His Betrayal: Choosing Her Over Me
Chapter 9
Leia nodded quietly. Her best friend Sarah’s face immediately clouded with worry. “C’mon, tell me. Did that jerk hurt you?”
“No!”
“Oh please, look at yourself! You’re dead on your feet, and your eyes are all puffed up like you cried all night.”
“Leia, you’ve always been way too soft for your own good.”
“He brought another woman into this house, and you should’ve called me last night, the second it happened.”
Sarah’s words wrapped around Leia’s heart like a warm blanket, but she had no idea how to break the news that she and Julian were already on the brink of divorce. Sarah had a bad heart, and Leia was terrified this stress would be too much for her. So she just forced a small smile and said, “I’m fine, Sarah. Really.”
“Don’t worry, honey, I got your back.” Before Leia could even move to stop her, Sarah was already marching straight toward the master bedroom.
“Sarah, wait, don’t go…”
But it was already too late. Sarah was already at the end of the hallway. The door wasn’t latched all the way, and through the thin crack, she caught a scene that made her jaw drop.
“Julian… what do you think Leia’ll do when she walks in on us?” The soft, simpering, victimy voice was undeniably Piper’s.
Hearing that sickly sweet tone, Sarah could barely choke back her disgust. She knew this woman—Julian’s first love. Back when Piper got sick and crawled back into his life, Sarah had fought that relationship tooth and nail. When Julian finally let Leia in and married her, Sarah had been over the moon. She never thought this gold-digger would still be hanging around.
“Sarah!” Leia whispered sharply behind her.
“Shh!” Sarah waved a hand to silence her, not taking her eyes off the gap.
Julian sounded tired and dismissive as he answered, “She wouldn’t dare do a thing. If anyone’s leaving this house, it’s her.”
A sharp, stabbing pain shot straight through Leia’s chest, and Sarah’s temper blew right through the roof. She squeezed Leia’s hand so tight her knuckles whitened.
“Julian, you’re so good to me… Maybe we should just move out together!”
“I’m so scared of her, especially after last night. If I hadn’t ducked out of the way fast enough, who knows what she would’ve done to me…”
“Okay, baby, stop crying. Let’s get ready and go downstairs for breakfast.”
Julian tenderly wrapped Piper’s foot before kneeling down to slip her shoes on. That was the last straw for Sarah. This was obscene—Julian doting on another woman, right in Leia’s own home, and this whore had already taken over the master bedroom.
Thinking of Leia’s puffy red eyes and pale, exhausted face, Sarah’s anger boiled over completely.
*Bang!* She kicked the door hard enough to fling it wide open.
Piper jumped, scrambling to cling to Julian’s arm. Julian spun around, stunned—he never expected to see his mother and Leia standing in the doorway.
“Sarah? What are you doing here?” Julian asked, completely thrown off.
Sarah glared at him, ice in every line of her face. “If I hadn’t barged in, I never would’ve seen how low my own son has stooped.”
“Sarah…”
“Don’t you *dare* call me that. Tell me what this intruder is doing here,” she demanded. “Why are you on your knees tying her shoes? Why is she in your marital bed, with Leia still living in this house?”
Sarah’s finger jabbed sharply toward Piper, her gaze icy enough to freeze blood.
Watching her, Leia’s chest swelled with quiet admiration. Sarah was usually soft and kind as could be, but right now? She was an absolute force, protecting Leia like she was her own blood. Leia’s heart ached with gratitude.
Piper’s voice went even sweeter, more demure. “It’s been a long time, Mrs. Shaw.”
“Don’t you *dare* call me that. Pack your garbage and get out. We don’t let intruders or gold-digging frauds leech off my family’s money in this house.”
The words came out so sharp and unforgiving, even Leia was caught off guard.
Julian immediately stepped between them, positioning himself protectively in front of Piper. “Sarah, be reasonable. I brought Piper here. No one has the right to kick her out.”
He flicked a glare toward Leia, disappointment blazing clear in his eyes. He couldn’t believe she’d dragged his mother into this mess.
Sarah was absolutely livid. “You have a wife, and you bring another woman into our home? You’re *despicable*!”
“Sarah, stop calling her an intruder. It’s not as sordid as you’re making it out to be.”
“If it’s not sordid, then send her packing. Right now.”
“Today I’m making this clear: either that woman walks out that door, or Leia and I walk out right behind her. And if that happens, Julian? You are no son of mine. Your father and I will disown you. We’ll pretend we never had a son at all.”
Sarah left zero room for negotiation. Both Piper and Julian went dead silent, stunned into shock.
Tears pricked Leia’s eyes as she stood behind Sarah, completely overcome by this fierce protection. Sarah had always treated her like her own, loved her unconditionally, and now she was fighting for her harder than anyone ever had.
It just hurt that Leia wouldn’t be her daughter-in-law for much longer.
Julian’s handsome face was tight with fatigue, and just as he opened his mouth to speak, Piper cut him off.
“Mrs. Shaw, please don’t blame Julian. He loves you so much—your words are breaking his heart.”
“If you care that much about hurting him, then leave! This whole fake sympathetic act is pathetic.”
Sarah’s tone cut like a knife, and warmth bloomed back in Leia’s chest, the first real warmth she’d felt in days.
Piper couldn’t keep up her sweet act anymore. Tears welled up in her eyes as she leaned into the victim role. “Mrs. Shaw, I know you don’t like me, but I really do love Julian. I beg you to let us be together. If that’s not enough, I’ll kneel right here and beg you.”
Leia wasn’t surprised by the performance. She knew Piper too well by now—meek and heartbroken in front of an audience, cunning and ruthless behind closed doors.
When Piper started to sink to her knees, Sarah just crossed her arms and watched, cold as ice. “Go ahead and kneel. Kneel until I’m satisfied.”
“Sarah, that’s too far!” Julian protested, catching Piper before her knees hit the floor. “Alright, that’s enough. I’ll take you to my other apartment. We’ll sort this out later.”
Piper, still letting tears roll down her cheeks, nodded and let him lead her out.
Sarah smirked after them. “Don’t you forget, Julian—everything you have came from your father and me. Don’t think you can use our money to keep your little mistress.”
“Everything in this house belongs to Leia. Unless she says otherwise, you don’t have a single spot here that’s yours.”
The bold declaration left Leia stunned, her eyes going wide. This went even further than she’d expected.
Furious, Julian glared at Leia as he pulled Piper past her. “Leia, this is what you wanted, isn’t it? You got your way, you drove her out.”
“You really disappoint me. All that kindness and innocence you used to have? It’s gone.”
“Ridiculous.”
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