Page 42 of Julian's Curse

“Enough about her, though,” Sophie switched subjects. “Thanks for liking my post about the listing, I can’t believe I got it!”

“Babe, I am so proud of you for getting all the stunning listings you advertise on your business page.” I liked that our conversation was going in a cheerful direction again.

She beamed at that. “Let me just say, my sphere of influence has come through. The other day, my old kindergarten friend hired me as his agent to buy a house—haven’t even spoken to him in decades!”

I laughed. “People remember you, Sophie, because you’re kind to them.”

She grinned, shaking her head. “Well, not exactly…This client of mine used to have a huge crush on me and chased me around school with a compass.”

I couldn’t help but smile—only Sophie could take a story like that and still manage to lift my spirits.

But enough about my reminiscing,” she shifted her tone. “What’s really going on, Lu? Dad says Julian’s been out of town for two weeks now.” Her gaze narrowed, and I couldn’t help but notice how much she’d changed. Sophie, with her bright blonde hair that always framed her face so perfectly, had become more than just the girl I’d known for years. Her features were still soft, her round cheeks giving her a warmth that made her instantly approachable, but there was a new sharpness in her eyes now—something different. A quiet confidence, almost likeshe’d stepped into herself fully, and it had nothing to do with the way she looked. Mark had definitely had an effect on her. I could see it in the way she carried herself—stronger, a little more grounded, even if she still had that spark of mischief in her smile. Real estate had done its part too, molding her into someone who could handle anything that came her way.

I inhaled sharply, and the sensation only reminded me how oddly different my breath felt—shallow like I was still struggling to fill my lungs. Could anxiety really do such a thing? I convinced myself then that the reason why my period was late was because of stress.

“Sophie, I am not sure if I am ready to talk about it…” She’d already managed to melt my iceberg resolution to keep my secret wraps, though.

“My opinion is that youneedto talk about it,” her voice remained steady and sure. “And I’m guessing the rift between you and Valentina came at the worst possible time. When you need a friend.” She analyzed the situation with precision.

I swallowed, then glanced at the pillow on my bed. “I can’t afford to get you upset, love.” She instantly knew what I was referring to.

Last year, I learned that she had an inherited heart condition called Long QT Syndrome, where her heart’s electrical system took longer to reset. This genetic condition was only diagnosed in adulthood, and although it could be managed with treatment, she still faced a constant risk to her life. Any intense emotion could trigger a seizure, cause her to faint, or even lead to cardiac arrest. It was a heavy burden to live like that, and would not contribute to any risks of hers.

She furrowed her brows. “Lucie, I’d rather live for 25 years and experience life like a normal person, than spend my whole life being constantly sheltered. Yes, there is a 1% chance I could die any moment, but that’s a 99% chance I won’t.”

I admired her bravery.

“Are you sure?” I also didn’t want to make her upset by not telling her the truth when she was asking for it.

“Yeah, I’ve never been surer.”

“Check underneath then.” I pointed at my pillow.

She sent a curious glance my way as if weighing my words, but then, without hesitation, she followed my instruction.

We were both now starting at the pink box of First Response.

“I don’t think it’s likely, but I have to take this today.” I murmured.

I was expecting her to put her palm over her mouth or at least give some dramatic reaction, the kind of over-the-top response I’d seen her give before. But instead, she just tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful, almost too calm for the gravity of what I’d just said.

“Julian’s in rehab, Sophie,” I continued. “I found out a few weeks ago that last year when we were apart, he started using coke to cope with his problems. He hasn’t been able to stop since.”

Her face softened, and without another word, she wrapped her arms around me. “I am sorry, Lucie. Now, this explains some of the erratic behavior that Dad described.”

I could tell she was searching for the right words, trying to find something that would smooth over the weight of what I’d just said. But this wasn’t just a small rift between lovers—it went deeper. Her dad worked for my billionaire boyfriend, and that detail only made everything more complicated. I’d essentially just told her that her father’s boss was an addict, and both knew the potential implications. I could almost see her mind racing, trying to reconcile everything, to make sense of the mess I had just thrown into her lap.

“Do you think you’re pregnant? Were you guys trying?”

I shook my head. “No, I’ve been taking my birth control pills regularly.”

“It could just be because you’re going through a lot. But did you skip any? Forget to take them?” She pressed. “It’s unlikely you would get pregnant if you are careful with those.”

I’d been pretty diligent about taking my pills, but then I remembered something—a moment that made my stomach drop. Julian and I had gotten food poisoning from eating at a street vendor. “I think it’s possible I threw them up once,” I said, my voice trailing off. “We went to that taco stand, and I got so sick after… I barely kept anything down for two days.” I hadn’t made the connection at the time.

“Do you know if this was the first week of the pack?”

I assumed she knew something about their efficacy that I didn’t. “Yeah, possibly, Sophie, why?”

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