Julian's POV
The sun glimmered against the waves, painting gold streaks across the endless blue. Laughter echoed around the deck as Max ran toward me, his little arms stretching out, his cheeks flushed from the sea breeze.
“Daddy!” he called, clutching a melting ice cream cone. “Are we gonna be happy forever? You, me, and Mommy?”
I smiled faintly, ruffling his hair as he leaned against my leg. “Of course,” I said, forcing my voice to sound steady. “From now on, we don’t have to hide anymore. Everyone will know I’m your real dad.”
His eyes widened, bright with confusion. “Really? But… what about Auntie Alyssa?” he asked softly. “Isn’t she your wife? How can Mommy be if you already have her?”
Before I could answer, Sabrina appeared, her arm snaking around my shoulder possessively. “Don’t worry about that, sweetheart,” she said, smiling down at Max. “Auntie Alyssa won’t be around anymore. It’ll be just us from now on.”
Max frowned, shaking his head. “But Auntie Alyssa is nice. She always gives me cookies and plays with me.”
The sweetness of his innocence cut through me.
Sabrina’s smile hardened. “No, baby. She’s not nice. She’s bad. She doesn’t love Daddy the way I do.”
“Enough, Sabrina,” I said sharply, turning to her. “Don’t say things like that to a child.”
She pouted, crossing her arms. “I’m just being honest. You said to yourself she’s nothing to you anymore. Why are you suddenly defending her?”
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Because I don’t want Max to grow up hating people. Let him be a child.”
Sabrina’s jaw tightened, but before she could speak, Max started crying—loud, heartbreaking sobs that sliced through the moment.
“Daddy, please don’t fight with Mommy,” he wailed.
“Hey, hey…” I knelt beside him, pulling him close. “It’s okay, buddy. We’re not fighting, alright? Come on, let’s get some rest.”
I carried him to the cabin, humming softly until his breathing evened out and he finally fell asleep. But even then, I couldn’t calm the storm inside me.
When I stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, I found Sabrina sitting on the couch, sipping wine, her eyes following me with quiet suspicion.
“Who were you calling?” she asked as I lifted my phone.
I hesitated. “Alyssa.”
Her voice dropped. “You’re still calling her?”
“It’s not what you think,” I said quickly, forcing a tired laugh. “She’s still legally my wife. The papers aren’t finalized. And besides, I need her signature for the business transition.”
Sabrina scoffed, setting her glass down hard. “So that’s all she is now? A signature? A contract?”
“Yes,” I lied. “That’s all.”
Her lips twisted into a bitter smile. “Funny. Because you say that every time, yet somehow… you still find reasons to talk about her. To check on her. To call her.”
“Sabrina—”
She stood abruptly, fury flashing across her face. “You can’t have both of us, Julian! It’s me or her. You have a child with me now. Do you want him to live in the shadows forever?”
I rubbed my temples, the weight of her words pressing against my chest. “Alright,” I murmured. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t have called. I just wanted to make sure things are… settled.”
Her anger softened at my tone. She took a step closer and placed her hands on my chest. “Then promise me you’ll stop thinking about her.”
I forced a nod. “I promise.”
She smiled again—soft, satisfied—and kissed me. I kissed her back out of habit, not passion. Later that night, when she fell asleep beside me, her hand draped over my chest, I stared up at the ceiling, my mind far from the gentle sway of the cruise ship.
The dream came out of nowhere.
Alyssa—standing on a cliff, the wind tangling her hair, her eyes full of tears. She was calling my name, her voice breaking through the sound of the waves. I ran toward her, but every step only pushed her farther away. Then, before I could reach her, she turned and vanished into the dark sea.
I woke up with a start, drenched in sweat.
The moonlight spilled through the window, pale and cold. I turned to my side—Sabrina was still asleep, her breathing steady. Quietly, I slipped out of bed, grabbed my phone, and stepped onto the balcony.
The ocean stretched endlessly below, but all I could think about was her.
I dialed her number once. No answer. Twice. Still nothing.
With each unanswered call, my heart pounded harder.
By the fifth attempt, panic clawed at me. I called the house, and the butler answered groggily.
“Sir?”
“Is Alyssa home?” I asked.
There was a pause. “No, sir. She hasn’t returned since yesterday. We thought she was with you.”
My fingers went numb. “What do you mean she hasn’t come home? Did she leave a message? Anything?”
“N-none, sir. The maids said she packed a few things this morning and… left.”
My mind spun. “Left?” I repeated, my voice dropping low. “Where?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
The line went dead.
Desperate, I searched for another number—the caretaker of her father’s grave. If she had gone to the province, she would’ve visited him first like what we talked about. My hands trembled as I pressed the call button.
“Hello?” a groggy voice answered.
“This is Julian,” I said quickly. “Has Alyssa arrived there today?”
There was silence, then confusion. “Miss Alyssa? No, sir. She didn’t come today. She hasn’t been here in a long while.”
The phone slipped from my fingers and clattered onto the floor.
