Chapter 2

That evening, Marcus's motorcade escorted me back to the Hamptons estate.

The moment I pushed open the door, I froze.

The minimalist Italian decor we had chosen was gone, replaced by Chloe's preferred Rococo style―gaudy carvings, lace curtains, and pink velvet sofas.

Our massive wedding portrait was tossed in a corner, the glass shattered.

Jax was lounging on the sofa, swirling a martini, and looking at me like I was trash.

"Don't think I owe you anything just because you saved me a few times," he sneered. "Chloe and I were together ten years ago. If it weren't for that fool Jules falling for your bullshit, a woman with your background wouldn't even be allowed to touch the Moretti family's doorstep."

Every single item in this house was something Jules and I had bought at Sotheby's auctions or custom-ordered from Milan.

Before, if Jax dared to touch a single thing, I would have screamed, smashed things, and reminded him that this was my home with Jules.

But today, I just gave him a calm look and turned towards the guest room.

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Jax yelled, jumping to his feet.

I didn't look back.

I heard a chair being kicked over and his furious roar behind me. My silence was like a punch landing on cotton―it enraged him more than any fight ever could.

The housekeeper, Maria, helped me prepare the room, her eyes red. She had worked for the family for twenty years and had watched Julian grow up.

"Mrs. Moretti," she whispered, "I saw Miss Chloe in the wine cellar today, talking to a strange man on the phone. She said... she said, 'The plan is going smoothly.'"

I took her hand. "Maria, you didn't see anything. Understand?"

She looked stunned for a moment, then nodded and left.

I had just lain down when Chloe walked in with a glass of red wine.

"Nora, I'm so sorry about what happened," she said, her tone sounding rehearsed. "I didn't know it was Jules with you. I just missed Jax so much. You get it."

She leaned closer, her voice suddenly turning venomous. "But I don't like to share my man. And neither do you, right?"

With a flick of her wrist, she poured the wine on the floor. The glass shattered, and a shard sliced my ankle.

"Ahhh!" she suddenly screamed. "Nora! Why did you push me? I was just trying to apologize!"

She clutched her wrist, tears streaming down her face on command.

Jax burst into the room and, without a second thought, slapped me across the face.

"You goddamn bitch."

The force of it snapped my head to the side, my ears ringing. My eyes met Chloe's, and she gave me a triumphant, mocking smile.

Before Jax left, he threw one last threat over his shoulder. "You just wait. I'll make Jules himself kick you out."

I touched my swollen cheek, a cold smile forming on my lips.

I couldn't wait.

In the middle of the night, the door creaked open.

Warm breath, scented with his familiar cologne, brushed against my neck as Julian wrapped his arms around me from behind.

"Nora, why are you so cold? I'll have Maria make you some ginger tea."

He carefully lifted my foot to treat the cut.

"I heard about what happened tonight," he said softly. "Chloe meant well. Baby, don't fight with her anymore. When I'm not here, you're the only one who will get hurt."

I went completely rigid.

He actually believed I was the one who hurt her.

"What about our house?" My voice trembled. "They destroyed our home."

The first time Chloe touched one of my things, he had thrown her out, luggage and all. The first time Jax smashed our wedding photo, he had cut his own finger and written a warning to his alter in blood.

But now―

"Let them do what they want," he said, his tone shockingly flat. "If you change it back, they'll just destroy it again. It's just furniture."

Just furniture.

My heart felt like it had been ripped out.

"Get out," I said, pulling my foot back under the covers.

He frowned and pushed me down onto the bed, his kisses falling on me like a desperate, chaotic storm.

"What's wrong with you today? Why are you so cold to me?"

Maybe in his eyes, no matter what happened, a round in bed was all it took to fix a woman like me.

The more I fought, the harder he pushed.

In the chaos, my palm connected with his face.

Smack!

He stopped, shock and anger flashing in his eyes. "Nora!"