Julian arrived at the house the next afternoon.
I was in the living room reviewing a document from Northstar.
The doorbell rang.
I looked through the glass panel.
He was standing outside without his suitcase.
I opened the door.
"Hello, Audrey."
"Hello."
"Can I come in?"
I stepped aside.
He walked into the living room.
He looked around as though he hadn't been there in weeks.
Perhaps he hadn't.
He sat on the sofa.
I remained in the chair opposite him.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he said:
"I've been thinking about everything."
I placed my document on the table.
"All right."
He looked at me.
"I know I hurt you."
I didn't answer.
"I know things with Camilla went too far."
I felt my stomach tighten.
He continued.
"I should never have allowed our relationship to become what it became."
I looked at him.
"Did you end it?"
He hesitated.
"Yes."
"When?"
"Recently."
I nodded.
I didn't ask for details.
I had learned that some answers only created more questions.
He leaned forward.
"I want to repair our marriage."
I looked at him.
"Why now?"
He frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"Why now, Julian?"
He looked away.
Then he said he had been afraid of losing me.
I waited.
He continued.
"I thought you would always be there."
I felt the words settle between us.
That was probably the most honest thing he had said in months.
He had thought I would always be there.
Not because he had treated me well.
Not because we had built something strong.
Because he believed I would keep accepting whatever he gave me.
I looked at him.
"You thought I would never leave."
He nodded slowly.
"I didn't think things would get this bad."
I looked toward the window.
"Neither did I."
He rubbed his hands together.
"Can we start again?"
I didn't answer immediately.
I thought about the anniversary celebration.
The ballroom.
The blue lights.
The champagne table.
The diamonds hanging from Camilla's ears.
I thought about the way he had spoken to me in front of his colleagues.
Then I thought about the years before that evening.
The unanswered questions.
The late nights.
The excuses.
I finally looked at him.
"Starting again would require honesty."
"I know."
"It would require respect."
"I know."
"And it would require you to accept that I cannot trust you simply because you ask me to."
He nodded.
"I understand."
I wasn't certain he did.
But I continued.
"The company investigation is separate. Whatever happens there will be decided by the board."
He looked disappointed.
"I was hoping you could help."
"I can't."
"Even after everything we've shared?"
I looked at him.
"Especially after everything we've shared."
He lowered his head.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he asked whether I had already decided to end our marriage.
I looked at my hands.
"I haven't made a final decision."
He seemed relieved.
"But I need time."
He nodded.
"I can give you that."
I wasn't sure he could.
Still, I didn't argue.
He stood and walked toward the fireplace.
There was an old photograph of us on the shelf.
We had taken it during our first year of marriage.
Julian was smiling.
I was laughing.
He picked it up.
"Do you remember this?"
"Yes."
"We were happy."
I looked at the photograph.
"We were."
He put it back.
Then he turned toward me.
"I don't want to lose that."
I felt sad.
Because I didn't want to lose it either.
But the photograph showed a moment.
It didn't show everything that came afterward.
Julian walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he said he would cooperate with the company's review.
I nodded.
"That's the right thing to do."
He opened the door.
Then paused.
"Audrey?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry I made you feel small."
I looked at him.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
It was the first time he had described the damage in a way that sounded like he understood it.
But I still needed to see whether his words would become actions.
"Goodbye, Julian."
He nodded.
Then he left.
I closed the door.
The house became quiet again.
I returned to the living room and picked up the document I had been reviewing.
I tried to concentrate.
But my eyes kept returning to the photograph.
I eventually turned it around.
Not because I hated the memory.
Because I needed to stop using it as proof that our marriage was still what it had once been.
The following morning, I met Malcolm at Aurelia.
He informed me that Julian had submitted additional documentation through the general counsel.
The accountant would examine it.
The board would then consider the final employment decision.
I listened carefully.
I asked that Julian receive a complete and fair opportunity to respond.
Malcolm agreed.
There was no reason to rush.
The truth would be enough.
Click here to continue reading: PART 19: The Board Reached Its Decision, and My Husband Finally Learned That Being Married to the Owner Did Not Make Him Untouchable
My Husband Wanted Me Gone Before the Biggest Announcement of His Career, But He Had No Idea Why I Had Come
Part 18 of 20
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