Julian’s Stand-In Wife

Those were indeed Julian’s exact words.

He was so frustrated, he couldn’t even reply.

After a while, he snapped, “Are you done?”

“No!” Diana took a deep breath. “You’re right. You were basically raising children while not knowing a thing about them. You’ve never experienced the pain and heartache of giving birth. How could you be anything but a happy and ignorant father?”

“Watch your words, Diana!”

The way Diana said it made it sound like he had been cheated on, and had raised children that weren’t his.

Now that it was confirmed that the two children were his flesh and blood, her words made him uncomfortable.

Julian crouched, annoyed. “The children are still here. Could your temper be any worse? It’d be great if you scared them all away. You’d be happy, wouldn’t you?”

This man never had any kind words for her. Diana was hurt by his accusations, but dared not speak loudly again.

“I’m more upset about Betty’s condition than you are,” she said. “Regardless, you have no right to criticize me.”

Julian sneered. “Everything you say is unacceptable, as always. I don’t know where you got such a temper.”

was always

they always argue whenever

truth, it was because he never really listened to what she was saying. He

but he couldn’t see

just didn’t want

that they had nothing between them except

or wronged

Sean felt uneasy. He held his sister’s hand tightly

he could call Julian “Daddy” with ease. Now, he couldn’t

Julian had come to

him expectantly. “What did you want to call me,

said. The word “Daddy” seemed to be stuck

it now, just wait

much gentler with Sean

spoke. “Let’s take our time. Daddy was wrong before. Daddy delayed coming here and picking you and your sister up. Daddy made you

said sounded like he was scolding Diana; as if she, as their mother, didn’t do enough and made the children suffer. He was saying that the children would only

Julian really meant it.

him, Diana’s emotional life was a mess. She had complicated relationships with Oliver, Simon, and many other men—it wasn’t conducive to