Chapter Two

Adam's Pov

I sighed, looking out the window at the rain splashing down on the city. Autumn leaves swirled outside, their vibrant colors reminding me of Jules, my beautiful wife. We'd only been married a month, and she was my everything. I missed her. But I had to tie up a few loose ends in the city before I could make it back to her. It's been two days and I feel like a addict needing his fix.

You're in everything I see Jules

"Impatient, aren't we?" A smirk played on Henry's lips, and I clenched my fists to control my anger. Henry Shepherd wasn't a friend; he was a farmhand on the run from the law. The nerve of him trying to steal Jules from me! Thankfully, she saw him for what he was, and I won her heart.

I fiddled with my gold wedding band, trying to calm my racing heart. I didn't want to strangle Henry right then and there.

"Get to the point, Henry," I growled. "Spill it, or I'll have to tell the police about your little… sideline hustles." I couldn't resist a smirk as I saw him flinch.

"What sideline hustles?" he scoffed, trying to sound confident.

"Don't play dumb, Henry," I countered. "We both know Pastor Joshua's wife didn't die of natural causes."

A flicker of fear crossed his eyes, and I felt a surge of satisfaction. Now I had his attention. I took a slow sip of coffee, savoring his discomfort.

"Be careful, Henry," I warned. "There are bigger fish in your little pond. Your shady dealings don't concern me as long as you stay away from Jules. After all, everyone has secrets, right? Compared to me, you're barely anything to make me worry. Now, talk."

Silence hung heavy in the air until Henry reached for his backpack and pulled out a brown envelope. I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to explain.

"Just open it," he mumbled, fidgeting nervously.

I enjoyed making people squirm, but right now, I was more curious than anything. The secrecy of my love former rival sitting across from me, his obsession with Jules – it all added to a strange feeling in my gut.

Everything reminds me of her.

The world spun like a crazy carnival ride as I stared at the pictures in my hand. There was Jules, all smiles and tangled with this other guy, Henry. What in the world was going on? My blood felt like lava, hot and angry, and I squeezed the pictures so hard I thought they might rip.

"Just wanted to let you know I had my way with your girl," Henry said, his voice like nails on a chalkboard. He was trying way too hard to act cool, but the way his eyes darted around told a different story. "Those kind of women don't stick around, Adam. Besides, I know your little secret. Big shot billionaire Barton hiding out as a regular guy, huh? Never thought I'd meet you in a million years. You're a tough nut to crack, but I have my ways."

"Why are you doing this?" I growled, the words coming out like gravel.

"No real reason," Henry said with a fake shrug. "Your fancy money doesn't impress me, Barton. You can keep it all. I just thought you deserved to know about Jules. She's playing you, Adam. She only cares about money and fancy things. I'm trying to be a good guy, see? Remember what you said about there being plenty of other fish in the sea? Well, I have friends, and let me tell you, they move in high circles. You really believed that whole act? Sweet farm girl falls for the museum guide? Come on."

"She doesn't know about this," I mumbled, my voice cracking. I tried to hold myself together, but a huge part of me already knew I was a fool for trusting her.

Henry scoffed. "Oh, dude, she knows exactly what's going on. That's how I found out about you, too. I just felt kinda bad for you, honestly. But you never listen, so I brought you the proof. Now that I've done my so-called good deed, I'm outta here. Enjoy your broken heart, Adam."

He sauntered out, leaving me sitting there like a statue. My mind was a storm, a million thoughts swirling at once. It all makes a horrible kind of sense now. I always kept people at a distance, afraid to love anyone. Afraid of getting hurt, the way my mom hurt my dad when she left with another man. My dad never got over it. He buried himself in work, making billions to prove something, I guess. But all that money couldn't bring her back. He died just a few months before I left for Montana, hoping for a fresh start. Now, here I was, feeling just as lost and broken as he did.

Jules. Just saying her name used to make my heart skip a beat. Sunshine hair, eyes like starlight - she was the sweetest girl I ever met. I thought she loved me, not the money that seemed to follow me around like a bad smell. Now, that sunshine seemed fake, those stars cold.

Damn it Jules... Damn you

One minute I was out, the next I was back in my apartment, feeling hollowed out. My head throbbed with a dull ache, but worse was the anger burning in my gut. I wanted to yell, throw things, anything to break the suffocating feeling.

"Hey there, handsome," a voice drawled. I turned, seeing Elena standing in the living room. Elena, the socialite who'd been glued to my side since we were kids. I'd tried to avoid her clingy ways, but here she was.

"What are you doing here?" I mumbled, my voice raw with exhaustion.

"You can't hide from me forever, Adam," she said, a sly smile playing on her lips. Her gaze swept across the apartment, taking in the paintings and fancy furniture. "Playing the popper aren't we?"

This apartment - I bought it a while back, thinking it'd be a special place for Jules and me. I brought her here a few times, but I never revealed everything I had. It was a test, a stupid one in hindsight. Back then, her lack of interest in the money had made me feel like I'd finally found someone real. Now, it just felt like a lie, a pretty act.

"Adam?" Elena snapped her fingers in front of my face. I realized I'd been staring into space, lost in the tangled mess of my thoughts. Here was Elena, always there, always upfront about wanting both me and my money. At least she was honest, unlike Jules,

Fury tightened my fists. Without thinking, I reached for Elena, pulling her close. My kiss was desperate, a search for something familiar, anything to erase the hollowness inside. Her lips were sweet, but they didn't taste like sunshine and wildflowers like Jules'. I deepened the kiss, her soft moans a pale imitation of Jules' fiery passion. My tongue exploring hers, a needy sound escaping her throat. Scooping her up, I carried her to the bed, desire warring with a cold knot of betrayal in my stomach. I sought solace in Elena's touch, comparing her soft moans to Jules' passionate demands. Elena was yielding, where Jules had been a whirlwind of fire. Oblivious, I thrust inside her, clothes discarded in our haste.

Then, a whisper, a tremor that shattered the fragile moment. "Adam?" It was Jules, standing frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide with a mix of hurt and betrayal. My heart lurched, a sickening thud in my chest.