The Only Color Left In His World Was Another Woman Chapter 03

As my departure date approached, I made time to stop by an outdoor outfitter to buy some climbing gear.

I never expected to run into Julian and Brielle there.

The injuries on my face were still severe, so I was wearing a face mask.

That was the only reason Julian didn’t have an episode the moment he saw me.

Even so, he frowned and quickly looked away.

“Tessa, what are you doing here?”

Something seemed to occur to Brielle, and she eyed me suspiciously.

“Don’t tell me you found out Julian and I are climbing Mount Norens and decided to buy gear so you could secretly follow us.”

I stared at her in disbelief.

“…What?”

I was sure I’d misheard her.

Julian and I had suffered that terrible accident while climbing Mount Norens. The experience had left him deeply traumatized.

At his worst, even hearing someone mention a snow-covered mountain could send him into a breakdown. I’d given up my love of mountaineering because of his condition.

And now Brielle was telling me she and Julian were planning to climb that very same mountain, all the way to the summit. How was that possible?

“Tessa, Julian planned this trip as my birthday present. It’s supposed to be just the two of us. You’re not invited.”

Brielle folded her arms and continued in a tone of feigned concern.

“Besides, Julian’s episodes have been getting more frequent lately. You really should stay away from him for a while.”

“If you actually care about him, I suggest you give up on this little plan of yours.”

I ignored her.

Instead, I turned to Julian, struggling to keep my voice steady.

“Is what she’s saying true?”

Julian hesitated before giving a quiet confirmation.

Then he tried to explain.

“Brielle’s taken care of me for so long without ever asking for anything in return. All she wants for her birthday is this one trip. It’s the least I can do.”

My gaze shifted to the diamond-encrusted watch on her wrist, a piece worth six figures.

I scoffed.

“She never asks for anything? Then what’s that on her wrist supposed to be?”

Brielle immediately bristled.

“Tessa, what the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Julian frowned.

“I insisted on giving her that watch. She didn’t ask for it.”

“Brielle is a sweet, innocent girl, Tessa. You shouldn’t assume the worst of her.”

I stared at Julian for a long moment.

He really seemed to have forgotten that the pink-diamond Bulgari watch was the one thing I’d dreamed of owning when I was younger.

I could still remember sitting on the back of Julian’s bike, clutching a secondhand fashion magazine and staring longingly at that beautiful watch.

I’d even declared without a hint of embarrassment, “Whoever buys me that watch, I’m marrying him!”

Julian had raised an eyebrow.

“That’s all it takes? One watch?”

“Then what if I bought you every piece of jewelry in that magazine? You’d cry your eyes out and promise to stay with me for a thousand lifetimes.”

Back then, we’d been two broke students.

Now Julian was wealthy enough to buy out an entire luxury jewelry store.

But he’d long since forgotten his promise.

My chest tightened.

I couldn’t bear to stay any longer, so I turned to leave.

Brielle stepped into my path.

“What’s the hurry? Feeling guilty?”

She scoffed and suggested that Julian check my phone.

“I bet she’s already bought a ticket so she can sneak along with us!”

She sounded so certain that Julian began to look suspicious, too.

He snatched my phone and opened the flight-booking app.

When he found my ticket to Vessera, he gave me a mocking look, as though he’d just caught me red-handed. His finger moved toward the cancellation button.

“You even booked the exact same flight as us.”

I hurried to stop him.

“That ticket has nothing to do with you two! Vessera is where I’m meeting the glacier research team that invited me…”

But Julian was convinced I was lying.

He canceled my ticket before I could stop him. By the time he handed my phone back, the flight was fully booked.

“What research team? Tessa, you’re unbelievable. You’ll even make up a ridiculous story like that just to compete with Brielle.”

Tears burned in my eyes as I shouted back.

“I’m not lying!”

Julian grew increasingly frustrated when I refused to back down. He raised his voice.

“Tessa, there’s a limit to how unreasonable you can be!”

“I injured my eyes saving you on Mount Norens, and now you’re determined to follow me back there? Are you not going to stop until you get me killed, too?”

His words cut straight into a wound that had never fully healed.

When Julian saw how deeply he’d hurt me, his tone softened.

“Come on, Tessa. Don’t be like this.”

“I promise I won’t be gone long. And when I get back, I’ll make more time for you.”