Abandoned by All I Took It All Back novel Chapter 11

Janina had been delayed buying recording equipment and hiring a private investigator, so it was already seven in the evening by the time she got home.

The moment she pushed open the door, the expression on her face froze, her gaze hardening as she looked toward the living room sofa.

There, Yvonne was leaning back against the cushions, a throw pillow in her hands, her legs curled up beneath her.

And Julius was sitting beside her, his usually stern, indifferent face softened by a faint smile.

The two of them seemed to be sharing a joke, their laughter filling the entire living room.

Standing in the doorway, Janina felt like an intruder, the one person disrupting this scene of domestic bliss.

A gust of wind from the open door finally alerted the pair on the sofa to her presence. They both turned their heads toward the entrance.

Upon seeing Janina, the cheerful atmosphere in the room instantly vanished. Their laughter died in their throats.

Yvonne stood up and gave Janina a sweet, disarming smile as she greeted her graciously.

"Miss Holt, you're back. I'm so sorry for coming over without your permission. I hope you don't mind."

"You're not a stranger in this house. Don't worry about it."

Before Janina could respond, Julius cut in. His eyes held a certain softness as he gestured for Yvonne to sit back down.

Then, his gaze shifted to Janina, and it turned cold. "Janina, Yvonne isn't well. I don't feel comfortable with her living alone on the south side of town, so she'll be staying here for a while. I sent you a message this afternoon, but you didn't reply."

What did Julius just say?

He was moving Yvonne into their home? So she could have her baby here?

He hadn't discussed it with her; he had informed her.

Her phone had died, so she hadn't seen his message. But even if she had, would it have changed anything? Once he made a decision, it was an order.

He was making his wife and his mistress live under the same roof, expecting her, the legal wife, to wait on his lover.

And those words had come from Julius's own mouth.

She looked at Julius, her voice devoid of any warmth. "Upstairs. We need to talk."

She had no respect for Yvonne and wouldn't waste her breath on her. The other woman had no right to be involved in their divorce.

Without another glance at either of them, Janina turned and stumbled away.

Behind her, she heard Yvonne's anxious voice.

"Julius, go talk to her. Don't let her get the wrong idea."

Julius just said flatly, "It's fine. The new housekeeper is coming tomorrow specifically to take care of you. I'll show you to your room so you can rest."

Janina didn't slow her pace. This broken relationship only filled her with a chilling disgust, and her eyes began to sting. She scrubbed at them fiercely as she hurried back to her room, pulled out a suitcase, and started packing.

She was more fragile than she'd imagined. She had planned to get evidence of their affair before filing for divorce, but now, that seemed entirely unnecessary.

She couldn't live under the same roof as this disgusting pair. It was just…