Chapter 5 Deception

Patrick watched as Dimitri disappeared from the party accompanied by Filippa in front of everyone, without the slightest discretion, without the slightest respect for his condition as a newly married man, without even caring that his wife was there and watching everything, and he realized that Juliana had followed them. And although it was not like him, he decided that he would find out what was going on.

He saw when Dimitri and Filippa entered the office of his grandfather, Grigorie, and couldn't help but wonder what his brother was up to. Patrick also saw when Juliana followed the two without them realizing it, and tried in vain to approach the door to try to hear what was going on inside the office. The moment she moved a little away, Patrick remained there, watching, trying to understand what was going on. A few minutes later he saw Filippa coming out of her grandfather's office completely upset.

Filippa was surprised to see Juliana standing there in the hallway. And for a second, Filippa stopped and stared at Juliana with contempt, with a hatred in her eyes that Patrick could not remember ever seeing before.

Juliana, on the other hand, was not intimidated. And despite the situation, she held her head high as she looked Filippa in the eye without looking away. Filippa's breathing was almost heavy with panting, her eyes and soul overflowed with hatred, clearly upset by something that had happened inside the office, and that Patrick didn't know what could have happened... or what could have been said within those four walls. If her grandfather, Grigorie, had been in the office, she tried to imagine what he might have said that was so serious...

Filippa took a deep breath, sidestepped Juliana and went on his way stepping hard, firmly, past the party without even looking at anyone and without looking back. And as she looked at her path, she thought about how much she had wanted to run over Juliana, to practically run her over at the moment she was forced to avoid her, Grigorie's words kept echoing incessantly in her head, which was beginning to throb with pain.

Dimitri left a few minutes later, but was surprised by Juliana's presence there waiting, and for a second he tried to imagine what the meeting, even if brief, of Filippa and Juliana would have been like, which made anger make his blood boil almost uncontrollably.

Deep down he knew that his grandfather's words would have consequences, even more so after seeing the state Filippa was in when he left the office, and he dreaded to find out what those consequences would be.

And thinking about it, imagining what was to come, and how Juliana's presence there could have made things worse, made Dimitri snort as hatred took over his entire body, and he needed to make every effort to maintain his self-control.

"What do you want, Juliana? Huh?"

"Me, Dimitri? Me?"

"What do you think you're doing? Coming here, at a family party... you weren't even invited! What do you want, girl?"

"It was you who broke your oath, Dimitri! Not me!"

"What oath?"

"You promised to cooperate for thirty days, and after three days... that?"

"I didn't promise you anything! I just agreed to wait thirty days until you give me back the signed document! Nothing more! And you don't even have the right to question me, Juliana! After all, this marriage should never have happened! Now, if you'll excuse me, go to hell, Juliana! Go live your life and leave me alone!

- And are you going after Philippa?

- That is none of your business!

Juliana looked paralyzed while Dimitri walked away completely upset, following the same direction Filippa had gone to disappear from the party, and Patrick tried to assimilate what he had just heard. In his mind, an intricate puzzle was beginning to fall into place.

The sudden marriage.

The way Dimitri had left the wedding with Juliana.

Finding Juliana completely alone on a deserted road in her wedding dress.

Now knowing that the marriage is over, that there is a signed contract to be handed back to Dimitri.

The way Filippa had left the office, and even more so, the way she had looked at Juliana when they met in the hallway, the hatred in her eyes, was something that intrigued Patrick.

"What could have happened in the office that could have made Filippa so upset? What could Grandpa have said to her or Dimitri that would cause such a shudder?"

Patrick was completely immersed in his thoughts, and did not notice Juliana approaching.

"Have you decided to become my shadow, Patrick?"

"Juliana, my dear, after all I witnessed in the salon, it would be strange if I didn't come after you."

"What do you know about me, Patrick? What?"

For a moment Patrick thought. And then he pulled from the inside pocket of his jacket, a photo... a newspaper clipping he had found in Juliana's things the night he met her on the road, while she was asleep and drunk.

"Why do you have a picture of me, Juliana?"

Patrick knew he was lying to Juliana, he knew it was his brother, Dimitri, in that photo. The morning after the wedding, Patrick had taken the newspaper clipping to his grandfather, Grigorie, and they both recognized Dimitri. Despite the photo's lack of sharpness, the clothing worn by Dimitri was unmistakable, and both he and his grandfather were sure it was the boy in that rescue scene. But this, Patrick would not tell Juliana.

He showed the photo to Juliana, who felt her thoughts shuffling in confusion at knowing that it was Patrick in that rescue scene.

"I can hardly believe it, Patrick! Are you the boy in the photo!?" Her eyes sparkled, burning with excitement. "Do you remember me, Patrick?"

"And why should I remember you, Juliana?"

"So you don't even remember me, Patrick?"

"No. I don't remember you. I said it. And why should I remember you, Juliana?"

Upon hearing these words, Juliana felt disappointment take over her entire being, and she wished more than anything else at that moment to leave that damned place.