Chapter 4

The whole farce ended in the most ridiculous way possible.

Chloe never offered a single word of apology.

Her silence cut deeper than any insult Dominic could throw.

For the next two days, she didn't come home once.

Fine by me. It gave me all the time I needed to clear out every trace of my existence from that apartment.

When my flight day arrived, I was ready to vanish from Chloe Sterling's world forever.

Sitting in the VIP lounge at the airport, my phone buzzed with messages from Dominic.

Every text was pure venom, laced with gloating arrogance.

“Julian, Chloe’s been staying at my penthouse every night. I’ve been keeping her very satisfied, so you don't need to worry your little head.”

“She's just as clingy as she used to be. She told me a cheap substitute doesn't have one percent of my charm.”

“I hear you like this position, too. We really are so much alike.”

Attached were photo after photo—intimate embraces, heated glances, and even a picture of torn black lingerie on the carpet.

I felt nothing. No anger, no pain. Just numbness.

I blocked his number.

As the jet engines roared and the plane lifted into the clouds, I watched the skyline shrink beneath me. I was leaving the ashes of my old life behind and stepping into the empire that was rightfully mine.

The moment I landed, my family gave me a grand welcome.

They knew nothing of the humiliation I had suffered over the past five years. They were just thrilled that their prodigal heir was finally home, ready to seal the mega-merger.

The alliance between the Vance Empire and the Montgomery Group was explosive news. It made headlines across Forbes and Bloomberg, thrusting my name back into the center of high society.

Gold-embossed wedding invitations were dispatched to every major corporate titan in the country.

Including Chloe Sterling.

The day the invitation arrived at her office, Chloe was hanging out at an exclusive lounge with her clique and Dominic.

"Julian Vance? Why does that name ring a bell? Who is this guy?"

"Oh, wait, isn't that the name of Chloe's little executive assistant?"

"Assistant? Please! He was just her little lapdog, a rebound doll to keep her warm until Dominic came back!"

Those in the inner circle laughed, showering Dominic with flattering toasts.

Dominic leaned back, preening under the attention, pulling Chloe tightly against his chest.

"I always thought that Julian guy looked like a desperate simp. Chloe barely tolerated him. Dominic is the only one who belongs at her side."

As the crowd chuckled, a cold dread pooled in Chloe's stomach.

Julian hadn't contacted her in days.

She knew she had crossed the line at the office, but she figured a little punishment would teach him his place.

I’ll just buy him an expensive watch and take him to dinner later. He always comes crawling back, she told herself.

Suddenly, someone in the corner gasped, staring at their tablet:

"Damn, talk about same name, different destiny. Both named Julian Vance, but this one is the sole heir to the multi-billion-dollar Vance Empire, marrying Clara Montgomery, the queen of the Montgomery Group! Meanwhile, our Julian is just a jobless simp."

Chloe's wine glass shook, spilling a red drop onto the marble table.

Could it really just be a coincidence?

At that exact moment, her phone chimed.

An electronic wedding invitation popped up on her SnapChat, sent directly from my account.

Before she could even read the notification, my profile went gray. Blocked and deleted across all platforms.

With trembling fingers, Chloe clicked the link.

On the digital cover, wrapped in an opulent custom couture gown, was the heiress Clara Montgomery.

And standing beside her, looking every bit like the cold, commanding billionaire heir he was born to be...

Was me.

Chloe's phone slipped from her fingers, smashing against the floor.