Chapter 18

Maybe everything started going wrong the moment Sophie decided to come back home. Julian couldn't help but blame himself. If only he had made a clear choice between Sophie and Ivy back then, maybe none of this would've happened. Back then, he couldn't let go of Sophie, nor walk away from all those years with Ivy. Even though their relationship had started with a lie, sometimes, a lie told long enough would start to feel real, and love built over time could cut deep. For Julian, Ivy was never just a way to get back at Sophie. The mess they were in now—just like Sophie had said—was all on him. Julian looked utterly defeated with shadows in his eyes. He slapped himself across the face. The sting brought a strange sense of relief, as if the pain was the only thing that could make him feel a little better. "I'm sorry, Ivy," Julian whispered weakly. His wounds hadn't been properly treated, and after soaking in that icy bath earlier, his body gave out. Julian passed out cold. When he f