Chapter 4

Julian’s sudden appearance didn't disrupt my daily routine much.

What I didn't expect was Clara showing up at my stall.

It was a quiet weekday afternoon at the market.

Dressed in high-end designer clothes, she carefully stepped around puddles of dirty water before stopping right in front of my counter.

Five years hadn't aged her, but there was an unmistakable tension around her eyes.

"Nora," she said, offering a tight smile.

I set down my scaling knife and stared at her.

"Buying fish?"

"Can we talk?"

"I have nothing to say to you."

"It's about Julian," she blurted out. "He's in a bad place lately."

"Ever since he bought fish from you, he can't focus. He even messed up during his last recital..."

"And?" I interrupted. "What does that have to do with me?"

"Nora, I know what we did to you was wrong," she said, softening her tone. "But it's been five years. Can you please just stop showing up in his life?"

I let out a dry laugh.

"Mrs. Vance, let's get one thing straight. He came looking for me. Not the other way around."

"He's just... feeling sentimental," Clara said, biting her lip. "He worked too hard for everything he has now. I won't let anyone ruin it. Including you."

She pulled a checkbook from her purse, wrote out a check, and slid it toward me.

"This is enough for you to move to another town and open a proper grocery store. Leave, and don't let him find you again."

I glanced at the long row of zeros on the paper and smiled faintly.

"You two really are made for each other."

Always relying on money to make problems go away.

Always assuming money could buy my silence.

I slid the check back across the counter.

"Keep your money. And I'm not moving."

"Nora!" Clara snapped, struggling to maintain her composure. "Julian loves me!"

"Everything he has—his fame, his status—is tied to me and my family!"

"Then go home and keep a tighter leash on your husband," I said, picking up the scaler to tackle a fresh bass. "Tell him to stop lingering around my stall. He's scaring off my paying customers."

A drop of fish blood splashed onto the toe of her pristine designer heel.

She gasped, jumping back in disgust, her face pale.

"You're completely unreasonable!"

Spitting the words, she practically fled through the narrow market aisle.

I watched her retreat without feeling a thing.

Stella peeked out from behind the counter, whispering, "Nora, she's terrified of you."

"Yeah," I replied softly.

She was terrified.

Terrified that Julian still carried feelings for me.

Terrified that the empire she bought for him might crumble because of my presence.

What she failed to realize was that Julian meant nothing to me anymore.

A few evenings later, as I was packing up the stall, Julian showed up again.