Revenge Wears My Ring novel Chapter 19

Julian’s smile faded slightly, a more scrutinizing look settling in his eyes as he watched Gwyneth. “I remember you never cared about this sort of thing before.”

“It was your dad Yale who said he’d be here tonight. He is your older brother, after all. I just wanted to get to know him a little, build a good relationship.” Gwyneth’s tone was casual, as if she were only making polite conversation, and it effectively eased Julian’s suspicions.

Still, inwardly, Julian couldn’t help but sneer.

For a moment, he’d almost suspected she’d developed other intentions, but in the end, it was just her usual routine—trying to win over his family in hopes of becoming his woman.

Pathetic, really. That same old desperate devotion.

He’d thought that with how blindly she loved him, she wouldn’t miss his engagement party even if she were on her deathbed. Maybe she knows something.

But now it seemed she hadn’t changed at all—still the same lovesick girl, willing to do anything for him.

“There’s no need for you to worry about that. I’ll handle it myself,” Julian said, rubbing his brow. His tone softened a fraction. “I won’t be able to pick you up tonight.”

Gwyneth nodded and turned to leave.

“Oh, one more thing,” Julian added, as if something had just occurred to him. “Queenie hurt her hand and is taking a few days off. You’ll cover her work for now.”

Gwyneth looked at him, his instructions coming as naturally as ever.

Queenie always seemed to find a reason to take time off during the busiest stretches, and every time, Julian would turn to Gwyneth, ordering her to finish whatever Queenie left undone.

Her mother used to say Queenie was too fragile and that, as the older sister, Gwyneth should look out for her. And so she always did—happily shouldering Queenie’s workload, even feeling secretly pleased when Julian showed Queenie a bit of kindness, because, back then, Queenie was the only family she had left in the world.

Looking back now, it all seemed like a cruel joke.

But this wasn’t the time to burn bridges. She nodded, keeping her composure. “I’ll get to work, then.”

If Queenie’s responsibilities were hers now, she might as well do them well—and she’d been looking for a chance to meddle with some of Queenie’s more important contracts.

The opportunity had come sooner than she expected. She’d use Queenie’s work to give Julian a gift he wouldn’t forget.

Julian turned away, not even bothering to watch her leave. He couldn’t be bothered with Gwyneth anymore—not even enough to fake it.

Gwyneth slipped out of Julian’s office. As she stepped into the elevator, her phone buzzed in her hand.

She glanced down, and a name flashed on the screen.

Was he refusing?

Surely not. It was just a family friend—not as if she was meeting some other man.

She was about to argue when he said, “Just for tonight.”

Gwyneth let out a quiet breath. At least her new husband wasn’t completely unreasonable. “Alright.”

After she hung up, Gwyneth stared at the now-dark screen, her lips pressed into a thin line. She had a feeling tonight was going to be anything but easy.

...

The Locke family estate.

Gwyneth stood before the estate’s ornate iron gates, her fingertips tingling with cold.

The butler, Graham, greeted her with quiet respect, leading her through the corridors. The garden lights glowed softly, casting golden reflections over the koi gliding through the stream beneath the decorative stone bridge.