Chapter 24
Julianne gripped the steering wheel tightly as she slowly drove past Lexie Stacias’s modest house, her lips pressed into a thin line.
The events of the previous night still burned in her mind—Tony’s rejection, his flat refusal to marry her because Max Diatras had disapproved.
It wasn’t just humiliating; it was infuriating.
No one says no to me, she thought, her knuckles whitening as she tightened her grip.
She hadn’t meant to end up here. At least, that’s what she told herself.
But after Tony’s callous dismissal, she’d started putting pieces together.
That woman in the pink dress—Lexie—had been the center of attention at the party, and not just because of her ridiculous outfit.
Max’s interest in her had been unmistakable, and Julianne wasn’t blind to what that meant.
If Max wanted Lexie, she had power. Influence.
And if Julianne wanted to climb back into the circles that mattered, she needed to find a way to use that for her benefit.
As she drove past the house, a flicker of movement caught her eye.
She slowed, her curiosity piqued when she spotted George Thermopolis standing on the sidewalk, deep in conversation with a blonde woman in a short skirt and tacky, high heeled boots that a hooker would adore.
Julianne pulled over a few houses down, parking her car discreetly behind a row of shrubs.
What was George doing here? Her stomach tightened, suspicion curling through her.
She didn’t know him well—just that he was running for governor.
A politician. And politicians were always scheming, always working some angle.
But why show up in one of the city’s older, sleepier suburbs? And who was the blonde at his side?
She watched as George leaned toward the woman, his polished politician’s smile in place, but there was something calculating in his posture.
The blonde seemed tense, her body language defensive—crossed arms, shifting weight, and occasional wary glances toward Lexie’s house.
Julianne’s eyes narrowed as she tried to piece it together.
It has to be about Lexie. Why else would George be here?
And if that was the case, Julianne needed to know what, exactly, they were planning.
If George was sniffing around Lexie, it meant she was even more valuable than Julianne had realized.
Valuable enough to be part of a plan, or maybe even the key to one.
As George and the blonde shook hands, Julianne’s lips curled into a faint smile. She waited until they began walking toward their cars, keeping her head low. When they pulled away—George leading, the blonde following—Julianne started her engine and eased onto the street.
She followed them at a safe distance, her mind racing. She needed to find out whatever they were plotting. Lexie might be the key to more than just Max’s approval—she might just be Julianne’s ticket to finding another wealthy, powerful man. One who wouldn’t dare reject her.
But as she followed the cars, her smile faded. An unsettling thought crept into her mind. If Lexie could be used, she could also be removed. Power like Max’s didn’t come without risk, and women like Lexie didn’t just slip in and out of that world unscathed.
Julianne’s grip tightened on the wheel. Poor Lexie, she thought, though the sympathy was hollow. Whatever happened to her, Julianne would make sure she got what she needed. At any cost.