His Final Betrayal Was My First Move Chapter 22

His Final Betrayal Was My First Move Chapter 22

Outside the gallery, the cold Boston air finally cleared the suffocating smell of perfume. The moment they were out of Griffin and Daphne’s sight, Amelia quickly released Julian’s arm, as if the intimacy had been nothing more than battle armor.

“Thank you for that,” she said softly, her tone carrying a hint of distance.

With his arm suddenly empty, Julian’s heart seemed to empty, too. He looked at the vacant crook of his elbow, a small sense of loss spreading through him. He knew their intimacy had just been a performance. But at this moment, he no longer wanted to be just an “ally” or a “friend.” This run-in with Griffin was like a catalyst, making him decide he couldn’t keep waiting.

He needed a legitimate place at Amelia’s side.

“Amelia, I…”

As he began to speak, Amelia keenly sensed what was coming. She wasn’t a fool. She had seen his undisguised care and tenderness. A man didn’t treat a woman so well for no reason. She had wanted to draw a line, but he had always been so restrained, never making her feel pressured. But now, she wasn’t ready.

That marriage, built on manipulation and betrayal, was an unhealed wound, leaving her instinctively afraid of any intimate relationship.

“Why don’t we… go get a drink?” she cut in, trying to derail him. “After walking around for so long, I’m a little thirsty.”

The deliberate change of subject made Julian’s heart sink, but the elite education instilled in him didn’t permit ambiguity. Like a Wall Street acquisition, once the decision was made, it had to be executed cleanly. He had missed his chance with her for years. He wasn’t going to wait another minute.

“Amelia, I like you.”

He ignored her suggestion, looking directly into her eyes as he spoke, his voice firm and clear.

Amelia froze. The night wind lifted a few strands of her hair, but she seemed to have been paused, forgetting to breathe.

Seeing her shock, Julian continued, his voice carrying years of suppressed feeling.

“From the moment I saw you at that Harvard dance, I fell for you. I wanted to get to know you, but at the time I was overwhelmed with taking over my family’s hedge fund in Manhattan. I was too busy. By the time I finally had a moment to breathe, I saw in the alumni directory that Griffin was already by your side.”

His voice was soft, but it sent ripples through the stagnant water of Amelia’s heart.

“At the time, I thought college relationships might not last. I was willing to wait. But then, I saw the photo you posted. Griffin proposing to you in Times Square. The bright, happy light in your eyes… it made me back off.”

“I thought, as long as you were happy, that was enough. So after you got married, I forced myself to stop following any news about you.”

“But Amelia, this time, you came back into my world on your own.” Julian’s gaze grew heated. “When I learned you had signed the divorce agreement, do you know how happy I was? That’s why I kept pestering you, pretending I couldn’t take a hint, just because I wanted to be near you.”

“At first, I thought it would be enough just to be your friend, to have a place in your life. But people are greedy.” He took a small step forward, closing the distance between them. “Now I want more. I want an identity that lets me stand beside you, openly.”

“An identity that lets me be with you. Amelia, I love you.”

A long silence fell.

Amelia lowered her eyes, her heart in a storm. She couldn’t deny she had feelings for him. But that failed marriage had made her a frightened bird, afraid to give her heart away again, afraid to be made a fool of again.

“Julian,” she finally said, her voice a little hoarse, “I… I just escaped a terrible relationship. I’m afraid… I don’t have it in me to start a new one right away.” She looked at him honestly. “But what you said… I admit, I do have feelings for you.”

That small admission was enough.

A gentle smile bloomed on Julian’s face, warm enough to melt a Boston winter.

“It’s all right,” he said softly. “You don’t have to start right away. You just have to have feelings for me. Then stand where you are, don’t hide, and wait for me to come to you.”

As he finished speaking, he reached out and gently wrapped his warm palm around her cold fingers. The warmth traveled up her skin and into the deepest part of her heart. Amelia felt as if the thick wall of ice she had built around herself had just developed a crack.

Just then, her phone vibrated. She took it out and saw an unfamiliar number flashing on the screen.

But she recognized it. It was Griffin’s private number, the one he had used countless times to comfort Daphne, but had never shared with her.

Without the slightest hesitation, Amelia silenced the call and put the phone facedown in her bag.

The past needed to end.