He Thought I’d Never Leave, Until I Forgot Who He Was Chapter 01

He Thought I’d Never Leave, Until I Forgot Who He Was Chapter 01

I was helping a client catch her cheating boyfriend when she snapped a photo of the woman she believed was his mistress and sent it to him. Furious, she called him on the spot.

The next second, my husband’s voice came through the phone.

“Baby, don’t be mad. You’re one of the other women too.”

His tone was careless, almost amused.

My client froze.

“What… what do you mean?”

Julian Mercer answered with unnerving calm.

“You’re number eight. There are seven others. Evie is my only wife.”

Evie.

That was me.

***

“You were seeing seven other women besides me?”

Her hand shook around the phone.

“You have a wife, and you still came after me? Why?”

Julian gave a low laugh. His cool voice carried an almost lazy edge.

“My wife isn’t young anymore. Men like novelty. Excitement. You’re young, you’re fun, so I figured we’d have a fling.”

My client let out a sharp, bitter laugh.

“Her name is Evie, right? What do you think would happen if I told her you’ve been sleeping with eight women behind her back? If you don’t love me, fine. Then I’ll take you down with me.”

“Baby, don’t do something that’ll make both of us unhappy.”

His voice went cold in an instant.

“Everyone gets older. Everyone’s looks fade eventually. So why obsess over whether I love you? You’re young. Get as much money out of me as you can while you’re still young.”

She clenched her jaw.

“You’re a bastard.”

A low chuckle came through the phone.

“If my Evie ever finds out about you, you’re finished. I’ll bury your career. I’ll make sure no director ever casts you again.”

Her whole body trembled. Resentment burned in her eyes.

After a long moment, she forced out, “I’m pregnant.”

My eyes widened.

There was a long silence on the other end of the line.

She lifted her chin.

“But I’m getting an abortion. Your wife can have your baby.”

“She can’t.”

Julian’s voice turned terrifyingly cold.

“You’re going to have this baby.”

Her eyes reddened. “And what am I supposed to be? What is the baby supposed to be? Your secret child with another woman?”

“I’ll convince Evie to adopt the baby. I’ll tell her the baby’s an orphan and arrange a private adoption. She’ll raise your baby for you.”

He said it as calmly as if he were discussing the weather.

“You can refuse, of course. Go ahead and see what happens.”

My heart sank.

Years ago, when Julian was still building his company from the ground up, a female client who was jealous of me had drugged me.

I bled so badly that there was blood all over the floor. I was left infertile.

Back then, Julian had held my hand, stabbed himself, and sobbed.

“Evie, I’m sorry. I failed you.”

Afterward, he’d used that same woman’s connections to secure a contract, then steadily worked his way up.

Then, once he’d become one of the most powerful men in Los Angeles entertainment, the first thing he did was ruin that woman financially and leave her homeless.

He’d knelt in front of me afterward, crying like a child.

“Evie, I made her pay for what she did to you.”

I snapped back to the present and looked at the woman in front of me.

Sienna Cole.

A rising young actress whose career was just taking off.

She suddenly let out a cold laugh.

“So tell me this. Your wife or me—which one do you love more? Me, right?”

“Love you?” Julian scoffed as if she’d just told him a joke. “If I loved you, wouldn’t I marry you? Would I keep you hidden? Would I make you the other woman?”

Hatred flashed in Sienna’s eyes, but she quickly smiled.

“So you love your wife more, then?”

“You spend freely, and you don’t ask much from me. I can’t think of a reason to walk away. But I’ll make you fall in love with me. Just wait.”

“Do whatever you want. Just don’t do anything stupid to the baby.”

Julian hung up.

I didn’t remember how I said goodbye to my client.

Somehow, I made it back to the Bel Air estate Julian and I shared, numb and dazed.

I picked up my phone and texted him.

Evie: [Julian, do you love me?]

His answer came almost immediately.

Julian: [Just landed. Brought you a gift, baby. Of course I love you.]

Several blowing-kiss stickers followed.

The gift was a one-of-a-kind couture gown I’d wanted for ages, the same one I’d lost at auction.

Suppressing my nausea, I typed another message.

Evie: [You know I was the chosen spiritual heir of my community. Before I left the mountains with you, our elder placed an ancient binding hex on me.If I ever learn that you’ve betrayed me, I’ll slowly forget every memory connected to you.]

The front door opened the second I sent it.

Julian’s handsome face appeared in the entryway.

He strode over, wrapped me in his arms, and buried his face against my neck.

“Baby, I missed you so damn much.”

I looked straight into his eyes.

“Julian, do you love me?”

He gave my cheek a playful pinch.

“Who else would I love if not you?”

I gave a cold laugh.

“And the other eight women? If your love is for me, what about them?”