Chapter 2

Over dinner, Julian finally spoke.

“You didn’t like the wedding dress today. I’ve already had the designer start over on a custom one. You can explain your ideas and preferences directly to her.”

I responded without emotion. “We’ll talk about it later.”

Julian frowned. “You’re not seriously planning to let my daughter—heir to the Fraser family—live her whole life in the shadows as an illegitimate child, are you?”

I set down my silver fork. “Julian, we had an agreement. I’d shield you from the women trying to climb into your bed and from the Fraser family’s matchmaking schemes. You’d keep an eye on Leo for me. If it hadn’t been for that drunken mistake, I never would’ve had this child.”

“When I found out I was pregnant, I was heading to the clinic to end it. You were the one who begged me to keep her. If you’re so worried about gossip, you’re free to publicly claim her as your daughter. But as for my identity—I’m not ready to go public yet.”

Julian gave a cold laugh, picked up Sophie, and walked away without another word.

A month passed.

Julian began quietly eating into Montgomery business territory, move by calculated move.

Exactly thirty days later, Leo texted me. No reply.

He called. Straight to voicemail. He tried again from one of his crew’s phones.

“Aria, I’ve got good news—I got my memory back.”

I didn’t respond. I hung up.

He assumed I hadn’t heard him and sent another message from a different number:

Aria, I have great news. I remember everything now. It’s Leo. I know you’ve suffered all these years. From now on, I’ll protect you from the world. Call me when you see this. I miss you.

Julian’s gaze turned glacial. Without hesitation, he picked up my phone and replied:

My wife’s in the shower. If you have something to say, speak to me.

Leo lost it. His calls started flooding in, one after another.

Julian calmly blocked the number and deleted the thread. Clean and swift. No hesitation.

The next morning, Leo was waiting along my usual driving route.

When he saw I was alone in the car, he relaxed.

“Aria, I brought you your favorite cupcakes from Model Milk Bakery. Still fresh, see?”

Without waiting for my response, he opened the door of my Range Rover and slid into the passenger seat like he belonged there.

The sugary scent of artificial frosting filled the car. I wrinkled my nose.

“Get out.”

He froze. “Aria, are you still mad at me? I didn’t know about our relationship—I had amnesia. If I had known, I never would’ve said those things to hurt you.”

Before I could answer, he placed the cupcake box in front of me like it was a treasure. The cheap synthetic aroma made me nauseous.

I snatched the box from his hands and tossed it out the window into a nearby trash bin.

“I never eat cupcakes,” I said, each word cold and deliberate.

Leo smacked his forehead. “Damn—sorry, Aria. I just got my memory back. I haven’t remembered everything yet. That’s on me.”

“What do you like? I’ll have someone bring it to you.”

“I’ll say it one more time. Get out.”

He chuckled, still trying to play cute. “Come on, Aria. I know I messed up. Hit me if it’ll make you feel better. I’m back now, safe and sound. The elders from both families are still waiting on our engagement, remember?”

“You’ve been angry long enough. We’ve been together for years—you’re not going to throw it all away over this, right?”

I was done wasting words. I picked up the radio and called the security SUV trailing behind me.

“Escort this man out of my vehicle.”

Leo hadn’t even left before the next drama arrived.

His latest girlfriend, the same one I’d seen at the bridal boutique, came strolling up.

“Leo, weren’t you supposed to be buying me breakfast?” she asked, her tone sweet and confused.

She looked about twenty, soft baby fat still on her cheeks, with a pretty, harmless face.

Leo always had an eye for pretty things.

“Be good, Vivi,” he said, slipping a black card into her hand. “I’m busy right now. Go home first.”

“There’s a hundred thousand dollars on this. Password’s your birthday. Buy whatever you want. If that’s not enough, let me know.”

He coaxed her for a while until she finally left.

Her name was Vivian Hayes. She worked part-time at Hayes Bubble Tea in Kensington Village. Twenty-two. Dirt-poor background. Dropped out of school to work and fund her younger brother’s tuition because her family favored sons.

Once Leo learned that, he bought the entire bubble tea shop and gifted her a condo in downtown Calgary.

He’d left his blazer in my car. When I came to return it, I walked right into the scene.

“Your jacket,” I said, tossing it at his feet. “It’s dirtying my car.”

Leo’s eyes lit up. “Aria, I knew you still cared. Why else would you come all the way here to return it personally?”

“It’s not what it looked like just now. Vivian’s just a poor girl I felt sorry for. You don’t know how awful her parents are—”

I cut him off. “Her family is none of my concern.”

He opened his mouth to say more, but my phone rang.

I answered it in front of him.

“Babe, what’s taking you so long?” Julian’s voice came through the speaker loud and clear.

“I ran into some trouble. I’ll be up soon.”

Julian's voice came again, warm and patient. “Alright, sweetheart. Be careful. Sophie and I are waiting at the usual spot. Love you.”

Leo’s expression twisted. He lunged forward and snatched the phone from my hands.

“You’re an actor, aren’t you? Aria hired you to mess with me. How much did she pay? I’ll double it—no, ten times!”

Julian’s voice turned icy. “Leo Montgomery, I am Aria Blackwell’s husband. I suggest you stop interfering in our lives.”

Leo froze. The voice was familiar, but he couldn’t place it.

Just as he tried to respond, the phone cut off—battery dead.

I snatched the device back and turned to leave.

“Aria!” Leo called after me. “You don’t have to do this just to get back at me! That guy—he’s just some actor you hired, right? I’ll admit, he’s pretty convincing…”

Then he clapped a hand to his forehead. “Almost forgot! There’s a family gathering tonight. I’ll be there representing the Montgomerys. Don’t be late!”