Twenty-Six receipts of betrayal Novel novel Chapter 33

Chapter 6

Right before I boarded my flight to London, I posted one last thing.

Took a photo of the signed divorce papers.

[@WrenHayes: Some people were asking what I had Garrett sign in that video. Divorce papers.]

[Sorry for lying earlier. No secret boyfriend. Just a husband I was married to for five years. EX–husband now.]

[The apartment was mine. I bought it. Put his name on it because I’m an idiot.]

Posted it. Then turned off my phone and headed to the gate.

What I didn’t expect?

Running into someone I knew on the plane.

“Wren. What’re the odds?”

Julian, baseball cap pulled low, waved at me from the aisle.

Glanced down at his boarding pass. “Looks like I’m next to you.”

I stood up to let him in.

We didn’t talk much during the flight.

After we landed, Julian turned to me. “Where you

headed?”

I shifted my bag on my shoulder. “Gonna explore. See where I end up.”

He smiled. Didn’t push.

After landing, I got a new number, texted Dr. Patel to let her know I was safe. Didn’t check anything online.

Then found a small flat to rent in South Kensington. Started prepping for the semester.

First day of class, I walked into the lecture hall.

And froze.

Because standing at the front of the room, dry–erase marker in hand, was Julian Cross.

He caught my eye. Smiled.

“Well. What a coincidence. Wren.”

After class, he took me to lunch. Told me he’d been teaching at Cambridge for five years.

“I don’t have a heavy course load. If you ever need help with anything, just ask.

I glanced at him. “This isn’t gonna be weird? You being my professor now?”

Twenty Six Receipts of Betrayal: My Silence Was the Countdown to His Eternal Regret

Chapter 6

Julian grinned. “Only if you make it weird.

I sighed. “Yeah, right.”

The next few months. I buried myself in coursework.

As time passed, Julian and I got closer. Not in a romantic way more like we just understood each other.

I wasn’t stupid. I knew he was interested.

But right now? I didn’t have the time, energy, or desire to start something new.

I found a moment to tell him straight–up.

Julian just laughed. “That’s your call. But me liking you? That’s MY call. You can’t control what I think, can you?”

I stared at him.

“…I guess not.”

Fair point.

At least he didn’t push it.

Things stayed pretty chill between us after that, until three months later-

I was at a café near campus with Julian, going over research notes, when Garrett appeared in the doorway.

Three months without a razor, apparently. He looked wrecked–beard half–grown, eyes bloodshot, clothes wrinkled.

When he spotted me, his whole face twisted.

“WREN! Finally.”

He moved toward me like he was about to grab me.

Then Julian stepped in front of me, blocking him.

Garrett stopped short, then looked at Julian with pure fury.

“Get the hell out of my way!”

Julian let out a cold laugh. “Dude. Personal space. Back up.”

“I’m hugging my WIFE. Mind your own damn business!”

Julian corrected him, voice flat. “Ex–wife.”

Seeing Garrett again made my stomach turn.

I used to light up every time I saw him.

Now? Just disgust.

“Wren, I didn’t know what I was signing! You think I’d sign divorce papers on PURPOSE?! That doesn’t count!”

16:34 D

Twenty–Six Receipts of Betrayal: My Silence Was the Countdown to His Eternal Regret

Chapter 6

Julian snorted. “Yeah, ‘cause you were too busy playing doctor with little side piece”

Garrett’s glare could’ve melted steel.

“Wren, I wasn’t thinking clearly that night. But come ON. We’ve known each other since we were KIDS. Twenty plus years. You’re seriously gonna throw all that away?”

He stood there, eyes bloodshot, looking completely wrecked.

In the past, that look would’ve broken me.

Now?

I felt nothing.

Julian kept going, voice dripping with sarcasm: “Oh totally, you weren’t thinking at all–too busy obsessing over your little sidechick to give a damn about Wren~”

“ENOUGH!” Garrett’s jaw clenched, eyes narrowing as he sized Julian up. “Mr. Cross, last I checked, my marriage is none of your business. Don’t you have an empire to run or something? But here you are, sniffing around my wife…”

He stepped closer, hostile.

“Pretty messed up, don’t you think?”

Julian shrugged. “Oh yeah. Trying to date Wren.”

I closed my eyes.

Garrett completely lost it.

“You’re disgusting! You-”

His voice was loud enough that people started staring.

I’d had enough.

My hand flew across Garrett’s face before I could stop myself.

“Garrett, you announced your relationship with Scarlett WHILE WE WERE STILL MARRIED and you wanna talk about disgusting?!”

“You SLEPT with her–in OUR bed, in OUR apartment–and you wanna talk about disgusting?!

“You let her take credit for MY commendations, MY work, MY blood and sweat–and you wanna talk about DISGUSTING?!”

“You two TEAMED UP to drag my name through the dirt, got the entire base thinking I’m some psycho stalker homewrecker, tried to END my career, my LIFE–and you have the NERVE to stand there and call someone ELSE disgusting?!”

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Twenty Six Receipts of Betrayal: My Silence Was the Countd