Chapter 5 - Vivien Finally Tells the Truth
Evelyn Cross did not wait to be invited into the sitting room.
She entered the estate like someone inspecting property.
At sixty-two, she remained elegant enough to make strangers turn their heads. Her silver-blonde hair was styled perfectly. Her camel coat probably cost more than most people’s monthly rent.
She kissed Julian’s cheek.
Then looked past him.
“Where is Kate?”
“Upstairs.”
Evelyn’s lips tightened.
“Still sulking?”
Julian’s expression changed.
“My wife is not sulking.”
His mother looked surprised.
“Oh, Julian, please. I received that absurd message from Vivien telling me you refused to leave the house because Kate was upset.”
“She didn’t say that.”
“Then what did she say?”
“That I was with my wife.”
Evelyn waved one hand.
“The distinction is meaningless.”
“No.”
Julian stepped aside, directing her toward the library.
“It isn’t.”
Evelyn entered.
He shut the door.
She turned.
“What is going on with you?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“Excuse me?”
“How often do you call Kate?”
Suspicion entered her face.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“Answer.”
Evelyn’s eyes narrowed.
“I call my daughter-in-law when necessary.”
“To schedule my time?”
“I coordinate family obligations.”
“To move her medical appointments?”
Silence.
Julian stared.
His mother removed her gloves finger by finger.
“That was once.”
“You remember it.”
“Of course I remember.”
“So you knew exactly what I meant.”
“Kate is being dramatic.”
Julian’s voice went cold.
“Be careful.”
Evelyn stopped.
It had been years since her son had spoken to her that way.
“She had flexibility. You did not.”
“It was an anatomy scan.”
“You run an international company.”
“She was carrying my child.”
“And your child is healthy.”
Julian looked at his mother as though seeing her from a distance for the first time.
“That makes it acceptable?”
“Nothing happened.”
“Something did happen.”
“What?”
“I wasn’t there.”
Evelyn sighed.
“You are going to miss things, Julian. Men in your position do.”
“My position?”
“Yes.”
“What position is that?”
“The person everyone depends on.”
There it was.
The belief Julian had been raised inside.
Everyone depends on you.
His mother had said it when he was sixteen.
After his father’s funeral.
When Vivien cried, Julian had to be strong.
When bank representatives arrived, Julian sat beside Evelyn.
When business partners began circling the company, Julian learned how to read contracts.
Everyone depends on you.
For fifteen years it had sounded like praise.
Now Julian heard the trap.
“Did you ever ask whether I wanted that?”
Evelyn looked confused.
“Wanted what?”
“To be responsible for everyone.”
“You didn’t have a choice.”
“Neither did Kate, apparently.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“No, Mother.”
Julian walked toward the window.
“What’s ridiculous is that my wife spent three years rearranging her life around whatever my family wanted, and I praised her for being understanding.”
“She married into this family.”
“She married me.”
“The two are connected.”
“They are not the same.”
Evelyn stared.
“Where is this coming from?”
Julian almost laughed.
“My wife removed our wedding photograph from the mantel last night.”
For the first time, Evelyn’s expression shifted.
“She did what?”
“She told me she doesn’t feel like we’re a family.”
“That is manipulative.”
Julian turned.
“No.”
“She waits until Christmas, while Vivien is having a crisis, to create marital drama?”
“She waited three years.”
“Julian—”
“I missed Kate’s birthday.”
“You were helping Adrian.”
“I missed our anniversary.”
“My car broke down.”
“I missed our child’s anatomy scan.”
“You had a board meeting.”
“I left Kate in a restaurant the night she intended to tell me she was pregnant.”
Evelyn stopped.
Julian’s voice lowered.
“She miscarried.”
His mother’s face changed.
“What?”
“She lost our first child.”
“Julian…”
“And I wasn’t there.”
Evelyn’s hand rose toward her mouth.
“I didn’t know.”
“Neither did I.”
The silence became heavy.
“She didn’t tell you?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because she believed someone else would need me more.”
Evelyn sank into a chair.
For a moment she looked older.
But then she said the wrong thing.
“That was her decision.”
Julian stared.
His mother continued carefully.
“You cannot blame yourself for something a woman chose not to tell you.”
“You’re right.”
Evelyn relaxed.
Then Julian finished.
“But I can ask what kind of husband made that choice seem reasonable.”
She looked away.
Julian crossed his arms.
“I need boundaries.”
“Boundaries.”
“Yes.”
“With me?”
“With everyone.”
Evelyn laughed once.
“Because Kate asked?”
“No.”
That answer mattered.
“Because I should have created them before I met her.”
His mother’s face hardened.
“What does that mean?”
“It means you call me when you want to speak to me. You do not call Kate to manage my calendar.”
“I was helping.”
“You do not ask her to move medical appointments.”
“I said—”
“You do not arrive at my house without being invited.”
Evelyn stood.
“This is my family home.”
“No.”
Julian’s voice stayed calm.
“This is Kate’s and my home.”
“The estate was purchased through Cross Holdings.”
“By me.”
“Using family wealth.”
“We can debate accounting later.”
His eyes held hers.
“The answer is no.”
Evelyn stared at him.
“You would shut your mother out because your wife is emotional?”
Julian’s control thinned.
“My wife spent two nights in a hospital last March while I flew to Boston for Adrian.”
Evelyn’s face changed again.
“She what?”
“You didn’t know that either.”
“No.”
“Good.”
Julian nodded.
“Maybe none of us know as much about Kate as we think we do.”
A knock interrupted them.
Marcus entered.
“Sir.”
“What?”
His eyes flicked briefly toward Evelyn.
“Vivien is here.”
Julian frowned.
“With Ethan?”
“No.”
A second later, Vivien appeared behind Marcus.
She had changed into jeans and a sweater.
Her face was pale.
Evelyn immediately moved toward her.
“Sweetheart.”
Vivien stepped back.
Her mother froze.
“Vivien?”
“I need to talk to Julian.”
Evelyn looked offended.
“I am your mother.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me what happened.”
Vivien’s eyes filled.
Julian walked toward her.
“Is Ethan gone?”
“Yes.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“No.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No.”
Vivien looked at the floor.
Then she said, “I lied.”
The room went silent.
Evelyn frowned.
“About what?”
Vivien looked at Julian.
“Last night.”
His jaw tightened.
“I know he didn’t physically throw you out.”
“No.”
“That’s not all?”
She shook her head.
Julian’s unease deepened.
Vivien pressed her palms together.
“Ethan and I had a fight.”
“What about?”
“You.”
Julian stared.
“Me?”
“He said our marriage has never had room for him because every time we have a problem, I call you.”
Julian said nothing.
Vivien’s voice shook.
“I told him he was jealous.”
Evelyn scoffed.
“He is.”
Vivien looked at her mother.
“No.”
The certainty silenced Evelyn.
“He said when we argue, I don’t stay and work it out. I call Julian.”
“When I’m scared, I call Julian.”
“When I need money, I call Julian.”
“When I don’t know what to do, I call Julian.”
She looked at her brother.
“And you always come.”
Julian felt Kate’s words returning.
You like being needed.
Vivien wiped her eyes.
“Last night Ethan told me he couldn’t keep competing with my brother inside our marriage.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“That man is insecure.”
“Mom, stop.”
“Vivien—”
“He was right.”
Evelyn went silent.
Vivien continued.
“He told me to choose whether I wanted to be married or keep running home every time life got uncomfortable.”
Julian’s mouth tightened.
“He shouldn’t have told you to leave.”
“He didn’t.”
Julian froze.
“What?”
Vivien swallowed.
“He walked upstairs.”
“Then why did you say he threw you out?”
“Because I was angry.”
The words barely came out.
“I packed a bag. I slammed the front door. I broke my heel on the steps.”
Julian stared at her.
“I called you because I knew you’d come.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“You let me believe you were in danger.”
“I didn’t say he hit me.”
“You arrived crying without a coat.”
“I know.”
“You said your husband threw you out.”
“I know.”
“And you watched me leave my pregnant wife on Christmas Eve.”
Tears streamed down Vivien’s face.
“I know.”
Julian turned away.
His hands clenched.
Behind him, Evelyn spoke.
“She was upset, Julian.”
He spun around.
“No.”
His mother stopped.
“No more excuses.”
“Don’t speak to me that way.”
“Then stop giving us reasons to remain children.”
The words surprised everyone.
Especially Vivien.
Julian looked at his sister.
“Why are you telling me now?”
“Because Kate texted me.”
His heart stopped for a second.
“What did she say?”
Vivien pulled out her phone.
“She asked if I was safe.”
Of course she had.
Even after everything.
“She said if I needed somewhere to stay, I could use the guest apartment as long as I wanted.”
Vivien’s voice broke.
“She didn’t mention you leaving.”
“She didn’t blame me.”
“She just asked if I was safe.”
Julian looked toward the ceiling, toward the floor above where Kate waited.
“And?”
Vivien cried harder.
“I realized I had done to her exactly what Ethan says I do to our marriage.”
“What?”
“I made my emotions everyone else’s emergency.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Vivien approached.
“I’m sorry.”
He looked at her.
“I love you.”
“I know.”
“But I shouldn’t have come last night.”
“You can always come if you’re in danger.”
“I wasn’t.”
“No.”
Julian’s voice was quiet.
“You weren’t.”
Vivien nodded.
“I called Ethan this morning.”
“What happened?”
“I apologized.”
“And?”
“He said he wants space.”
Julian’s instinct arrived instantly.
Call Ethan.
Fix this.
Explain.
Arrange counseling.
Find a solution.
He saw the impulse.
For once, he did not follow it.
Vivien noticed.
“You’re not going to call him?”
“No.”
Her mouth parted.
“Why?”
“Because this is your marriage.”
She stared at him.
“If you ask me for advice, I’ll give it.”
“If you’re unsafe, I’ll come.”
“If you need a place to sleep, you have one.”
“But I’m not going to stand between you and your husband every time marriage becomes difficult.”
Vivien began crying again.
Then, unexpectedly, she smiled.
“That’s what Ethan wanted you to say.”
Julian gave a humorless laugh.
“He’s smarter than I gave him credit for.”
Evelyn looked between her children.
“This is absurd. Family helps family.”
Vivien faced her.
“Mom, there’s helping, and then there’s never letting anyone learn how to stand without Julian.”
Evelyn’s face went white.
Vivien’s next sentence landed even harder.
“You did it to us.”
Silence.
Julian slowly turned toward his mother.
Evelyn picked up her gloves.
“I will not be attacked in my son’s house on Christmas.”
Vivien looked at Julian.
Neither stopped her.
At the library door, Evelyn paused.
“You will regret letting that woman come between this family.”
Julian went still.
“That woman?”
Evelyn realized too late.
Julian crossed the room.
“My wife has a name.”
“I know her name.”
“Then use it.”
His mother stared.
“Kate is not between us.”
Julian opened the door.
“She is beside me.”
Evelyn left without another word.
The front door closed minutes later.
Vivien wiped her cheeks.
“I should go.”
“You can stay.”
“No.”
She smiled weakly.
“I think maybe I need to learn how to go home without you.”
Julian nodded.
He watched his sister leave.
Then he went upstairs.
Kate was sitting at the nursery window.
She looked at him.
“How bad?”
“Pretty bad.”
“Your mother?”
“Alive.”
Kate almost smiled.
“Vivien?”
“Also alive.”
“Ethan?”
“Apparently more reasonable than I thought.”
Julian entered.
Then he stopped several feet away.
“Vivien told me the truth.”
Kate waited.
“She wasn’t thrown out.”
“I wondered.”
His brows lifted.
“You knew?”
“No.”
Kate touched her stomach.
“But something felt incomplete.”
Julian stared at the floor.
“I left you for a crisis that wasn’t a crisis.”
Kate’s expression softened.
“That isn’t why I’m hurt.”
“I know.”
He looked up.
“You’re hurt because I didn’t need proof.”
She said nothing.
“I heard ‘Vivien needs me,’ and that was enough.”
“Yes.”
Julian nodded slowly.
Then Kate reached into a drawer beside the rocking chair.
She removed a sealed envelope.
“What’s that?”
Her hand rested on it.
“Something I wrote three months ago.”
“For me?”
“Yes.”
“Can I read it?”
Kate looked down at the envelope.
“I don’t know.”
The front bore his name.
Julian.
Nothing else.
“What is it?”
Kate’s fingers tightened around the paper.
“It was the letter I planned to give you if Christmas came and nothing had changed.”
His breath stopped.
“A goodbye letter?”
Kate looked at him.
And her silence answered before her voice did.
“Yes.”
Julian stared at the envelope in his wife’s hands.
Suddenly Christmas Eve no longer felt like the night he almost lost Kate.
May you like
It felt like the night she had already prepared to say goodbye.
And the most frightening part was that Julian still did not know whether she had changed her mind.
