Married to My Twin’s Husband

Chapter 10: The Midnight Interrogation

The space between us was so small that I could feel the intense, rapid beat of Julian’s heart against my own frantic ribcage.

His hands remained planted firmly on the heavy glass window on either side of my head, completely locking me in place.

The rich, suffocating scent of hazelnut from the dropped truffle still lingered in the cool air of the master suite a sweet but deadly reminder of how close I had just come to destroying everything.

"I’m waiting, Vivian," Julian whispered, his gravelly voice vibrating through the dark glass behind me. His dark eyes bore into mine, sharp, calculating, and entirely unforgiving. "Explain to me why you looked at a piece of chocolate as if it were a loaded gun."

My lungs screamed for oxygen. I had to think of a lie a flawless, airtight explanation that could bridge the massive gap between Vivian’s well documented obsession with hazelnuts and my own life threatening allergy.

If I confessed to the allergy outright without a cover story, Julian’s sharp mind would immediately look into Vivian’s extensive medical records, and the name Elena would inevitably surface.

I forced myself to swallow the panic, tilting my head back slightly against the window to look directly into his pitch black eyes. I had to use Vivian’s vanity and the high stakes nature of her modeling career against him.

"I developed a severe adult onset allergy to tree nuts six months ago, Julian," I lied, forcing my voice to take on a sharp, annoyed edge to hide the violent tremor in my chest.

I kept it completely hidden from the media and from our family because my modeling agency was in the middle of negotiating a multi million dollar contract with a global cosmetics company.

If the press or the brand found out I was prone to sudden facial swelling and anaphylactic shock, I would have lost the campaign instantly."

Julian didn't blink. He kept his piercing gaze fixed on my eyes, analyzing every micro-expression, searching for the slightest hint of deceit or hesitation.

"An adult onset allergy," he repeated slowly, his voice laced with deep, heavy skepticism. He leaned in a fraction of an inch closer, his lips almost brushing against the shell of my ear, sending an involuntary shiver straight down my spine.

And you didn't think to inform your own fiancé? Or the household chef who prepares your meals every single day?"

"We aren't a normal couple, Julian," I retorted, my heart hammering like a trapped bird as his proximity sent a confusing jolt of electricity through my veins. "Our marriage is a business transaction.

I didn't think my dietary restrictions were any of your concern, as long as I showed up on your arm for the media and played the part of the perfect billionaire's wife."

Julian stared at me for a long, agonizing moment. The silence in the master suite was heavy and suffocating. Then, slowly, he pulled his hands away from the glass and stood up straight, looming over me like a towering shadow.

"Everything about you is my concern now, Vivian," Julian murmured, his tone devoid of any warmth, yet his dark gaze was burning hot as it swept down the length of my silk nightgown.

You signed the addendum. You live in my room now. If you die of an allergic reaction under my roof, it becomes a massive liability for my company. I will have my private physician update your medical files tomorrow morning."

A cold sweat broke out across my back. A medical exam by his private doctor would ruin me. I had to divert his attention before he could think further about the details of my medical history.

"Fine," I snapped, trying to sound dismissive as I stepped away from the window and walked toward the far side of the massive king sized bed. "Are you going to keep cross examining me all night, or can I finally get some sleep?"

Julian’s eyes narrowed into slits of pure amusement a dangerous, predatory look that made my blood run cold. He walked over to his side of the bed, unbuttoning the remaining buttons of his white linen shirt and tossing it carelessly onto a nearby chair, revealing the lean, sculpted expanse of his chest and shoulders.

"We sleep," Julian said smoothly, sliding beneath the dark Egyptian cotton sheets. He leaned back against the plush pillows, his gaze locking onto me as he patted the empty space right beside him. "Come here."

I froze, staring at the vast expanse of the bed. "Julian, I can sleep on the sofa"

"The addendum was very specific, Vivian," Julian cut me off, his deep voice dropping into a low, commanding register that brooked absolutely no argument.

You sleep in my bed. Every single night. I want to ensure that whatever ghost is calling you at 2:00 AM doesn't get another opportunity to whisper in your ear without me hearing it. Get in."

Realizing I had absolutely no leverage left, I walked toward the bed with leaden steps. I climbed in, keeping myself on the absolute edge of the mattress, leaving a massive gap of space between us.

I pulled the heavy comforter up to my chin and turned my back to him, staring out into the darkness of the room.

The silence returned, but it was no longer peaceful. It was charged with an unbearable, intoxicating tension.

A few minutes passed, and I thought he had finally fallen asleep. I let out a soft, cautious breath, my shoulders relaxing slightly. But then, I felt the mattress shift heavily behind me.

Before I could gasp, a large, warm arm slid around my waist. Julian pulled my back firmly against his bare chest, erasing every single inch of space I had desperately tried to maintain.

The heat radiating from his skin was staggering, completely enveloping my smaller frame. His grip was unyielding, locking me against him so securely that I could feel the hard, steady rhythm of his heartbeat against my shoulder blades.

"Julian, let go," I whispered frantically, my body going completely rigid against him.

"Quiet," he murmured into the dark, his voice deep, gravelly, and rough with impending sleep.

His breath brushed against the bare skin of my neck, sending a violent jolt of electricity straight down my spine. "Stop fighting me, Vivian. Just close your eyes and sleep."

I lay there in the dark, paralyzed not by fear, but by a confusing, terrifying rush of emotion. Surrounded by his scent, held tightly against his chest, the lie felt heavier than ever. He thought he was holding his arrogant, high-maintenance wife.

He had no idea he was holding Elena a quiet schoolteacher who was slowly, terrifyingly losing her heart to the very beast she was actively deceiving.