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.

Leia was drowning in a wave of bone-deep exhaustion. She couldn’t even summon the energy to stand up and wash her face. Julian, ever the doting attentive husband, would dampen a warm towel and help her freshen up. When she couldn’t be bothered to keep up with her skincare routine, he even booked a beautician to come to the house to do it for her. All these little kindnesses made her feel like a spoiled, cared-for princess… and a little too dependent on him.

Pulling herself back to the present, she watched Julian’s big hands move deftly through her loose curls, all his focus on styling her hair for her. He looked so unfairly handsome, so charming, that she couldn’t tear her gaze away. But then…

A flash of memory hit her: Julian wrapped in a hug with Piper. The thought made her jerk back and push him away, a deep frown tugging at her mouth. "Julian, stop. I’m not five. Besides, aren’t you worried Piper will see and get the wrong idea?"

Her words came out thick with jealousy, her full red lips trembling against her will. "You’ll always be my little girl," he teased, tapping the tip of her nose soft, his eyes warm with affection. Leia’s resolve melted against the pull of his gentle love.

"Piper’s reasonable," Julian added. "She won’t read into it. Besides, she’s asleep right now." But every single word drifted straight to Piper, who stood frozen in the doorway, listening to every tender exchange. Her nails dug so deep into the wooden doorframe that her fingertips ached, all to hold back the hot, rising fury bubbling up inside her.

When one of her nails snapped clean at the edge, she didn’t even feel it. Leia’s heart dropped into her stomach, heavy with a bitter, unnameable ache, as Julian laced his fingers through hers and led her out of the bathroom. Suddenly, a shrill scream split the quiet of the house.

Julian dropped Leia’s hand instantly and bolted toward the sound, stumbling a little over the rug. Leia hurried right after him, only to find Piper sitting on the hardwood, one hand pressed to her ankle. A cold knot of unease twisted in Leia’s gut. Two accidents back to back? How was that even possible?

Julian’s brow furrowed deep with worry as he skidded to a stop at Piper’s side. "Weren’t you asleep? What are you doing out here?" he asked, urgent.

Piper’s gaze flicked to Leia, then softened when she turned back to Julian. "I woke up and you weren’t next to me," she said, quiet and sweet. "I couldn’t fall back asleep without you, so I came looking… and I slipped. I just… I feel so lost and insecure when you’re not there, Julian."

Leia bit down hard on her lower lip, her eyes burning with unshed tears. She turned her head away, saying nothing. Julian cursed himself inwardly as he gently rubbed her swollen ankle, cooing soft reassurances. "Don’t worry, I won’t leave your side again. Looks like you hurt it pretty bad. I’ll carry you back to your room and get some pain meds."

Leia stood there, a thin, wobbly smile tugging at her lips, as her husband carried another woman in his arms so tenderly. She couldn’t find her voice, couldn’t work up the courage to say a single word. All she could do was stand there and give them her silent blessing. And all the while, the pain in her chest was so sharp it hurt to breathe.

Julian lifted Piper easily, and she turned her soft gaze on Leia. "Leia, can we have a little chat? After you leave?"

Leia’s face drained of all color, going so pale it was almost translucent. After a long, tight pause, she said, "Sure."

Once he’d gotten Piper settled back in her room, Julian glanced over at Leia and noticed how washed out she looked. "Piper’s not feeling well," he said. "Just… be nice to her, okay?"

Leia nodded. "Okay."

When Julian left to grab the first aid kit, Piper’s face split into a sly, knowing smile. "Sit down, Leia," she said.

Leia forced a polite smile and cut straight to the point. "What do you want to talk about?"

Piper’s smile sharpened into a sneer. "Watching us dance around each other like this… it’s eating you up inside, isn’t it?"

Leia froze, stunned. She never expected Piper to be so blunt. The sweet, innocent act Piper put on during the day couldn’t be farther from this sharp, biting tone.

Leia blinked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Leia, I’m grateful you donated your bone marrow to me," Piper said, leaning forward. "But that doesn’t mean I don’t resent you. If you hadn’t done it, Julian would never have married you. You’d still be working double shifts at seedy dive bars and nightclubs… or worse."

Piper’s words hit Leia like a lightning strike to the chest, leaving her reeling, stunned. Was she really saying Leia wasn’t good enough for Julian? That she was below them?

"You cheated your way into Julian’s life, and now that the whole marriage contract is up, why won’t you just leave? Is clinging to what’s not yours really that fun?"

"You probably think Julian’ll pick you in the end. Don’t forget—you were just a placeholder. A stopgap for him until I got better. You being here just reminds everyone how completely useless you are."

"If I were you, I’d have packed my bags and gotten out a long time ago."

Placeholder. Stopgap. Useless. Piper’s words were sharp little knives, each one sinking deeper into Leia’s heart, carving it into pieces, bleeding with every jab.

She could brush off insults from any stranger, but coming from Piper? It cut deeper than anything. Without Leia’s bone marrow, Piper would have been dead and gone years ago. How dare she talk to her like this? Anyone else could hurl insults, but not Piper. Not after everything Leia did for her.

Leia had never felt so small, so belittled in her entire life. Her nose stung, her eyes burned red, and when she spoke, her voice was ice. "Piper, I never guessed that sweet innocent act of yours hid such a rotten, malicious heart."

"You’re so scared I won’t leave, aren’t you?"

"You don’t trust Julian that much, do you?"

"Then again, you’re right to be insecure. You’re nothing special to look at, after all. It makes sense."

Piper just laughed instead of getting mad. She stood up, gliding graceful across the carpet toward Leia, and smirked, arrogant and sure. "Insecure? That’s rich. Julian’s told me he loves me a hundred times. Has he ever said that to you?"

No. Leia realized it, bitter and raw. He’d never said it. He’d never even kissed her of his own free will—only out of obligation. She had nothing to say back.

Seeing Leia’s pale face crumple into despair, Piper stepped closer. Leia stared up at her, completely thrown, and stammered, "Your ankle… it’s not hurt?"

Piper smirked. "If I didn’t fake a little accident, would you ever have stayed behind to talk like this?"

Leia grit her teeth so hard her jaw ached. "Piper, how can you be this rotten? Julian adores you, I saved your life, and this is how you repay us?"

"You think showing off how much he cares about you will scare me into leaving? That’s ridiculous."

"Is that right? We’ll see. If you’re curious how things really are between us, you can always join us tonight."

Rage bloomed hot and heavy in Leia’s chest, her palms slick with cold sweat. She’d never been this furious in her life. This homewrecker had invaded her house, insulted her, and pushed her right to the breaking point.

Her face flushed bright red, and she snapped, "Piper, I was already planning to move out tomorrow. But after the way you’ve acted? I’m staying. I’m not going anywhere, and I’m not playing your sick little games."

As she turned to leave, Piper’s lazy voice drifted after her. "If you stay, I’ve got a whole lot more tricks where that came from."

"Piper, you’ve gone too far!" Leia’s eyes blazed with anger. Just as she reached for the doorknob, Julian walked back in, the first aid kit in hand.

"Leia? What were you two chatting about? Why are you so flushed?"

Before Leia could get a word out, Piper’s soft, sweet voice cut in. "Oh, I was just telling Leia about that silly time we rented a hotel room together back in college. You got so flustered you ran right out with your pants only half zipped! I still laugh thinking about it."

Hearing her lie so smoothly made Leia’s blood boil, and she almost called her out right then. But Julian shifted awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with Leia hearing that old story, and said nothing.

With that thought, Julian flicked a glance at Leia’s flushed cheeks before heading straight for Piper and prying open the first-aid kit.

Leia itched to leave. Watching them be so close was more than she could bear. But the second she turned to go, Piper called her name.

"Leia, could you help me with the ointment? Julian’s all thumbs, honestly."

Leia went rigid. She clenched her fists so tight her nails dug half-moons into her palms. This woman really was something else.

Julian turned toward her too. "Leia, would that be okay? I can handle it if you don’t want to."

Leia bit down on her lip until she tasted copper, then answered coolly, "Sure. I can help."

Under both their gazes, she walked over to Piper and knelt slow. Piper lifted her foot, a smug little grin tugging at her mouth—she was clearly doing this just to get under Leia’s skin.

Right as Leia went to take Piper’s foot in her hands, Piper spoke again.

"Oh goodness! My feet got so dirty walking all day. It’s gonna be impossible to get the ointment on right like this!"

Leia’s eyes narrowed. She lowered her head, and heard Julian say, "You’re right. I’ll go get water to clean them off."

"No, Julian. Can Leia do it? I have something I need to talk to you about right now."

Piper’s soft, sweet, pitiful act was impossible to say no to.

Leia’s hand tightened. Bitterness clawed its way up her throat, her chest burning so bad it ached. She waited to see if Julian would actually make her wash Piper’s feet. She told herself he wouldn’t—he’d always taken her side before, always looked out for her.

But she’d underestimated how much Piper meant to him. Julian frowned, even looked a little annoyed, like he suspected she was doing this on purpose. Still, he answered patiently, "We can talk later. It’s not urgent."

Leia exhaled, breath rushing out her lungs, tears pricking the back of her eyes—then her heart plummeted right to her stomach.

Piper pleaded, "But I can’t wait. Please, Julian."

After a long, heavy silence, he caved. He gave Leia a muted, guilty look. "Leia, could you…"

Before he could finish, Leia swallowed down the bitterness clogging her throat, forced a smile, and said, "No problem."

As she walked calmly out the door, Julian’s gaze stuck to her back, a twist of unease settling in his gut.

He turned back to the woman on the bed, and his voice dropped straight to ice. "You did this on purpose, didn’t you?"

Piper looked up, and the tears she’d been holding back came spilling down. "Julian, what are you even implying?"

"Making Leia haul water and wash your feet just to embarrass her. That was deliberate, wasn’t it?"

His usually soft, warm eyes held a coldness Piper had never seen before—sharp, accusatory.

She’d never seen him like this. A chill went straight through her, and she only cried harder. "Julian, that’s so unfair. How could you think that of me?"

"Am I really that awful of a person? Boo-hoo…"

"I just had something I needed to tell you. I didn’t mean any harm. I never expected you’d misunderstand me like this."

Her tears fell like pearls, splattering against her frilly Victorian dress.

The ice in Julian’s eyes started to soften. How could the woman he loved—kind, sweet, good—do something like that? He wouldn’t believe it.

He stepped over, wrapped her in his arms, and murmured soft apologies. "I’m sorry. I misjudged you."

She playfully swatted his chest, still sniffling. "Don’t let your mind run wild like that. It hurts when you think such terrible things about me."

"Okay. I won’t."

Leia came back with the water, and one look at the two of them curled up together made her freeze. The heavy basin nearly slipped out of her hands. If she hadn’t caught herself at the last second, she would’ve gone tumbling to the floor, red-faced and humiliated.

One look at Leia’s paper-white face, and Julian unconsciously let go of Piper. He spoke soft, "Leia, just set it down. I’ll wash her foot for her."

He was going to wash Piper’s feet. She’d half expected it, but the pain still cut deep, sharp enough to take her breath away.

Leia pulled herself back together, stepped forward, and set the basin on the floor. Julian crouched down, ready to start, but right as his hand neared the water, a shriek split the air.

"Ah! It’s burning hot!"

Piper yelped, yanking her foot out of the water so hard she knocked the whole basin over. Water went flying everywhere, spreading across the hardwood, and her pale foot was already puffing up red.

Just a faint redness, nothing too extreme.

Leia’s eyes went wide. She couldn’t believe it. With Julian standing right there, Piper had framed her right to her face. How could she not be shocked?

The water was a little warm, sure, but not scalding. But there the redness was, clear as day on her foot. How had she even done it?

Leia hurried over, her words sticking in her throat. "Are you okay?"

No one answered her. Julian’s back, still crouched, shook just a little.

That red, swollen foot burned like a brand in Julian’s line of sight. He grabbed it fast, blowing soft little puffs on the skin, and his eyes blazed with white-hot anger.

Piper whimpered, "Julian, it hurts. The water was so hot."

She lifted her tear-streaked face to look at Leia. "Leia, did you do this on purpose? You were upset I asked you for help, weren’t you?"

"If that’s what this is, I’m sorry."

"I really just wanted to talk to Julian. I never thought you’d take it that way."

Her words stacked up like dry kindling, turning Julian’s already roiling anger into an inferno. His eyes were a violent storm, just waiting for a spark to explode.

Framed right to her face. Leia had had enough. She shot back cold, "Piper, I’m not half as vicious as you’re making me out to be. The water wasn’t that hot. Your little act is nauseating."

She’d hit her breaking point, and she wasn’t holding back anymore. She never had been the type to lay down and let people walk all over her—why would she start now?

Piper’s sobbing got louder. "Julian, I didn’t do it, I didn’t…"

"You know damn well what you did. Cut the disgusting act, and get this through your head: this is my house."

Leia’s sharp retort. Her blazing anger. Her open defiance. Every part of it rubbed Julian the wrong way.

In his eyes, she’d always been gentle as a lamb—obedient, docile, easy.

But now her words cut like glass, her attitude screamed defiance, and all he felt was disappointment.

He stood slow, stepping toward her one step at a time. His eyes were colder than the dead calm after a tornado.

"You say you didn’t do it on purpose, but the proof is right in front of us. Her foot is red, Leia. If you didn’t want to help, you could have just said so. Did you really have to stoop this low?"

Julian’s words hit Leia like a bolt of lightning. For two years, he’d cherished her. For two years, she’d thought he knew her.

She wasn’t scared of misunderstandings. She wasn’t even scared of being framed.

What terrified her was that he didn’t trust her. That he actually thought she was that petty.

His eyes were full of disappointment, anger bleeding through, the whites of his eyes turning bloodshot.

Pushed all the way to the corner, Leia kept her face calm even as her voice shook. "You don’t trust me?"

"How can I? You’ve made everything worse for her."

"You know her health is terrible. How could you hurt her like this?"

"I told you, I didn’t. She’s faking this," she cried, desperate to make him believe her.

"You say she’s the one playing games, but all I see is you. Not her."