Ryan's sharp intake of breath. He's wondering what the hell that means. I look at Asher for a long moment. "Because I didn't marry you for money," I say simply.
His face crumples slightly.
"I believed your lies," I continue. "Which means I foolishly married for love. Because you played a part and I thought you loved me. You'll have to live with that for the rest of your life. But where our marriage was concerned,myconscience is clear."
"Julie—"
"I never had to cheat," I say, my voice steady. "I never had to lie or steal or manipulate or do terrible things to get what I wanted. And I was ready to lose my business. The truth meant more to me than lies becauseI’mnot a piece of shit.”
I watch him deflate before me. Watch the last of his bravado, his confidence, his control just... collapse.
"I did love you," he says.
I roll my eyes. “No, you didn’t. Even now, you’re still lying. There’s no point.”
