Chapter 31

Julian... cooked breakfast for her? The thought sounded absurd, yet the more Yvonne studied his stiff expression and restless movements, the more she realized it was true.

A strange mix of warmth and confusion stirred in her chest.She had finally found the courage to walk away from him-so why now, of all timnes, was he showing this sudden tenderness?

Her eyes lingered on him, searching for answers. His face was as cold and unreadable as ever, but beneath the cold lay a flicker of awkwardness he couldn't quite hide.

"Don't flatter yourself," he said flatly, breaking her fragile hope. "Why would I waste time cooking breakfast for you?"

The denial struck Yvonne harder than she expected.She bit down on her lip and lowered her head, a quiet ache spreading through her chest.

An inexplicable irritation surged in Julian. He rose abruptly, tugging his coat from the sofa, ready to leave-until her soft voice slipped through the silence. "Spencer and I... we're not what you think."

Unspoken conflicts had always lurked between them,and now they threatened to break free.

His hand clenched tightly beneath the fabric of his coat. Turning back, his gaze was sharp and unyielding."I don't care what you feel for him-or anyone else.But remember this: until the divorce becomes a truth,you will keep your distance from other men."

His voice dropped lower, warning laced in every syllable. "If your affair was witnessed by paparazzi and rumored reached Grandpa, the fallout wouldn't spare either of us."

Yvonne's chest tightened as though a cruel hand had gripped her heart.

Memories clawed at her-Julian walking into a hospital beside Rita, the media headlines speculating that Rita was the mysterious Mrs. Powell.

He could do that openly, yet here he was, wielding accusations over her when she had done nothing.

Whatever fragile joy she'd felt at the thought of him cooking for her shattered under the weight of his hypocrisy. A bitter smile tugged at her lips as she answered softly, "The paparazzi don't even know l'm your wife." The words hung in the air, carrying the unspoken truth -any scandal involving her wouldn't touch the Powell name.

Julian's brows drew together. "So this is you blaming me for keeping your identity from the press?"

Yvonne jerked her head aside, refusing to meet his eyes. "That's not what I said."

Julian bent low, his face suddenly filling her vision, so close her heart skipped. His voice dropped,taunting."What if I hold a press conference right now? What if I tell the whole world who you are?"

Her temper flared hot. "You wouldn't dare! You swore you wouldn't go back on your word!"

If he exposed her as his wife, her quiet life would shatter. He wasn't promising protection-he was tightening her chains.

Straightening, Julian stepped back, his tone chilled with indifference. "That depends on you. Cross me again, and I have a hundred ways to make sure divorce never happens." With effortless composure, he turned and walked away.

Left trembling, Yvonne slammed her hand on the table, fury boiling over. "You bastard!" But as her anger ebbed, confusion crept in, dull and heavy. Her eyes fell on the bad-tasting toasts. Almost without thinking, she picked a slice up again.

One bite later, her nose wrinkled. It indeed was terrible.It was hard to imagine that a man so capable in every other arena could be this hopeless in a kitchen.

Yet that wasn't what troubled her most. What unsettled her was how differently he'd been acting.

In the past, whenever she had brought up divorce,he would seize the chance without hesitation. He wouldn't demand conditions. He wouldn't linger. He certainly wouldn't cook.

And now... he was someone she almost didn't recognize.

A faint tremor rippled through Yvonne's chest, an unwelcome spark of hope flickering where she thought none remained.

Could it be-just maybe-that Julian was beginning to care?

The notion tempted her for only a moment before she crushed it. Three years of marriage had taught her otherwise. He had never once softened toward her,never once given her the affection she longed for.And now, with his first love back in the picture,why would his heart turn to her?

Restlessness clawed at her, making it impossible to sit still.What she wanted-what she needed-was to face Julian directly and demand the truth. What exactly was he trying to do with her?