Julian’s Curse

The Revelation

“ C an we go back to the start?” Sophie pleaded, swirling the straw in her boba tea with the same intensity she displayed while watching The Bachelor . The tapioca pearls danced in the cup, mirroring her restless energy. As always, she looked incredible, her blonde hair styled in glamorous waves reminiscent of stars from the ‘50s. The soft curls framed her face beautifully, echoing the iconic look of Jayne Mansfield. Her vintage floral dress accentuated her curves, which drew the ogling looks of the male audience around us. We’d chosen a small Bankers Hill coffee shop, then tugged ourselves away in a corner to have a conversation.

“It was a simple, yet perfect proposal,” I explained, recalling Julian’s plan to ask me at Mister A’s. “He really managed to catch me off guard, which I think was the point—choosing a setting that didn’t give it away ahead of time,” I speculated. Part of me had known it was coming, but I hadn’t expected Julian to decide so quickly. But I liked the fact that he was as certain about us as I was. It made the moment feel real, like we were both moving forward without hesitation.

“Show me your hand again,” she commanded, urging me to extend it in front of her.

I gladly obeyed, knowing that upsetting Sophie could trigger her heart condition. But beyond that, sharing the ring with one of my dearest friends filled me with genuine joy. In that moment, there was no one else I could have imagined sharing my excitement with, especially since we’d decided to wait until later to tell my Gram in person.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe he chose a round diamond! It means eternal love, unity, and perfection.” Her eyes glistened at the sight of Julian’s choice. “When is the wedding?” Her eyes lit up with anticipation.

“You know, we haven’t honestly talked about it yet. I don’t think either one of us is in a rush. And I haven’t even told you that Amanda wants me to finish an MBA in 10 months. So, definitely not before that.” I still needed to finish my application for the program.

She rolled her eyes. “Wow, Amanda is really throwing some challenges your way. What’s her game with this?”

I had to admit, my boss certainly knew how to keep things interesting. It was part of Amanda’s allure.

“We all know she likes you a lot,” Sophie notes. “She likes Julian, too. After all, he’s added value to her empire.” She pouted slightly as we waited for our hot drinks to arrive. “It might not be anything malicious, but at times it really feels like they’re competing over you—two megalomaniac magnates with colossal egos. I know I’m being blunt, especially since you’re marrying one of them, but you already recognize that Julian is the T. rex of real estate.”

Did Julian have the reputation of being ruthless in business? “What makes you say that Sophie?” By this point, she understood his real estate strategies far better than I did.

“Well, for one, he controls a huge portion of the investor market, uses the most aggressive strategy anyone’s ever seen, and his mere presence has the power to intimidate even the most seasoned agents,” she listed, outlining his strengths.

“I suppose that’s a fair summary.” Still, in my humble view, Julian was mostly just a punk still trying to figure out how to grow up. I didn’t know him from this side, though, except for the way his decisions seemed to turn into money almost overnight.

“And let’s be real,” Sophie continued. “Amanda’s ultimate goal in life is to be more famous than Oprah Winfrey. That’s not going to happen, by the way. It’s only natural that the two of them both want the majority of your time.”

I cackled. “I get your point. It’s just that I have an interest in what Amanda has to offer.” I didn’t like the idea of starting over, not if I could grow with my current position. I was now preparing to tell her the rest.

“Yeah,” Sophie winced. “But can we at least start wedding planning?” She eagerly jumped into the preparations.

I didn’t have a mom or a sister, so having her help meant a lot. “Yes. First things first. Will you be my maid of honor?” I’d need to have two at a minimum since Valentina had reserved that spot years ago. I was also quite certain that she’d be the one designing our bridesmaid dresses.

“Absolutely,” she beamed. “What color theme are you thinking for the ceremony?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “No idea. We want to do something small and private. Neither one of us has too many family members to invite.” I briefly remembered the text from my dad. Should I let him know that I got engaged? He’d find out eventually from the news anyway. Whether we would invite him was doubtful.

“Julian and I want to tell my Gram in person, so we are not telling the media as of now. Not until he comes back from Dubai.” The least we could do is announce it while coming for a visit. That way Gram could feel special.

Meanwhile, I knew I could trust Sophie to keep our secret, and that was just one of the many reasons I felt so close to her. She never had a hidden agenda; her genuine kindness meant she was always focused on the happiness of those around her. Perhaps her guilt over her father’s wealth and her privileged life fueled her desire to be a source of light for others.

“Makes sense,” she eyed me curiosity. “Now what’s the thing you wanted to talk about today?”

“How do you know there’s more?”

She narrowed her gaze. “I can tell by your demeanor. You’re nervous about something, and it’s not the fact you’re getting married. And it’s not the MBA either.”

“Amanda is selling her business.” I blurted out. “The whole Hart Media , which is an umbrella company of several brands that she’d founded.”

She gasped in shock. This was the dramatic reaction I’d been expecting. “To who? Another private person?” She guessed next.

“Not quite. She’s going public with the company. The timeline for the whole IPO is a little less than a year from now.”

Sophie crossed her arms with an air of concern. “So, there’s going to be restructuring, and maybe new management. Are you thinking of finding a new job? I am sorry, Lucie.” She frowned. “You’re definitely going through a ton of changes lately. Good and bad.” She winked. “Mostly good.”

I shook my head. “It gets weirder than that.”

Her eyes widened. “Okay?”

“She’s wanting to maintain ownership of all A-shares, with the exception of making an offer to me, to buy a portion of these. The investment company requires that any executive officer owns at least twenty percent. Amanda is hoping she can remain the face of the company but have someone else, perhaps myself, be there daily.”

I had her full attention now. “Lucie, where does Amanda think you’ll get the funds? She knows better than to expect these to come from Julian.” She sounded somewhat dismissive.

“I honestly don’t think she knows how I could come up with the finances for it. I’m pretty sure she’d discourage me from asking him, though.” Amanda could be considered somewhat of a feminist. She would never ask a man for money. “But she is concerned that if she leaves Apogee , the business will change for the worse. Jayden, her son, doesn’t want to take it over.”

“Julian is going to be your husband. It wouldn’t be out of line to have him invest with you.” She reminded me. “Lucie, I grew up in a wealthy family. Thanks to my dad’s influence, I am now growing a six-figure real estate business. Do you think I’d be a top producer in my brokerage without it? Within two months? Life is about taking advantage of your unfair advantage.” She said with a conviction.

“I know what you mean, but this is different.”

“How so?” She puckered her eyebrows. “You’re used to struggle? You haven’t exactly been dealt the best cards. Maybe the universe is trying to give back some karma, by making sure your hubby is able to help you achieve your goals.” She was now referring to the fact that I lost my mom early on, and that my father was an egoistic self-absorbed man.

It was a sweet thought, and perhaps she even had a point. “Because it’s everything I’ve ever wanted. To be an executive at a large publishing business. But if I take money from him to get there, it’s never going to feel like an accomplishment.”

She shook her head vigorously. “Realistically, how could you obtain money to buy into a billion-dollar business.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s around $13 million. Twenty percent of A shares.”

She frowned. “You know, the other day I had the flu, so I was watching Land Before Time . Not the original movie, the kids’ series on YouTube.

I wasn’t sure where she was going with this, but I was curious and eager to hear the story she was about to share.

“I clicked on it out of pure nostalgia. It was sort of silly.”

Now it made sense how she’d come up with the T. rex analogy earlier. “I love the original movie but never saw the series.” I chuckled.

“Well, you know Littlefoot, right? He had to prove he could be a leader by crossing a volcano river. He thought he was about to fail the test because he couldn’t find a safe way across. But his grandfather reassured him that he had actually passed since the challenge was impossible otherwise, and surviving was the real achievement. This situation feels similar. Amanda is setting you up for disappointment. She knows you can’t get the money without asking the one person you really don’t want to approach.”

“I think Amanda believes I have a shot at it, Sophie.” I objected. “She’s beyond ambitious in her own life.”

“Maybe, if you’d be willing to monetize your relationship.”

I sighed. “I know this may sound impossible, but I am not entirely giving up on hope to make the money myself. And if it doesn’t work out, I assume Amanda will retain ownership of all A-shares, and perhaps still give me a position equal to the one I have now.” I knew the vision of myself owning a publishing business would nibble at me, though. Furthermore, Julian’s life goals had a way of spreading inspiration. Maybe a part of me wanted to show that I could rise to his level.

“There is something else?” She sent me a look of disbelief.

I was starting to worry that this was too much news in one day for her. I could never forgive myself if I was the reason why she fell ill with her heart problems.

“It’s really a minor issue—probably not worth mentioning. How about we grab some ice cream afterward and take a stroll in Balboa Park?” I suggested, shifting the topic.

The waitress finally brought out my strong coffee. It would help with the headache from having too many celebratory drinks.

“Your coffee could keep an elephant awake for days,” Sophie remarked as she watched me swirl my six-shot espresso.

“We pulled an all-nighter yesterday. After our engagement, we headed to a skatepark,” I explained, detailing our shenanigans. “Julian and I just felt like blowing off some steam, you know.” I wide grin spread across my face.

“Skatepark?” She raised her eyebrow. “Julian’s always in a suit, and I’ve never realized he had an edge to him. That’s hot.”

“Yeah, we both used to skateboard when we were younger.” I volunteered. “We wanted to do something memorable together. He’s way better than I am, though, at skating.”

“Wow, Lucie. I am impressed! You’re marrying a skater boy.” She began chanting the lyrics of the old Avril Lavigne song. We were that generation that grew up singing it.

“Overall, I had only two hours of sleep. I didn’t want to cancel on you last minute.” I shot her an amused glance.

“Next time you should. Lack of sleep really changes my mood. I get overwhelmed easily, and I am sure it’s the same for everyone else.”

“I am really glad I am here with you,” I mustered a convincing smile. Talking to Sophie always brought me a sense of comfort.

“Lucie, my heart can handle it.” She assured me. “Whatever it is. Spill the beans.”

“It’s not such a big deal.” The beautiful ring sparkled on my finger, a tangible reminder that it wasn’t all just in my head. I didn’t want to devote more significance to James than he deserved.

“So?” She needled me.

I exhaled sharply. “If you insist.”

“I insist. Don’t treat me like I am made of porcelain. I am a big girl.” She urged, one last time.

I took a sharp breath. “Do you remember my ex, James? I might have mentioned him when I first moved to San Diego.”

“Of course, I do, he made you miserable. For a while you had heartbreak written all over your face.”

She’d always been observant, though she didn’t need to be in this case. Indeed, I was an open book back in those days, my misery dripping from the lonely energy I gave off. My break-up with James had been the most excruciating experience of my life, aside from losing my mom. At one point, he’d given me a sense of security, so when it slipped away, I had to figure out my life anew. In a new city, with no friends or family. It was then that Nathan convinced me to date online.

“He quit drinking. He got accepted into Juilliard, to play the piano. That was the last I heard of him until a podcast this week.”

She shot me a puzzling look. “Podcast?”

“James is in a piano band that’s going viral. They got a major record deal and they’re touring.” I explained.

“But you’re not in love with him anymore, are you?” She looked confused, if not frustrated that James had made an appearance in my life at a time when I’d healed. “They always come back, Lucie. The ex who holds onto the illusion that they can still have a slice of the pie, even though they burnt down the table.”

She was witty when she wanted to be. This itself was a hefty question. I believed that once we loved someone deeply, it wasn’t possible to ever entirely let go. But I loved him from a different perspective. I rooted for his success but had no interest in rekindling our connection to a romantic one. “Sophie, I’ve never been surer about anything in my life that Julian is the one.” I settled her doubt. “We have history, though, and I don’t think that this goes away. James knows me perhaps in ways that not even Julian does. I worry that what he feels is genuine.”

Sophie looked like she wasn’t liking any of it. “You’re marrying the love of your life. Why waste time on this? He’ll get the message eventually.”

“James told a reporter that his music draws largely inspiration from a relationship gone wrong. Right now, mainstream media is trying to find the woman from his lyrics. Apparently, there are tags on Instagram dedicated to ‘this’ mystery girl. We went to college together, so it’s not going to be that hard to trace our relationship.”

She didn’t need any more information to grasp it all in full. “Shoot, you’re worried they’ll exploit it in the news? Those aren’t the kind of headlines that Julian will want. He’ll kick his ass if he finds out.” She giggled.

“Because of that, I want your opinion. Do you think talking to James is the best way to handle this? I feel like having a conversation with him might resolve things.”

“Does Julian know at all this is happening?” It seemed like she already knew the answer.

“I haven’t told him because I don’t want it to escalate,” I replied, knowing how quickly Julian could make things more complicated if he got involved.

“You know, I think we should take that walk and get ice cream—preferably chocolate,” she suggested, furrowing her brows. “In the meantime, I’ll be your therapist for this situation. I’ll validate your feelings and ask the right questions to help you figure out what you really want. But don’t expect me to give you the next steps, because right now, it doesn’t feel like the right time.”

I laughed. “Oh, Sophie, stop it. You know you already have an opinion you’re dying to share.”

She grinned mischievously. “Of course, I do, but I’m practicing patience. You need to work through this yourself first.” She nudged me lightly. “But just so you know, whatever you decide, I’ve got your back.”

I smiled, feeling a bit of weight lift off my shoulders. “Thanks, Soph. It means more than you know.” With that, we walked out the door, ice cream and answers waiting just around the corner.

Julian left for Dubai that same afternoon, leaving me with our entire three-story apartment to myself. After returning from brunch with Sophie, I decided to indulge in a hot bath, followed by a few episodes of Emily in Paris . The lack of sleep had me feeling utterly drained, but I still buzzed with a kind of exhilaration that came with being newly engaged. I fiddled with my engagement ring, feeling as if I had a trillion dollars on my hand. The diamond was big enough to discourage any suitor from miles away. Still, I would try to make the phone call that I dreaded. In the end, Sophie and I universally agreed that a chat couldn’t worsen the situation.

So, I dialed the old number of James Stone. My stomach felt like a bolder, because he could pick up any minute, and I really wasn’t sure what he’d say to me.

“Hey,” an unfamiliar voice answered.

“It’s Lucie, I blurted. Is this James’ number?”

An annoyed voice answered. “Look, you’re not the first one asking for someone with that name. But I am Derril in Whitefish, Montana. There’s no James here.” The line dropped. I became almost certain that James had to change his number now that he’d become a celebrity. I’d invested all this time in trying to plan this call, yet completely failed. Fully determined to reach him somehow, I grabbed my laptop. His email address was still saved there, and even though it felt like a long shot, it was a step in the same direction I’d planned. I created a blank email, then pondered the words I’d use.

James, I couldn’t reach you at your old number. I caught the interview on Soundwaves, and it’s created quite a stir.

I deleted the second part of the sentence.

I can’t shake the feeling that a lot of people are curious about who the mystery girl is. I can’t help but wonder if you’re talking about me. I’m in love with Julian, and since he’s such a public figure, this could really get complicated.

I couldn’t tell him about the engagement. Not yet.

I hit send, then fell into the sheets, exhausted. Drifting away to sleep, I’d forget problems for a while. I’d forget the part of me that ached for Julian to be home, to feel him next to me when I was emotionally spent. I hoped I’d see him in my dream, but instead, it was, unfortunately, a dreamless afternoon.

I woke up feeling like a new person, even though it was already dark outside. It had to be around 7 o’clock in the evening. Nevertheless, I decided to make myself a weak coffee, with the plan to get to work for at least a few hours. Even though I worked in corporate, I had recently adopted an entrepreneurial schedule. It wasn’t so much out of necessity as it was because I was genuinely passionate about what I was doing for a living.

I scrolled through my phone, looking for any important messages, when I saw that Rose had checked in to see if I needed anything. She was the caring, now elderly woman who had helped Julian rise to success, then returned to his life after he’d made it big to work for him. But beyond her accomplishments, it was Rose’s warmth, wisdom, and unwavering support that truly made her special to me. I admired her more than words could express—her ability to balance strength with kindness, her unspoken love for Julian, and the way she always made me feel like family. Rose wasn’t just a mentor to him; she had become a guiding presence in my life too, making it much easier to navigate the complexities of Julian’s world with her by my side.

I replied to her shortly, assuring her I’d be fine for the time being but would come visit soon. She always offered to cook for me and spoil me with homemade dinners, but the last thing I wanted to do was eat them alone. Whenever Julian was away, my diet turned into a sushi marathon—the one food that disgusted him. I had to find a silver lining in the distance between us; otherwise, I would have temporarily lost my mind.

I continued scrolling through my messages, but my heart raced when I saw that James had already replied. Just seeing his name in the subject line sent a rush of dark emotions flooding back. Almost overwhelmed with fear, I clicked open the new message.

Dear Lucie,

First and foremost, I hope you’re doing well. It brings me joy to see you happy. It was never my intention to draw any attention to you. I’ll handle the mystery girl situation in a way that won’t affect you anymore. You have my strongest promise on that.

Few things I want to tell you—I still feel awful about the things that happened between us. It really sank in when I sobered up.

Remember the night of our worst argument? I was so desperate to prove to you that you were wrong. I felt too proud to admit that I’d become an addict, that I’d destroyed everything we’d built over the years. I was angry at myself, and that anger came out in ways that hurt you. To my despair, I lost the greatest girl alive.

About Andrea—I know this may not matter now, but we never slept together. It’s for some reason important to me that you know this. If it ever seemed that way, it’s because she was a crutch for me at one point. She helped me escape the feeling of worthlessness. I tried to like her. Deep down, I knew that the sooner we cut our losses, the easier it would be for both of us. She’s also helped herself to my phone on numerous occasions, which, unfortunately, probably hurt you further. But I deserved all that. You didn’t deserve to be in the middle of that.

I’m always going to put you first moving forward. The old me would want to get you back and beg you on my knees to give us a chance. I am not going to do that, though. I’ve seen the pictures of you and him, and I can’t un-see that you’ve found something deep with someone else but me. It would be selfish of me to insert myself into that.

Congratulations on your success in the publishing industry. I truly believe that our breakup led you to where you needed to be, and I hold that close to my heart. I’ll never forget you, and once in a while, my music will celebrate that. I’ve gotten on top of the world because of you. Take care of yourself. I’ll be here if you ever need me.

Love, James

By the time I was through, I began to feel immense relief at his response. He’d fix this awkward situation, with no further worry that the media would turn it into a frenzy. And it seemed that I’d been wrong with my assumptions about us in general.

He hadn’t slept with Andrea in the end? I wouldn’t wait long to respond, wanting to acknowledge his resolution. Thank you, James. Apology accepted. I’m happy for all your success in life. Thanks for taking care of this. I hit send, feeling no need for anything more. I had no intention of prolonging the conversation. Doing anything behind Julian’s back made me feel consumed with guilt, even if it was just damage control.

What I really needed to do now was dive into Pinterest for some ideas for my special day. Or Sophie would soon remind me that I was slacking off on the planning. I wasn’t a “girly girl” like her, but I would hold these preparations close to my heart. Getting married was a huge step, one I hoped to take only once in my lifetime.

Miss you already , I typed quickly to Julian, fully aware that he was probably unreachable, somewhere over the Arabian Sea.

I rolled over in our bed, deciding to slow down instead of sticking to my original plan of pushing through. Self-care was important sometimes. I’d been running on empty, and maybe today was the day I didn’t force myself to keep working. I placed an indulgent order on UberEats using Amanda’s corporate card, confident she wouldn’t mind—especially with all the overtime I’d been putting in. Then, I hit play on another episode of Emily in Paris . It made the apartment feel less empty, and at least there was a girl on screen dealing with more relationship drama than I had. While I clearly liked Alphie, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Raphael was the intense, karmic connection that just wouldn’t let go of Emily’s heart.

Maybe this was the balance I needed—a day where the world didn’t demand my attention and I didn’t demand perfection from myself.