The Only Color Left In His World Was Another Woman Chapter 01

Julian Mercer and I were caught off guard by falling ice while climbing Mount Norens.

Julian suffered a devastating injury to his eyes while trying to save me.

The combination of frostbite, altitude sickness, and blindness pushed him to the point of a mental breakdown.

After we were rescued, he developed severe PTSD. His world became nothing but shades of black and white, and even my face was little more than a blur.

He began to fear the sight of me.

If I stayed in his line of sight for more than ten minutes, he would develop an excruciating headache and completely lose control.

Yet his therapist, Brielle Sutton, was the only person he could see in color.

Julian treated her like a miracle cure, clinging to her day and night.

Meanwhile, I could only see him if I wore a cold, rigid mask over my face.

The paint lining the mask caused an allergic breakout across my face, and the trouble breathing even triggered my asthma.

Even then, I wasn’t allowed to take it off.

Then came a birthday party.

I bent down to pick something up, and my mask accidentally slipped off.

Julian looked up at me, and one glance was enough to send him into a complete breakdown.

He tackled me to the floor and pressed the mask against my face with all his strength.

Its sharp edges cut into my skin, sending blood streaming down my cheek.

He seemed not to notice. His voice was hoarse as he screamed at me.

“Tessa Rowan, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“You know I can’t stand seeing your face, but you just had to show it to me!”

“Put it back on! Now!”

He was completely out of control. No one around us could pull him off me.

It wasn’t until Brielle took his hand that his strength suddenly gave out and he gradually calmed down.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, clinging to her as if she were the only thing keeping him from drowning.

I wiped the blood from my face.

I knew it was time for me to leave.

…

The private lounge fell silent.

The only sound was Brielle’s gentle voice as she patted Julian’s back, soothing him.

“Don’t be scared, Julian. I’m right here.”

“You’re safe. I promise I won’t let her come near you again.”

Julian murmured something in response and buried his face against her chest.

One of his friends gave me an awkward smile when he saw the two of them embracing and tried to explain.

“Tessa, you know how Julian gets when he has an episode. He can lash out at anyone, even the people closest to him. He wasn’t specifically targeting you. Please don’t take it personally.”

His gaze fell to the mask on the floor, then to the gaping wound on the right side of my face, still bleeding heavily.

Whatever else he’d been about to say died in his throat.

Finally, Brielle frowned and spoke to me.

“Tessa, you’d better put your mask back on.”

“Julian is already terrified of seeing your face. All that blood will only agitate him and make him even more unstable.”

I hesitated.

Julian was deathly pale, and cold sweat kept beading across his forehead.

The sight brought back a memory from three years earlier.

When the falling ice struck Julian, he’d lain in my arms with that same deathly pallor.

Blood had poured from his head, and his breathing had grown so faint I could barely hear it.

He’d looked as if he might die at any second.

My hand trembled as I picked up the damaged mask and put it back on.

Everyone in the room seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

The immediate “crisis” was over, but Julian still refused to release Brielle from his arms.

His friend glanced at me, then hurried over to tug at Julian’s arm, forcing a teasing tone to lighten the mood.

“Wrong girl, Julian! Tessa’s over there!”

“You’re usually so worried about upsetting her. Keep holding her like that, and you’ll be in the doghouse no matter how much you grovel.”

Julian roared back, his voice filled with undisguised disgust.

“Tell her to get the hell out! Seeing her face makes me sick!”

The entire room fell dead silent.

Brielle gave a soft laugh.

“Julian, that’s not very nice.”

He pouted but obediently fell quiet.

Brielle patted his head as though rewarding him, her voice gentle.

“All right. I know you don’t want to be here. How about I take you somewhere else?”

“Okay.”

He lowered his eyes, completely dependent on her.

“Wherever Brielle goes, I’m going.”

The two of them left hand in hand, their fingers intertwined.

Julian Mercer and I were caught off guard by falling ice while climbing Mount Norens.

Julian suffered a devastating injury to his eyes while trying to save me.

The combination of frostbite, altitude sickness, and blindness pushed him to the point of a mental breakdown.

After we were rescued, he developed severe PTSD. His world became nothing but shades of black and white, and even my face was little more than a blur.

He began to fear the sight of me.

If I stayed in his line of sight for more than ten minutes, he would develop an excruciating headache and completely lose control.

Yet his therapist, Brielle Sutton, was the only person he could see in color.

Julian treated her like a miracle cure, clinging to her day and night.

Meanwhile, I could only see him if I wore a cold, rigid mask over my face.

The paint lining the mask caused an allergic breakout across my face, and the trouble breathing even triggered my asthma.

Even then, I wasn’t allowed to take it off.

Then came a birthday party.

I bent down to pick something up, and my mask accidentally slipped off.

Julian looked up at me, and one glance was enough to send him into a complete breakdown.

He tackled me to the floor and pressed the mask against my face with all his strength.

Its sharp edges cut into my skin, sending blood streaming down my cheek.

He seemed not to notice. His voice was hoarse as he screamed at me.

“Tessa Rowan, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

“You know I can’t stand seeing your face, but you just had to show it to me!”

“Put it back on! Now!”

He was completely out of control. No one around us could pull him off me.

It wasn’t until Brielle took his hand that his strength suddenly gave out and he gradually calmed down.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, clinging to her as if she were the only thing keeping him from drowning.

I wiped the blood from my face.

I knew it was time for me to leave.

…

The private lounge fell silent.

The only sound was Brielle’s gentle voice as she patted Julian’s back, soothing him.

“Don’t be scared, Julian. I’m right here.”

“You’re safe. I promise I won’t let her come near you again.”

Julian murmured something in response and buried his face against her chest.

One of his friends gave me an awkward smile when he saw the two of them embracing and tried to explain.

“Tessa, you know how Julian gets when he has an episode. He can lash out at anyone, even the people closest to him. He wasn’t specifically targeting you. Please don’t take it personally.”

His gaze fell to the mask on the floor, then to the gaping wound on the right side of my face, still bleeding heavily.

Whatever else he’d been about to say died in his throat.

Finally, Brielle frowned and spoke to me.

“Tessa, you’d better put your mask back on.”

“Julian is already terrified of seeing your face. All that blood will only agitate him and make him even more unstable.”

I hesitated.

Julian was deathly pale, and cold sweat kept beading across his forehead.

The sight brought back a memory from three years earlier.

When the falling ice struck Julian, he’d lain in my arms with that same deathly pallor.

Blood had poured from his head, and his breathing had grown so faint I could barely hear it.

He’d looked as if he might die at any second.

My hand trembled as I picked up the damaged mask and put it back on.

Everyone in the room seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

The immediate “crisis” was over, but Julian still refused to release Brielle from his arms.

His friend glanced at me, then hurried over to tug at Julian’s arm, forcing a teasing tone to lighten the mood.

“Wrong girl, Julian! Tessa’s over there!”

“You’re usually so worried about upsetting her. Keep holding her like that, and you’ll be in the doghouse no matter how much you grovel.”

Julian roared back, his voice filled with undisguised disgust.

“Tell her to get the hell out! Seeing her face makes me sick!”

The entire room fell dead silent.

Brielle gave a soft laugh.

“Julian, that’s not very nice.”

He pouted but obediently fell quiet.

Brielle patted his head as though rewarding him, her voice gentle.

“All right. I know you don’t want to be here. How about I take you somewhere else?”

“Okay.”

He lowered his eyes, completely dependent on her.

“Wherever Brielle goes, I’m going.”

The two of them left hand in hand, their fingers intertwined.