The House Husband is a Secret Tycoon

Chapter Seven

Colette stood at the window of her office, staring down at the empty spot where Julian had been standing just moments ago.

Her hands were still shaking.

She pressed her palms flat against the glass, trying to steady herself, but it didn't help.

Her whole body felt like it was vibrating with shock or maybe disbelief or something worse.

"I shouldn't have signed," she whispered.

Sebastian appeared beside her, close enough that she could smell his cologne.

"Don't say that," he said gently. "You did the right thing."

Colette shook her head, her throat tight. "Julian's always been so calm. So compliant. He never pushes back, never argues. For him to act like this, to ask for a divorce..."

She turned to look at Sebastian, her eyes wide and uncertain.

"Did I go too far?" she asked. "Maybe I did. Maybe I should have –"

"Stop," Sebastian cut her off firmly. "You didn't do anything wrong, Colette. Julian is the one at fault here. Not you."

"But –"

"Listen to me," Sebastian said, his voice dropping lower, more serious. "The way he's been acting lately? The sudden defiance? The coldness? That's not normal. People don't just change like that overnight."

Colette stared at him. "What are you saying?"

Sebastian hesitated, like he didn't want to say it. Then he sighed.

"I think Julian's been cheating on you," he said quietly.

Colette's breath caught. "What?"

"Think about it," Sebastian continued. "It's the only thing that makes sense. A man doesn't suddenly ask for a divorce unless he's already got someone else lined up. The real reason for all of this – it's because he doesn't love you anymore. He's fallen for someone else."

The words hit Colette like a physical blow.

She thought back over the past few weeks. Julian's distance. The way he'd stopped trying to please her. The way he'd looked at her tonight, cold and detached, like she was a stranger.

It made sense now.

"I knew it," she breathed.

Sebastian pulled out his phone. "After he left your house last night, I had someone follow him for a while. Just to see where he went."

He swiped through his phone, then held it out to her.

Colette took it with trembling hands.

On the screen were photographs – clear, high-quality images of Julian sitting at a café with a woman.

They were leaning close, talking. In one photo, the woman was smiling at him. In another, Julian was looking at her with an expression that looked dangerously close to affection.

Colette's hands clenched around the phone.

"He was cheating," she said, her voice shaking with fury. "All this time, he was sneaking around behind my back with some – some blonde homewrecker –"

She rushed to the window and looked down at the street below.

She could see Julian entering into a sleek black car. And in the driver's seat was a woman – the same one in the photographs.

Rage boiled over within her.

"I'm going down there," Colette said, already moving toward the door. "I'm going to expose him. Right now."

Sebastian grabbed his jacket. "I'm coming with you."

***

Gianna had just pulled out of the parking spot when another car swerved in front of them, cutting them off so abruptly that she had to slam on the brakes.

Julian braced himself against the dashboard. "What the –"

The other car's door flew open and Colette stepped out, her face twisted with fury. Sebastian followed right behind her.

"Stay here," Julian said to Gianna,

"Are you sure?" Gianna asked as her eyes narrowed at the scene unfolding in front of them.

"I'm sure. I'll handle this," Julian opened his door and got out.

Colette was already storming toward him, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement.

"What do you want now, Colette? If you're here to ask for the divorce papers back," Julian said evenly, "you're wasting your time."

Colette let out a harsh, bitter laugh.

"Take them back?" she spat. "Are you insane? I'm not here for that. I'm here to expose your affair."

Julian blinked. "My what?"

Colette thrust her phone at him, the photographs filling the screen.

"Don't play dumb with me," she snarled. "I know everything. You've been sneaking around behind my back with some blonde woman, and now you have the audacity to ask me f for a divorce? You're disgusting, Julian. Absolutely disgusting."

Julian stared at the photographs, recognizing when and where it had been taken, "You think I'm having an affair?" he said slowly.

"I don't think," Colette snapped. "I know. And I'm going to deal with her right now."

She started toward the car, her eyes locked on the driver's seat where Gianna sat watching the scene unfold.

Sebastian stepped up beside Colette, his expression smug.

"Caught red-handed," he said, his voice dripping with mockery. "What's the matter, Julian? Couldn't handle a real woman like Colette, so you went running to some –"

"Move," Colette said, cutting him off. She reached for the car door handle.

Julian didn't stop her.

Colette wrenched the door open, her mouth already forming the first cutting insult.

Then she froze and her face went completely blank.

The woman sitting in the driver's seat wasn't just some random blonde. She was someone Colette recognized immediately – someone everyone in the city would recognize.

Gianna Brennan – CEO of Apex Innovations.

The Ice Queen herself.

Colette's mouth opened, then closed, no sound came out.