Chapter 3: So You Want to Draw the Line

Claire's POV

By the time we hit the highway, the sky's already dark. I'm sitting in the back seat, staring at the back of Julian's head. He hasn't said a word since we left.

Mia's curled up beside me, halfway asleep. I keep my eyes on the road ahead, watching the headlights cut through the darkness. Two hours pass like this. Silent. Tense.

When the car finally stops, I look out the window. There's a house sitting right on the beach. Lights glowing from inside. The ocean stretches out behind it, black and endless.

The car door opens. Mia's eyes snap open and she scrambles out.

"Mommy! There's an ocean!"

"Stay close." I climb out after her, grabbing her hand before she can run off.

That's when I see her. Standing on the porch under the light. White dress, curled hair falling over her shoulders. Serena.

She's smiling as she walks down the steps. "You made it."

Julian nods and walks past her into the house without a word. Serena's eyes shift to me. Her smile gets wider.

"Claire. Been a while."

Right. Like we're old friends. I hold Mia closer and don't answer.

"This your daughter?" Serena steps closer. "She's cute."

Mia hides her face against my shoulder. "Mommy, I wanna see the ocean."

"In a bit."

Julian suddenly turns around from the doorway. He looks at Mia and holds out his hand. "Come on. I'll take you."

Mia's face lights up. She pulls away from me and runs straight to him. Julian picks her up and heads toward the beach. Just like that, they're gone.

Now it's just me and Serena on the porch.

She drops the smile. "This is pathetic."

I look up at her.

"You look scared," she says quietly.

I stare back. "Of what?"

Serena pauses, then laughs. "I don't know. You tell me." She leans against the railing. "I'm marrying him. What're you even doing here? A stepsister crushing on her stepbrother? That's sad."

I keep my eyes on hers. My mind flashes back to that anonymous account from high school. The screenshots she took.

"Hey," I pull out my phone. "Does he know what happened that night? Five years ago?"

Serena's face changes. "What're you talking about?"

I smile. "You screenshotted everything I wrote. You know what I'm talking about. Maybe I should just ask him. See if he remembers."

Her face goes pale. "Are you crazy? You want him to know it was you?"

My heart stops.

She doesn't know. She has no idea that night was me and Julian.

"So you know you're lying," I say slowly.

Serena doesn't answer. But her expression says everything.

"If he finds out—"

Footsteps behind me. I turn around. Julian's walking back with Mia in his arms.

Serena's smile is back instantly. "Have fun? Dinner's ready. Let's go inside."

---

The dining table is set with steak and wine. There are a few of Julian's business associates sitting around. Serena takes the seat next to Julian and keeps trying to make conversation. He barely responds. Just cuts his steak, gives the occasional grunt.

I sit across from them, keeping my head down. Mia's leaning against me, yawning.

"Mia tired?" Julian asks suddenly.

Mia rubs her eyes and nods.

"Take her up."

A housekeeper appears and lifts Mia into her arms. Mia doesn't protest. She's already half asleep. I watch them disappear upstairs. The table feels even more suffocating now.

I put down my fork. "I need air."

I stand up and walk out onto the deck before anyone can say anything. The ocean air hits my face. Salt and cold. I grip the railing and breathe.

"Running already?"

Serena's voice. I turn around. She's standing in the doorway with a wine glass.

"Don't say anything stupid," she walks over. "Got it?"

"Like what?"

"You know what I mean." Serena stops next to me. "If you talk about five years ago—"

"Then tell me something," I cut her off. "What's the point? Why pretend? Just to get close to him?"

Serena laughs. "What do you think? Your mom's estate. The family trust. Once I marry in, it's all mine."

She sets down her glass and turns to leave. "So stay out of it."

I stare at her back. "Yeah, no. I'm not letting him marry you."

Serena stops. She turns around. "You—"

Her eyes narrow. Then she screams.

Her body tips backward toward the edge of the deck. I reach out instinctively, but I'm too late. She hits the railing and falls to the ground. Not far. Just sitting there. But the scream already brought everyone outside.

Julian comes out first, frowning. "What happened?"

Serena's sitting on the deck, eyes red. "I just wanted to talk. She pushed me."

People are gathering now. Murmuring.

"Isn't that his fiancée?"

"Drama."

Julian's eyes land on me. "What happened?"

"She fell," I say quickly.

"Fell?" Serena looks up, tears sliding down her face. "Julian, I know she doesn't like me. I know I wasn't honest when we first met. But you forgave me. Why can't she?"

I freeze. That sentence. It sounds like Julian knows something.

Julian glances at Serena. "Someone take her to the hospital."

Serena wipes her tears. "You're not coming?"

Julian doesn't even look at her. He looks at me instead. "You good?"

I don't answer. Staff members come over and help Serena to her feet. Her face is furious as they half-carry her away. The crowd disperses.

Now it's just me and Julian on the deck.

"Inside," he says.

I follow him into a room. The door closes behind us. He points to the couch. "Sit."

I stay standing.

Julian frowns. "What're you doing?"

Something in me snaps.

"I can't stand you."

Julian blinks. Like he wasn't expecting that. "What?"

The tears come before I can stop them. "You know she's lying. So why're you marrying her? Do you like her? Then what was all that stuff I said? What was that supposed to be?"

Julian goes quiet.

After a long silence, he speaks. "If you don't want me to, I'll call it off."

I freeze. "Then why didn't you before?"

Julian walks closer. "Because I'm waiting," he says, staring at me. "For you to tell me something."

My heart is racing. "Tell you what?"

Julian stops right in front of me. His voice drops.

"Five years ago. That night. What happened?"

My breath catches. Does he know?

"You're marrying her anyway," I look away. "Doesn't matter."

Julian's mouth curves slightly. "So you wanna cut me off?"

"Yeah."

Julian stares at me for a long time. Then he turns and walks to the door.

I thought he was angry. Panic rushes through me.

"That's it? You're just leaving?"

Julian looks back. "What else?" He raises an eyebrow. "You said you wanted to cut me off."

I burst into tears. I rush over and shove him. "I hate you!"

Then I turn around and slam the door behind me as I run out.