Bella had not thought jealousy would be so quiet.
It didn’t come in the form of accusations or raised voices. It came in hesitations that were barely detectable, but present there, in Julian’s eyes lingering for a beat too long, in the careful way he chose his words when others spoke her name.
She first noticed it at breakfast.
Julian sat opposite her, absorbed in his tablet as she flicked through messages on her phone. The kitchen was full of morning light, the kind that made everything falsely tranquil.
“Busy day?” he asked casually.
“Yes,” Bella replied. “I’ve got a meeting with a photographer and then lunch with Marcus.”
Julian’s finger froze on the screen.
“Marcus again,” he said, in a neutral voice.
“He’s having me make connections,” Bella said. “It’s good exposure.”
“I’m su
