The next morning, Leia Shaw jolted awake. Her hand shot instinctively to the empty spot beside her, and all she felt was cold, unoccupied sheets. A crushing wave of loneliness swallowed her whole. It hit her then how deeply she’d come to depend on Julian’s presence, how used she was to having him right there. Now, her chest felt hollow, like something vital had been ripped right out of it.

From the balcony, she caught his voice, thick with honeyed affection: "I’m waiting for you at the airport. Don’t go wandering off alone — you’ll get lost and end up crying, and I won’t be there to fix it."

"Edinburgh’s changed so much these past two years. Once you’re settled in, I’ll give you the full tour."

His soft, coddling tone screamed how much he adored Piper Cooper. He treated her like she was the most precious thing he’d ever owned. That softness he gave Piper? It was nothing like what he’d ever given Leia. His affection for Leia had always been the fondness of an older brother doting on his pesky little sister. But with Piper? It was raw, real romantic love — the kind of concern that bleeds out of you without even trying.

Leia’s heart seized tight, twisted with envy and a sharp, throbbing pain. She clenched her fists until her palms were slick with cold sweat, every beat of her heart sending a sharp pang ricocheting through her chest.

"Alright, sweetheart. You want kisses? I’ll give you more than enough when I get back," Julian’s voice drifted in again. That’s when Leia couldn’t hold it anymore. She wrenched the blanket up over her head, desperate to block his voice out. She kept repeating to herself that she didn’t care, but hearing him flirt with another woman right outside her bedroom door hurt more than she could bear. The agony seeped into every cell of her body, settling heavy in her bones.

After he hung up, Julian walked back in from the balcony, cheerful as anything. He spotted Leia buried under the covers, hesitated for half a second, then stepped closer and tried to yank the blanket off.

Leia felt him tugging, and she clung tighter. She couldn’t let him see how broken she was right now. She couldn’t show him that vulnerability.

"Leia? You okay? Are you cold? Do you have a fever?" Julian asked, his voice sharp with urgency, his face draining of color with worry. He tugged harder on the blanket.

"I’m fine. Don’t worry about me," Leia’s voice came out thin and wobbly, muffled under the fabric.

"If you’re fine, why you hiding under there? C’mon out," he pressed.

Leia’s nose burned, tears threatening to spill. Why did he have to care? Why did he have to be sweet to her? Why did he spoil her until she relied on him for everything? If he didn’t love her, why did he still stick around? This man was poison — he’d rotted her heart and her soul right through, and here he was still acting like he gave a damn.

"Go meet Piper. Don’t waste your time here. I told you I’m fine," she said, her grip on the blanket never loosening.

"But I can’t leave you like this. What’s going on with you, Leia?" His soft, endless patience made it hurt even worse.

"I’m just cramping from my period," Leia blurted, desperate for any excuse to get him to leave.

"Alright, I’ll wait for you," Julian answered. He walked over to the sideboard, and a minute later he came back with a hot water bottle, painkillers, and a glass of warm water.

He stared down at her, at the way she clutched the blanket to her chest with those lost, heartbroken eyes, and said soft as silk: "Take the painkillers."

"Okay, just go. I’ll take them," Leia mumbled. Julian frowned. "Alright, then. I’m heading out. I asked Mrs. Tanner to make you oatmeal, okay?"

"Thanks," Leia breathed.

As soon as Julian’s footsteps faded down the hall, Leia flung the blanket off, gasping for air like she’d been drowning. Her face was streaked with tears, hot with all the messy emotion she’d just stuffed down. If she didn’t care, why did it hurt this bad? But she knew she cared. The truth of that hit her hard, and fresh tears spilled over before she could stop them.

Julian Shaw. You’re nothing but a cheating scumbag. A total asshole.

Worn out from sobbing, Leia dragged herself to the bathroom to wash up. The second she put her toothbrush in her mouth, a wave of nausea rolled over her so hard she could barely breathe.

Gag!

Gag!

Gag!

She spit up saliva with each dry heave, her stomach twisting into a tight, painful knot. Her chest ached worst of all, like someone was sitting on it, crushing her ribs. Sweat beaded on her forehead, dripping down her temple.

She leaned against the sink, turned on the tap, and splashed cold water on her heated face. A cold, creeping dread crawled up her spine. She’d missed her period last month… could she be pregnant?

The thought sent her reeling. If she was, she’d raise the baby alone. They’d used protection, sure, but things fail. If it happened, she wouldn’t think twice about doing it on her own.

Steeling herself, Leia finished washing up, pulled on a loose white casual outfit, and headed out.

Downstairs, Mrs. Tanner called after her: "Ma’am! You haven’t eaten your breakfast!"

Leia turned back and forced a smile: "I’ll skip it today, I have something urgent I need to do."

"Alright, honey. Be careful driving, won’t you? Mr. Shaw would be worried sick if something happened to you."

Worried? Leia paused mid-step. Would he, really?

Maybe he would have been, once. But not now. Not anymore.

In the clinic’s exam room, Leia handed her test results to the young doctor, her head spinning a little. "Doctor, could you take a look at these for me?"

The young doctor was handsome, polished, quiet and calm. He glanced up at Leia, and a flash of surprise crossed his face before it slid right back into neutral, professional mode. "Of course. Please, have a seat."

Leia sat down, her nerves buzzing. The ultrasound tech had already warned her the results might not be good, had pushed her to do more tests, and she’d been a walking zombie all morning. Now, watching the doctor furrow his brow, his face dropping into a grave line, her anxiety spiked until it was hard to breathe.

Finally, he looked up, his voice heavy with regret. "Do you have any family here with you?"

Leia frowned. "Is it bad? Just tell me. I can handle it."

Years of watching medical dramas had somehow prepared her for this exact moment.

The doctor sighed, clearly hating what he had to say next. "There’s good news and bad news. I just… I’m worried it’s going to be too much for you to take all at once."

Leia’s face tightened, panic coiling in her gut. "I can handle it. Please, just tell me."

Leaning forward, his expression serious, he said: "The good news is you’re two months pregnant, and the baby is developing perfectly."

Leia gasped. A rush of joy washed over her so fast it made her head spin, her pale cheeks lighting up with sudden, bright happiness. She was finally going to be a mom. She was carrying Julian’s baby — a little piece of them both.

But then the divorce agreement flashed through her mind, and that happiness died just as fast as it came. Her face went dead white again.

She clenched her hands in her lap, knuckles white. "What’s the bad news?"

Her sudden flip in expression caught the young doctor off guard, but he kept going: "The bad news is your mammogram showed a lump, and it’s almost certainly malignant. We’ll need to do a biopsy to confirm, but that’s the most likely outcome."

His words hit Leia like a lightning bolt straight to the chest. Her eyes blew wide, disbelieving. Her whole body started shaking uncontrollably, her nails digging so deep into her thigh they left crescent marks. Her bright, vibrant blue eyes went empty, all the life sucked right out of them as fear consumed her whole.

She never thought cancer would be part of this when she thought about being pregnant. Never.

After a long, breathless silence, she rasped out: "What do I do now?"

"You’ll need to terminate the pregnancy first, do the biopsy, and if it is breast cancer, we’ll need to do a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy."

Terminate the pregnancy? That’s a whole life. A living, breathing life.

It’s the only thing Julian ever left her.

A mastectomy… would she even still be a woman if she lost her breast? It was one of her best features. Losing it would leave her broken. Incomplete.

The exam room went dead quiet. A cold, heavy despair hung in the air, and hot tears welled up in Leia’s eyes, spilling over before she could stop them.

James. The name fit him—sharp, clean, just as appealing as the man himself.

"Thank you, Dr. James," Leia said, pushing herself to her feet. Her legs wobbled so bad she stumbled, but she caught herself on the exam table before she fell.

As he watched her walk out, something unreadable, tangled and twisted, settled over James's face.

Leia couldn't even tell you how she made it out of the hospital. Her mind was completely blank, like someone had wiped it clean. Even her usual bright, vibrant blue eyes felt dulled, dimmed by the weight of what she'd just learned.

The sky rumbled, and then rain suddenly poured from the sky. Leia tilted her face up to the sky, closing her eyes as the ice-cold water soaked her hair and skin. She couldn't even feel the cold anymore.

She stood there on the narrow sidewalk, completely drenched, while every other person around her scrambled for cover under store awnings.

One question looped over and over in her head: Should I tell Julian?

Rain mixed with her tears, and you couldn't tell one from the other anymore.

---

Julian had just walked Piper through the front door of their home. When the housekeeper, Mrs. Taylor, spotted the unexpected soft-spoken young woman on his arm, she froze for a second, stunned.

After a beat of awkward silence, she finally said, "Sir, you're home at last."

"I am," Julian replied, one hand steady on Piper's back as he guided her to the couch, every move protective.

"Piper, why don't you make yourself comfortable? I'll make you some hot cocoa. You just got in, the weather's turned absolute garbage out there—can't have you catching a chill," he said soft, his eyes warm with affection.

Mrs. Taylor couldn't wrap her head around how tender he was being. What on earth was going on here? Julian adored his wife. How could he be this attentive to another woman? Wouldn't that break Leia's heart?

"Thank you, Julian. Don't fuss over me, I'm not that fragile," Piper said with a sweet, gentle smile, brushing a strand of hair back from her face. Julian chuckled soft, and caught Mrs. Taylor staring at them, curious. He could feel her confusion, so he explained calm and steady: "Mrs. Taylor, this is Piper. She's going to be staying with us from now on."

"Oh," Mrs. Taylor breathed, her mind spinning with questions. What was this girl to Julian? How could she just waltz in here and stay like this? But she was just the housekeeper, so she smoothed her suspicions into a polite smile. "Hello there! Just call me Mrs. Taylor."

Piper smiled back, calm and composed, even if she still looked a little delicate around the edges. "Mrs. Taylor, just call me Piper, please."

"Alright, I'll go get dinner started for you two," Mrs. Taylor said, and headed for the kitchen, her brow furrowed the whole way, still turning over what the connection could be between Julian and this new girl.

Once Piper was settled, Julian stood up and shrugged out of his suit jacket. He scanned the house, and unease settled over his sharp, handsome features, a faint frown tugging at his mouth.

"Mrs. Taylor, where's Leia?" he asked.

Mrs. Taylor poked her head out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "Mrs. Shaw said she was stepping out for a bit. Left around nine this morning, and it's almost five now—she still hasn't come back."

Julian's face went dark at the news, cold anxiety washing straight through him.

Piper could feel he was upset, so she reached out and gently rested her hand on his. "Julian, don't worry. Leia probably just got held up with something. She'll be home soon."

"But it's pouring out, and she hates the cold. I'm gonna call her, check in," he said, and pulled his hand away to grab for his phone. Piper's eyes flickered, a flash of sharp, cold malice gone before anyone could catch it. This woman had stolen her place for years and still refused to walk away. Now that Piper was back? There was no room left for Leia.

Julian paced the living room, jaw tight with frustration. God damn it—Leia's phone was straight to voicemail. He couldn't reach her at all. His concern slowly turned into irritation.

"Dinner's ready," Mrs. Taylor called from the kitchen.

Julian turned to Piper and said, "Why don't you go ahead and eat without me?"

"But..."

"It's fine. She's always been scared of storms, I can't just sit here and wait. Don't worry, I'll be right back with her," he reassured her, cupping her face gently and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Okay, but be careful," Piper answered, her voice laced with quiet disappointment. This little kiss on the forehead was the most intimate thing he'd ever done with her.

Julian grabbed an umbrella and headed straight out. The rain was only getting worse, the sky pitch black except for flashes of lightning that split it open, thunder rolling right after. His worry for Leia gnawed at him deeper every second.

Leia had no one—no friends, no family. She'd grown up in an orphanage. In their two years of marriage, she barely ever left the house, her timid nature kept her close to home. She was terrified of rain too. Whenever it poured, she'd hide inside and pull all the curtains closed. He'd asked her once why she hated it so much, and she'd told him, "My parents got swept away in a flood when I was seven. I never even found their bodies. That's why I'm scared."

Julian slid into his car fast and pulled out into the storm, windshield wipers fighting to keep the rain off the glass.

---

Leia didn't know how she'd dragged herself home, but by the time she made it to the front door, she was completely worn out, every bone in her body aching. When you've been pushed right to the edge of pain, fear doesn't have any hold on you anymore. The rain was just background noise, nothing more.

Pregnancy. Breast cancer. Divorce. Everything felt like a fleeting, bad dream that had vanished into thin air.

When Mrs. Taylor saw her, soaked and exhausted, she jumped. "Oh my goodness, Mrs. Shaw, what on earth happened to you? You're completely soaked through. Come in, go get a hot shower right away."

Leia forced a smile, and it felt like it took every bit of strength she had left. Raindrops ran from her forehead down to her lips, and they tasted salty when she spoke: "I forgot my umbrella, and I couldn't hail a cab for the life of me."

"Oh honey, Mr. Shaw went out looking for you. Didn't you run into him?"

Leia was surprised, and a tiny flicker of warmth bloomed in her cold chest. She shook her head. "No, we must have passed each other. I'll call him."

"Okay, Mrs. Shaw. Mr. Shaw really does care about you, I see it every day. He loves you so much."

Love. Leia laughed quiet to herself. Love's just like wine—only the person drinking it knows if it's bitter or sweet.

Right then, Piper walked into the entryway, her voice soft and smooth as silk. "Hello, Leia. I'm Piper Cooper."

Piper's soft voice, laced with quiet grace, pulled Leia's gaze up. When she looked, she saw nothing short of classic, timeless elegance.

Piper's long hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and she wore a crisp, perfect Victorian-style dress. Her fair skin still held the faint faint marks of recovery from illness, but her features were delicate, calm, the kind of quiet, fresh beauty that doesn't scream for attention but holds it anyway.

Next to her, Leia couldn't help but feel insecure. No wonder Julian preferred her. Leia's looks were too bold, too striking. She had these hypnotic dark eyes, with a tiny beauty mark in the corner that added an edge to her that people always misread.

Next to Piper, who was as ethereal and elegant as a white lily, Leia was just a bright, bold red rose—tempting, but untouchable.

Who wouldn't pick someone as refined and lovely as Piper? Especially when Leia showed up looking like a drowned rat.

Leia pulled herself out of her head, and smiled. "Hello, I'm Leia."

"You're completely soaked. Come in and change into something dry, or you'll catch a cold. Mrs. Taylor, could you bring Leia a warm cup of coffee?" Piper suggested, that faint thread of authority weaving right through her kind words. Leia hesitated for a second, then smiled and stepped inside.

Mrs. Taylor followed behind her, smiling. After Leia finished her shower, she walked out into the living room to find Julian was already home. The second he saw her, he hurried straight over.

"Where have you been all day? Why was your phone off? Do you have any idea how scared I was?"

"I'm sorry, my phone died. I just went to the hospital to pick up some medication for a stomachache," she explained. Even through his angry scolding, Leia felt that little flicker of sweet warmth in her chest.

Julian sighed, his voice softening immediately. "Next time, tell me before you go. Or let me come with you."

"Alright, don't worry," Leia promised him, as the rain kept beating against the windows outside.

Leia watched the worry etched into Julian’s face as he spoke softly to Piper, and a sharp, achey pang twisted through her chest. Once, that warm bright light in Julian’s eyes had been hers alone. Now it shone only for Piper, and he didn’t even see it anymore.

With that thought, Piper stood, her gaze shifting subtly before she spoke in that soft, calm tone. “Julian, don’t blame Leia. Look how scared she is.”

“Alright,” he answered.

“Leia, thank you for saving me. I can never repay you for what you did, but I owe you my gratitude.” To Leia’s complete shock, Piper lowered herself to her knees. Leia stumbled back fast, her hand hanging awkwardly in mid-air when she moved to help her up. That’s when she caught it—a flash of mockery glinting in Piper’s eyes. But to anyone watching, Piper looked frail, on the verge of collapse right there on her knees.

“Piper!” Julian shouted, lunging forward to catch her before she hit the floor.

Leia froze, her mind going completely blank. Had she really just seen a mocking smirk in Piper’s eyes? Before she could overthink it, she lifted her head to look.

Julian was holding Piper right in front of her, their bodies pressed close, their eyes locked on each other. The sight drove a knife straight through Leia’s already broken heart.

Julian’s voice, soft and edged with quiet reproach, drifted over to her…

“You always make me worry, pushing yourself when you’re sick like this.”

Piper pouted, wiping at her eyes. “I’m sorry, Julian. I just wanted to thank Leia properly. If she hadn’t been there, I would’ve…”

Tears streamed down her delicate cheeks as she spoke, the whole thing gut-wrenching to watch.

“Alright, I’ll thank her myself. You look like crap, let’s get you to bed to rest.”

“Okay!”

With that, Julian lifted her into his arms and headed straight up the stairs. He didn’t even glance back at Leia once.

Leia stared after the man who had once been hers. Dazed, she caught another flash: the smug little smile on Piper’s lips, clear as day, a blatant challenge thrown right in her face. Leia staggered, nearly tipping over right where she stood.

That look sent a cold chill crawling all the way down her spine.

It must’ve just been her imagination.

“Miss, careful!” Mary the housekeeper hurried over to steady her.

Leia forced a smile. “I’m fine. Is dinner ready? I’m starving.”

“It is, miss. Please, have a seat.”

Leia frowned a little when she looked at the spread of bland, spice-less food on the table. She’d always loved spicy food, but this plain, boring fare killed her appetite stone dead.

Mary hesitated before she spoke. “Mr. Shaw requested it. He said Miss Piper’s health is fragile, so we need to adjust all meals to her taste.”

“Oh. That’s fine.”

Leia swallowed hard, the taste of bitter ash coating her tongue.

When Mary left, Leia picked listlessly at her food, and tears started falling like raindrops onto her plate. She buried her face in her pasta to hide them, scarfing the whole thing down in a hurry, smears of tomato sauce left clinging to her cheek.

Thirty minutes after dinner, Julian still hadn’t come downstairs. She grabbed her bag and headed up to the guest wing.

When she passed Julian’s bedroom, she heard voices drifting through the closed door.

“Julian, do you really mean to let Leia stay here with us?”

“No, she’s only here until she finds a new place. It’s just a few days, that’s all.”

“But it’s so awkward. We’re getting married soon! Having all three of us under the same roof is uncomfortable,” Piper complained.

Julian sighed. “She saved both of us, after all. We can’t just kick her out onto the street.”

“I know that, but I just…”

“It’ll be over soon, love. She’ll be gone before you know it,” Julian cooed gently.

“Then kiss me.”

“You’re impossible,” he said, soft and indulgent, before lowering his head. The second their lips touched, Leia’s knees went weak. Her nose stung, and she could barely breathe, like the air had been sucked right out of her lungs.

She saw them, curled together on the bed, kissing, and heard his soft, tender confession. “Piper, I love you.”

Leia couldn’t take another second of it. She stumbled back to the guest room. The room she’d once shared with Julian was Piper’s now. She had nowhere else to go.

In the guest bathroom, faint, muffled sobs echoed off the tiles.

He’d never kissed her. Always said it was too germy. But he kissed that woman without a second thought.

What a convenient fucking excuse.

After he’d settled Piper into bed, Julian remembered Leia and headed for the guest room.

When he opened the door, it was empty—except for the sound of soft crying coming from the closed bathroom door.

Julian hurried over, his brow furrowed tight with worry.

“Leia? You in there?”

Hearing his voice, Leia cut off her sobbing immediately. She answered soft and steady. “Just using the bathroom.”

Her voice was still thick with tears, and Julian didn’t buy it for a second. He turned the handle and pushed the door open, and there she was: cheeks flushed, streaked with salt tracks from her crying.

Her delicate features were damp with tears, the little dimple in her cheek still visible even when she was exhausted from crying.

A sharp, inexplicable ache squeezed Julian’s heart. He rushed over, grabbing her hand urgent. “Tell me what’s wrong. Why are you crying?”

Leia blinked, dazed for a second, before yanking her hand back. She spoke soft and quiet. “It’s nothing. Just got a little emotional, that’s all.”

Her red-rimmed eyes were still brimming over with tears, and she kept her head bowed.

Julian’s frown deepened. “Leia, since when do you lie to me?”

“I’m not lying!” she insisted stubbornly. She couldn’t tell him the truth. She couldn’t admit any of it.

She couldn’t tell him about the baby. Or the cancer.

She couldn’t say she couldn’t bear to leave him.

She couldn’t say she hated Piper with every fiber of her being.

Any of that would just make her look manipulative. And besides, she was the one who’d asked him to sign the divorce papers in the first place.

Julian shook his head, turned, and grabbed a clean hand towel. He soaked it in warm water, then lifted it to gently wipe her tear-streaked face.

“If you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to. Look at you, face all messy like a little kitten who got into the cream. When’d you turn into such a crybaby?”

“You never grow up. How the hell am I supposed to hand you off to someone else and sleep easy at night?”

“When I’m not around, you have to take better care of yourself. You’re twenty-five now, it’s time to grow up.”

His words were soft and tender, his touch gentle and brimming with all the old worry he still carried for her. It pulled Leia right back into old memories.

He’d taken care of her so meticulously, once. Insisted she only drink her coffee exactly how she liked it. Knew she loved to sleep in, so he’d carry her out of bed every morning, luring her out with fluffy blueberry pancakes.

When she was too lazy to wash her face, he’d wring out a towel and do it for her. And when she skipped her skincare routine for too long, he’d book her a monthly facial and send her off, no arguments allowed.

All that care had turned her into a total helpless mess when it came to everyday life without him.

Thinking of that, she snapped back to the present. In the bathroom mirror, she saw him standing behind her, his big strong hand tangled in her curls, focused on smoothing down the messy strands.

He looked so handsome in that moment, unbearably, achingly handsome.

Suddenly, she remembered where they were, and who he was now with. She shoved him away hard, frowning up at him. “Don’t do that. I’m not a kid anymore. Besides, don’t you care if Piper sees us like this and gets jealous?”

“In my eyes, you’ll always be just a kid,” he chuckled, and tweaked her nose playfully, his gaze soft and full of old fondness.