The Rose He Showed Off Is Putting Down Roots in a Garden of Her Own novel Chapter 33

Unfortunately, a heart stripped of love is the most ruthless of all.

Julian thought of the past, but the memory was instantly eclipsed by the image of the hickey on her thigh.

He jerked his tie loose, his tone laced with ice. "I thought we were getting a divorce? The moment your credit cards get frozen, you come running right back. Where's that famous backbone of yours, Ms. Vance?"

The sheer venom in his voice made Elara’s chest tighten. After all these years, what kind of monster had she been in love with?

She didn't dignify him with a response. She simply stood up, grabbed her clothes, and headed for the bathroom to shower.

Julian grabbed her arm. "Didn't get a chance to go out and act like a whore today?"

Elara stared at him with freezing detachment, pronouncing every word with deliberate precision. "Say one more word like that, and I will walk downstairs right now and bring your mother up here. If you don't care about humiliation, neither do I."

Julian threw her arm away in disgust. "You're filthy. What gives you the nerve to even look at my mother?"

Exhausted beyond words, Elara ignored him, stepped into the bathroom, and locked the door.

With nowhere to vent his boiling rage, Julian leaned against the doorframe, hurling insults at the wood.

Elara twisted the shower handle all the way, letting the roaring sound of the water drown out his voice.

-

Later that night, they lay in the marital bed, anchored to opposite edges.

Julian was on the phone with his mistress again, flirting shamelessly while simultaneously insulting Elara to the other woman.

Elara felt a fiery rage building in her chest. She couldn't fathom how the once disciplined, respectful man she knew had morphed into this unrecognizable stranger.

They had loved each other for so many years. How could he act with such brazen cruelty?

Suddenly, Elara sat up, snatched Julian’s phone right out of his hand, and hurled it violently against the door. It hit with a loud crack and clattered onto the floor.

Julian was just about to explode when Elara threw her legs over the side of the bed and yanked the bedroom door wide open.

At this hour, his parents and the staff were all asleep. The hallway was dead silent.

Julian instantly shut his mouth.

Elara pulled the door shut, climbed back into bed, and went to sleep.

In the dead of night, she dreamt of the four seasons of their college years.

He used to call her Elara.

She used to call him Julian.

She still called him Julian, but over the years, as he introduced her as his wife, she had slowly just become *Mrs. Sterling* to him.

Two streams of clear tears slipped down her cheeks. All they had left was a past they could never return to.

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