Chapter 210

Julian

"Leave." I roared the words as I watched my wife walk away with her head held high. At the door a woman caught up with her and together they disappeared out of sight.

I wanted to chase after them. But I was rooted frozen to the spot.

Turning to the nearest guard, I motioned him closer and warily he approached. "I want everyone gone."

"Julian." Megan's hand came down on my arm. "You are making a spectacle of yourself. You need to deal with this properly so the rumours don't start."

I stared at the rubies around her throat. "What the hell were you thinking. Wearing them here in front of her?" Growling low in my throat I caught the gold chain and tugged. Ripping it from her skin.

Megan gave a cry, her eyes wide. "Julian." She whispered. "You left them, I thought-" Tears made her voice thick. "I thought they were a gift."

They had been a gift. A gift to my wife.

A wife who I loved and who had just been humiliated in front of everyone. The news of what had just happened would already be spoken about outside of these walls.

"If I find out you had anything to do with this then I'll kill you." I hissed in a vicious whisper.

"I didn't." She wailed. "I would never betray you like that."

I didn't wait for her to say anything more. I hurried away. Pushing my way through the crowd I was almost running by the time I reached the door. By the time I had reached the stairs I was sprinting.

Taking them three at a time , I didn't stop until I reached our bedroom. The room where only yesterday I had been the happiest I had ever been.

"Cassie-" the words died on my lips as I saw her turn to me. The beautiful dress I had commissioned for her , already in a crumpled heap on the floor. She was dressed casually in figure hugging jeans and a loose t-shirt. Clothes from her old life, back when we had first been married.

"I have nothing more to say to you Julian." Turning away she went to the dresser and pulled it open. Rummaging through she brought a handful of clothes to the open suitcase on the bed.

I stared at it for a second.

"You're not wasting any time are you?" I said through gritted teeth. "You're so quick to think the worst and leave me."

"I have-" Cathy appeared in the doorway. Her arms full of more clothes.

"Can you give us a moment please Cathy. I would like to speak to my wife." I said in a much calmer voice than I felt on the inside. Inside I was raging.

"Of course sir. " Cathy said quickly but her eyes were on me. "Miss Cassie. I'll be downstairs when you're ready."

I blinked hard. "When she is ready?"

"To leave." Cathy said firmly. "If that's what she decides to do then I am going with her, your highness. My resignation is already on your desk."

"You're going with her-" shaking myself I dismissed her with a wave of my hand.

I didn't say another word until the door shut behind her. "Cassie." Moving towards the bed I sat down heavily. "Cassie, please just talk to me. Let me explain?"

She didn't answer at first. Instead she folded each shirt and placed it in her suitcase like I wasn't there at all.

I flipped her case onto the floor. "Talk to me." I roared, my heart hammering in my chest.

Cassie stood there and stared at the clothes strewn all over the carpet.

"Cassie please." Falling to my knees , I wrapped my arms around her waist and pressed my face into her stomach. "This isn't what you think it is. It's all just a misunderstanding."

Goddess, she smelt so good. I nuzzled into her stomach.

"Then you haven't been going to her?" She asked in a quiet whisper and I tensed.

"Cassie."

"Have you been going to her Julian?" She asked again with more fire in her voice. "When you promised me you weren't, were you going to her?"

"Cassie-"

"Was this dress for me or did you have it made off her? We noticed it was a little big in places."

Lifting my head I stared into her tear filled eyes and I couldn't bring myself to speak.

"I see." She tried to step away and my arms tightened once again.

"It was for you. I just-"

Goddess why couldn't I get the right words to leave my mouth?

"You just needed to see her in it first?" For a second she closed her eyes and her chest heaved as she took in a breath.

"No, Cassie." My fingers dug into her back in a desperate need to keep her locked to me because I knew if I let her go then I would lose her.  "It's not like that. Megan is a friend but it's you I love and want to be with. Only you."

Her whole body shook and I knew she was fighting back the urge to sob.

"Because of the contract? What happens if I divorce you Julian?"

"It has nothing to do with the contract." Too late I realised my mistake.

"So there is a contract?" She cocked her head to the side. "You lose the crown if I leave you don't you? Or if you leave me? That's why you want to make this work so badly."

"I want to make it work because I love you," I said desperately but I already knew it was too late. I could hold on for dear life but I had already lost her.

There was no love in her eyes at all now.

"Megan means nothing to me."

"She means enough that you risked your marriage for her. You lied to be with her and-" tenderly she reached down and ran her hand through my hair. It was such a beautiful touch and yet heartbreaking at the same time.

Heartbreaking because I knew what was about to happen.

"I love you Julian. And I love our family."

"I love you too so stay with me. Don't break our family apart because of one misunderstanding."

Her eyes flashed. "You're the one who broke our family up. I love you but I can't be with you any longer." She took a deep breath. "I'll be back tomorrow to discuss where we go from here and to try and explain to the boys what is going on."

My heart shattered. "Where are you going to go? Just stay- I'll sleep in the other room, anything just stay. Stay so I have hope that we can make this right."

She stepped back and shook her head. "There is no chance to make this right Julian."