When Love Turns Cold

Arabella didn't sleep that night.

The envelope from Lucien Wolfe sat on her bedside table like a live wire. It was slim, plain, and sealed with no markings. Yet it felt heavier than any of Sebastian's lies.

At 2:03 AM, she finally opened it.

Inside was a single folded document.

A medical report.

Juliette Langston. No signs of pregnancy. Negative HCG test. False reporting flagged. Patient instructed to follow up for psychological assessment.

Arabella's hand clamped over her mouth.

Her eyes scanned it again and again, desperate to find something she had misunderstood.

But it was all there.

Juliette had lied. There had never been a baby. Not even for a second.

Her stomach turned.

This was it.

The smoking gun.

She could destroy Juliette's mask with one whisper.

Why are you hesitating? she asked herself.

She should be calling Sebastian right now. Sending the report to the press. Posting it on every tabloid site. Making them all pay.

But instead…

She set it down.

And cried.

Mid-Morning – Chloe's Apartment

Arabella sat on Chloe's couch, still in last night's clothes, coffee clutched in one hand, the folded report in the other.

Chloe snatched it from her, scanned it, and screamed, "Are you kidding me?! This witch faked a pregnancy?!"

Arabella nodded numbly.

"And you've had this for how long?"

"I opened it a few hours ago."

"And you haven't done anything with it?"

Arabella looked at her best friend helplessly. "I don't know why. I guess… I wanted to see if Sebastian would figure it out on his own. If he'd see through her."

Chloe rolled her eyes so hard it hurt. "Oh my God. You're still waiting for that man to grow a soul. He won't. You've been handed a loaded gun, and you're staring at the safety switch like it's a puzzle!"

Arabella flinched. "I just want to be sure, Chloe."

Chloe leaned in. "Then be sure. Be sure that he's never loved you. Be sure that he let the world humiliate you. Be sure that he chose her over you, every time."

Arabella's phone buzzed on the coffee table.

She picked it up.

Unknown Number: Turn on Channel 4. Now.

She frowned.

Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for the remote and flipped the TV on.

And there it was.

Sebastian Crane.

At a press conference.

Standing before a crowd of reporters, flashbulbs firing.

Behind him: a banner. Crane Industries + Langston Futures — Official Merger Announcement

Arabella's heart stopped.

The caption running beneath the screen:

SEBASTIAN CRANE ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT, MERGER WITH JULIETTE LANGSTON

Chloe gasped. "He what?!"

Arabella stood, silent. Frozen. Watching the man who used to hold her in bed now speak into a microphone like she had never existed.

"Juliette has been my partner in business and in life. I'm proud to make this official," Sebastian said, placing a hand on Juliette's waist.

Juliette smiled on cue. Her white dress glowed under the spotlight. Her left hand sparkled with an enormous diamond.

Arabella stared at it all.

And then…

"However," Sebastian continued, "I want to make one thing clear. Arabella Crane remains an integral part of this family. We are still working together on several philanthropic ventures. I hold her in the highest esteem. I ask the public to respect her privacy."

Arabella's brow furrowed.

What the hell?

Chloe leaned forward. "Why is he dragging your name into this?! You're not working with him. He divorced you."

Then the kicker.

"She's agreed to remain a public liaison for Crane Legacy — a foundation we'll co-chair during the transition. Her grace and class have been nothing short of remarkable."

Arabella's knees buckled.

She hadn't agreed to any of that.

Her phone buzzed again.

Unknown Number: Hope you saw that. Smile pretty. You're not done playing yet.

She dropped the phone.

Later That Day – Lucien's Office

"I'm sorry, he did what?" Lucien asked, barely hiding his contempt.

Arabella stood in front of him, shaking. She handed him the printed press release with her name everywhere.

"He used me as a public shield," she whispered. "He made it sound like I endorsed him."

Lucien's eyes darkened.

"Do you have proof that you didn't?"

"No. Not on paper. He's smart. He knows I won't speak out. I look like the calm, civil ex-wife. It keeps the media in check."

Lucien turned to his window. "You're not in a marriage anymore, Arabella. You're in a war. And he's using you as bait."

Arabella stepped forward. "Then teach me how to fight."

He turned slowly.

"What do you want, Arabella?"

She didn't hesitate.

"Everything he thinks I can't take from him."

That Night – Sebastian's Office

Juliette strolled in like she owned the place. She was glowing. Untouchable. The picture of PR perfection.

But Sebastian didn't look at her.

He was staring at his phone, jaw clenched.

"What's wrong?" she purred.

He tossed it to the desk.

A screenshot of Arabella and Lucien Wolfe at the Lafayette bar had just hit a gossip blog.

The caption:

"Crane's Ex-Wife Spotted With Rival Billionaire Wolfe — Rebound or Revenge?"

Juliette picked it up and studied it.

Then smiled.

But Sebastian's face darkened.

"You look… tense," she said.

He didn't respond.

He was already dialing Arabella.