His Betrayal: Choosing Her Over Me

James. The name fit him—sharp, clean, just as appealing as the man himself.

"Thank you, Dr. James," Leia said, pushing herself to her feet. Her legs wobbled so bad she stumbled, but she caught herself on the exam table before she fell.

As he watched her walk out, something unreadable, tangled and twisted, settled over James's face.

Leia couldn't even tell you how she made it out of the hospital. Her mind was completely blank, like someone had wiped it clean. Even her usual bright, vibrant blue eyes felt dulled, dimmed by the weight of what she'd just learned.

The sky rumbled, and then rain suddenly poured from the sky. Leia tilted her face up to the sky, closing her eyes as the ice-cold water soaked her hair and skin. She couldn't even feel the cold anymore.

She stood there on the narrow sidewalk, completely drenched, while every other person around her scrambled for cover under store awnings.

One question looped over and over in her head: Should I tell Julian?

Rain mixed with her tears, and you couldn't tell one from the other anymore.

---

Julian had just walked Piper through the front door of their home. When the housekeeper, Mrs. Taylor, spotted the unexpected soft-spoken young woman on his arm, she froze for a second, stunned.

After a beat of awkward silence, she finally said, "Sir, you're home at last."

"I am," Julian replied, one hand steady on Piper's back as he guided her to the couch, every move protective.

"Piper, why don't you make yourself comfortable? I'll make you some hot cocoa. You just got in, the weather's turned absolute garbage out there—can't have you catching a chill," he said soft, his eyes warm with affection.

Mrs. Taylor couldn't wrap her head around how tender he was being. What on earth was going on here? Julian adored his wife. How could he be this attentive to another woman? Wouldn't that break Leia's heart?

"Thank you, Julian. Don't fuss over me, I'm not that fragile," Piper said with a sweet, gentle smile, brushing a strand of hair back from her face. Julian chuckled soft, and caught Mrs. Taylor staring at them, curious. He could feel her confusion, so he explained calm and steady: "Mrs. Taylor, this is Piper. She's going to be staying with us from now on."

"Oh," Mrs. Taylor breathed, her mind spinning with questions. What was this girl to Julian? How could she just waltz in here and stay like this? But she was just the housekeeper, so she smoothed her suspicions into a polite smile. "Hello there! Just call me Mrs. Taylor."

Piper smiled back, calm and composed, even if she still looked a little delicate around the edges. "Mrs. Taylor, just call me Piper, please."

"Alright, I'll go get dinner started for you two," Mrs. Taylor said, and headed for the kitchen, her brow furrowed the whole way, still turning over what the connection could be between Julian and this new girl.

Once Piper was settled, Julian stood up and shrugged out of his suit jacket. He scanned the house, and unease settled over his sharp, handsome features, a faint frown tugging at his mouth.

"Mrs. Taylor, where's Leia?" he asked.

Mrs. Taylor poked her head out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron. "Mrs. Shaw said she was stepping out for a bit. Left around nine this morning, and it's almost five now—she still hasn't come back."

Julian's face went dark at the news, cold anxiety washing straight through him.

Piper could feel he was upset, so she reached out and gently rested her hand on his. "Julian, don't worry. Leia probably just got held up with something. She'll be home soon."

"But it's pouring out, and she hates the cold. I'm gonna call her, check in," he said, and pulled his hand away to grab for his phone. Piper's eyes flickered, a flash of sharp, cold malice gone before anyone could catch it. This woman had stolen her place for years and still refused to walk away. Now that Piper was back? There was no room left for Leia.

Julian paced the living room, jaw tight with frustration. God damn it—Leia's phone was straight to voicemail. He couldn't reach her at all. His concern slowly turned into irritation.

"Dinner's ready," Mrs. Taylor called from the kitchen.

Julian turned to Piper and said, "Why don't you go ahead and eat without me?"

"But..."

"It's fine. She's always been scared of storms, I can't just sit here and wait. Don't worry, I'll be right back with her," he reassured her, cupping her face gently and pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Okay, but be careful," Piper answered, her voice laced with quiet disappointment. This little kiss on the forehead was the most intimate thing he'd ever done with her.

Julian grabbed an umbrella and headed straight out. The rain was only getting worse, the sky pitch black except for flashes of lightning that split it open, thunder rolling right after. His worry for Leia gnawed at him deeper every second.

Leia had no one—no friends, no family. She'd grown up in an orphanage. In their two years of marriage, she barely ever left the house, her timid nature kept her close to home. She was terrified of rain too. Whenever it poured, she'd hide inside and pull all the curtains closed. He'd asked her once why she hated it so much, and she'd told him, "My parents got swept away in a flood when I was seven. I never even found their bodies. That's why I'm scared."

Julian slid into his car fast and pulled out into the storm, windshield wipers fighting to keep the rain off the glass.

---

Leia didn't know how she'd dragged herself home, but by the time she made it to the front door, she was completely worn out, every bone in her body aching. When you've been pushed right to the edge of pain, fear doesn't have any hold on you anymore. The rain was just background noise, nothing more.

Pregnancy. Breast cancer. Divorce. Everything felt like a fleeting, bad dream that had vanished into thin air.

When Mrs. Taylor saw her, soaked and exhausted, she jumped. "Oh my goodness, Mrs. Shaw, what on earth happened to you? You're completely soaked through. Come in, go get a hot shower right away."

Leia forced a smile, and it felt like it took every bit of strength she had left. Raindrops ran from her forehead down to her lips, and they tasted salty when she spoke: "I forgot my umbrella, and I couldn't hail a cab for the life of me."

"Oh honey, Mr. Shaw went out looking for you. Didn't you run into him?"

Leia was surprised, and a tiny flicker of warmth bloomed in her cold chest. She shook her head. "No, we must have passed each other. I'll call him."

"Okay, Mrs. Shaw. Mr. Shaw really does care about you, I see it every day. He loves you so much."

Love. Leia laughed quiet to herself. Love's just like wine—only the person drinking it knows if it's bitter or sweet.

Right then, Piper walked into the entryway, her voice soft and smooth as silk. "Hello, Leia. I'm Piper Cooper."

Piper's soft voice, laced with quiet grace, pulled Leia's gaze up. When she looked, she saw nothing short of classic, timeless elegance.

Piper's long hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and she wore a crisp, perfect Victorian-style dress. Her fair skin still held the faint faint marks of recovery from illness, but her features were delicate, calm, the kind of quiet, fresh beauty that doesn't scream for attention but holds it anyway.

Next to her, Leia couldn't help but feel insecure. No wonder Julian preferred her. Leia's looks were too bold, too striking. She had these hypnotic dark eyes, with a tiny beauty mark in the corner that added an edge to her that people always misread.

Next to Piper, who was as ethereal and elegant as a white lily, Leia was just a bright, bold red rose—tempting, but untouchable.

Who wouldn't pick someone as refined and lovely as Piper? Especially when Leia showed up looking like a drowned rat.

Leia pulled herself out of her head, and smiled. "Hello, I'm Leia."

"You're completely soaked. Come in and change into something dry, or you'll catch a cold. Mrs. Taylor, could you bring Leia a warm cup of coffee?" Piper suggested, that faint thread of authority weaving right through her kind words. Leia hesitated for a second, then smiled and stepped inside.

Mrs. Taylor followed behind her, smiling. After Leia finished her shower, she walked out into the living room to find Julian was already home. The second he saw her, he hurried straight over.

"Where have you been all day? Why was your phone off? Do you have any idea how scared I was?"

"I'm sorry, my phone died. I just went to the hospital to pick up some medication for a stomachache," she explained. Even through his angry scolding, Leia felt that little flicker of sweet warmth in her chest.

Julian sighed, his voice softening immediately. "Next time, tell me before you go. Or let me come with you."

"Alright, don't worry," Leia promised him, as the rain kept beating against the windows outside.