His Bride by Contract

CHAPTER TWO— Caught in the Act

madison’s POV

Julian’s head whipped around, his eyes widening with shock. For a moment, time suspended itself. My lungs refused to work, and the room seemed to tilt sideways.

“Madi—” Julian stammered, still connected to Chloe. “This isn’t—”

“What does it look like?” I finished, my voice surprisingly steady despite the earthquake happening inside me. “Because it looks like you’re f*****g my friend on her birthday while I wait downstairs for a drink that’s never coming.”

Chloe turned her head, meeting my gaze without a hint of shame. She didn’t even bother to adjust her dress; she just rested her elbows on the dresser and sighed like I’d interrupted a business meeting.

“Oh, Madison,” she said, her voice dripping with condescension. “Did you think a man like Julian would be satisfied with just you?”

Julian finally pulled away from her, fumbling to pull up his pants. “Baby, please, this is just a… a thing. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“A thing?” I repeated, heat rising to my face. “How long has this ‘thing’ been happening?”

Before either could answer, I heard footsteps behind me.

“Madi? Did you find—” Jessica’s voice cut off as she appeared at my side, taking in the scene. “Holy f*****g shit.”

Julian’s face paled further. “This isn’t what—”

“If you say ‘this isn’t what it looks like’ one more time, I swear to God I will castrate you with my bare hands,” Jessica snapped, her arm wrapping protectively around my shoulders.

Chloe straightened up, finally adjusting her dress with leisurely movements. She tossed her hair back and had the audacity to smirk. “Julian and I have an understanding. It’s just s*x. Great s*x, but still just sex.”

“An understanding?” I laughed, the sound brittle and foreign to my ears. “And when exactly were you planning to include me in this understanding? After you gave me chlamydia, or before?”

“Don’t be dramatic,” Julian said, tucking in his shirt. “We’ve been careful.”

“Oh, careful! Well, that makes it all better then!” I threw my hands up. “You’ve been carefully f*****g my friend behind my back. Such consideration!”

Chloe leaned against the dresser, crossing her arms. “We’re all adults here. Monogamy is so… limiting, don’t you think?”

Jessica stepped forward. “The only thing limiting around here is your moral compass, you backstabbing bitch.”

“Watch it,” Chloe warned, her eyes narrowing.

“Or what? You’ll sleep with my boyfriend too? Get in line.” Jessica turned to Julian. “And you. You pathetic excuse for a man. Two years? Two f*****g years of her life wasted on you?”

Julian finally managed to buckle his belt. “Madi, baby, please. We can talk about this. It’s just physical. It doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

“You feel so much for me that you bought me this dress.” I gestured to my outfit. “So I could be downstairs putting on a show for your friends while you’re up here with your d**k in Chloe?”

“The dress looks amazing on you,” he offered weakly.

I stared at him in disbelief. “That’s what you’re going with right now? Fashion compliments?”

“I’m just saying—”

“No, I’m done listening to what you’re ‘just saying.’” I turned to leave, then spun back. “Two years, Julian. Two years of me rearranging my schedule for you and believing every word out of your mouth. Was any of it real?”

He took a step toward me. “Of course it was real. I love you, Madi.”

“Spare me,” I spat. “If this is your version of love, I want nothing to do with it.”

Chloe sighed dramatically. “Can we wrap this up? I have guests downstairs.”

“You have one less now,” I said, turning away. “Enjoy your birthday present. You two deserve each other.”

Jessica shot them both a final glare before following me out. We marched down the hallway, my legs somehow carrying me forward despite feeling like they might collapse.

“I’ve got you,” Jessica whispered, her arm still around me as we descended the stairs.

The party continued below us, oblivious to the implosion that had just occurred upstairs. The music seemed too loud now, the laughter too jarring.

We pushed through the crowd toward the front door. Someone called my name, but I kept moving, my eyes fixed on the exit.

The cool night air hit my face as we stepped outside, and only then did I realize I was shaking.

We made it to the sidewalk when I heard the front door open behind us. I refused to look back.

“Madison!” Julian called out. “Wait!”

Jessica turned, positioning herself between us like a shield. “Go back to your birthday girl, asshole.”

“This is between me and Madi,” he insisted but made no move to follow us.

“There is no ‘me and Madi’ anymore,” I called back, still walking. “We’re done.”

His response was lost as we rounded the corner, the sounds of the party fading behind us.

Once out of sight, my composure crumbled. I stopped walking, my breath coming in gasps.

“I can’t believe… I can’t…” I pressed my hand to my mouth.

“I know, honey. I know.” Jessica pulled me into a hug. “Let it out.”

“Two years,” I whispered against her shoulder. “Two f*****g years.”

She stroked my hair. “I’m so sorry, Madi.”

I pulled back, wiping angrily at my eyes. “Did you know? About them?”

Jessica hesitated. “Not for sure. But I had my suspicions.”

“What? Why didn’t you say anything?”

She sighed, fishing her phone from her purse. “I saw them at Barlon’s Café last month. They said they’d run into each other, but it seemed… off. The way they were sitting, the way he touched her arm. I didn’t want to say anything without proof. I didn’t want to hurt you if I was wrong.”

“Well, now we have proof,” I said bitterly.

“Let me call us a cab,” Jessica said, tapping her phone. “My car’s not here. Jake dropped me off.”

I hugged myself against the chill, suddenly aware of how exposed I felt in the dress Julian had chosen.

“No cabs available. Let’s walk a bit. I’ll keep trying for a ride and call Jake. Maybe he can pick us up.”

“Fine by me.” I just wanted to get as far away from Chloe’s house as possible. “I’d walk to Mexico right now if it meant never seeing Julian again.”

We started down the sidewalk, my heels clicking against the concrete. The neighborhood was upscale, with sprawling houses set back from the road, but the street itself was poorly lit.

The rumble of an engine cut her off as a convertible slowed beside us. Four guys crowded inside, the stench of alcohol wafting our way. The driver leaned over, his eyes crawling over my body before settling on my chest.

“Hey, babes, want a ride?” he grinned, revealing a gold tooth. “We got plenty of room on our laps.”

His friends burst into laughter. The one in the passenger seat raised a bottle. “We’re celebrating! Don’t you wanna celebrate with us?”

“f**k off,” Jessica snapped, pulling me closer.

“Ooh, feisty!” The driver killed the engine. “I like feisty.”

One guy, thick necked with a tribal tattoo, vaulted over the door. He staggered toward us, pointing at Jessica.

“You got a mouth on you, blondie. Let’s see what else it can do.”

Before I could react, he lunged forward and grabbed Jessica by her hair, yanking her head back. She screamed, clawing at his arm.

“Let her go!” I shouted, my marketing executive persona vanishing as pure rage took over. I swung my purse, connecting with his temple.

He stumbled but kept his grip on Jessica’s hair. “Your friend wants to play rough, huh?” He leered at me, eyes fixed on my chest. “Nice t**s. Bet they bounce real good.”