Chapter 6

"Well, what have we here?" Ivy Winthrop Crane smirked as she viewed the scene before her."Another one of your whores, Julian? I must say, you do like variety, don't you?" She laughed at him, enjoying the growing rage on his face." You're better than an UN ambassador."
 

"Just what the HELL are you doing here in Harmony, and in MY house??" Julian seethed, clutching Eve to him. "You deceitful wench, how dare you insult Eve." He looked at Eve, her eyes bright with anger."I demand to know what the hell are you doing here!"

Ivy ignored the question, her gaze focused on Eve."So you actually know her name? That's such a refreshing change from the sluts you usually consort with," she shrugged.

"You have just one more time to insult me, and I'll slap you into next week!" Eve hissed, her eyes narrowed. " I don't know or care who you are!"

"And feisty, too, Julian! I bet she's a great roll in the hay, not that you deserve one." Ivy shot back. "Look, you little nothing, I want to speak to MY ex-louse of a husband ALONE if you don't mind. We have some unfinished business, he and I." She backed up as Eve advanced on her, fists clenched. "Touch me, and I'll sue so so fast your head will spin!"

Julian stepped in front of Eve, glaring down at Ivy."She's not worth it, my dear. I'll handle this." He could hear Eve's angry breathing just behind him, and he grew even more furious. "Now who let you in, and WHY are you here? We finished our business long ago, you lying bitch."

"Oh, one of your maids, or should I say concubines? I just told the girl that I was your wife, and she was nice enough to let me in--you have such good help," Ivy purred, enjoying his fury.

"What are you here for? I do not desire any further dealings with you, you harpy from Hades," he said through clenched teeth. "You are not getting anything else from me--you made me a fool for over 20 years, letting me believe Ethan was my son. Sleeping with
Sam Bennett on our wedding night!"

"Water under the bridge Julian dear, get over it! I'm here because you are still holding out on my alimony, ex-husband mine--two years later, not a cent! After serving my sentence as your wife all those years, I deserve it!"

"Considering that we lived a lie all of those years, I don't owe you a damned penny, my pet. I refuse to reimburse you for years of torment at your hands--didn't Father give you three million dollars to stay married to me? Put it in your personal account, as I recall. That is plenty to live on, and if it isn't--you can always go stay with that police chief you crave so much." Julian hissed, enjoying the look of shock on Ivy's cold but beautiful features.

"How the HELL did you know about that money?" Ivy gasped.

"I'm a CRANE--you would do well to remember that. Now OUT of my house, before I throw you out!" Julian took Ivy by the arm and marched her to the foyer, Eve following, a shaken look on her face.

"Oh, I'll leave for now, Julian DEAR....but I will not let this rest until you pay up. And as for you, Eve--"

"Dr. Johnson to you!" Eve snapped, her eyes blazing sparks at the other woman.

"Dr. Johnson....whatever and whomever you are, don't cross me--you don't know who you are dealing with. I can make your life a living hell," Ivy warned, an evil glint in her eyes.

"A skill you have practically made an art form," Julian said as he pushed Ivy out the door and locked it. He then turned to Eve, who was trembling with with silent fury." My darling, I am so sorry, she was the last person I expected to see. This will not happen again, I will make certain the staff knows never to let her in." He tried to take Eve in his arms, but she stepped back, shaking her head." Eve, what is the matter?"

She looked down."She thought I was your whore, Julian," she said softly, her eyes tearing." What hurts the most is that for a time...I was."

"No you weren't--we loved one another, please do not refer to yourself that way," Julian pleaded. "We were in love, there is nothing wrong with that."

"Were we?" she asked. Julian looked stung by her question. "You never told me you loved me, you only wanted me to be your 'companion' while you were married to her." She looked away. "You wanted the Crane fortune and you knew your father would not make you heir unless you married her, not me."

"I never loved that woman--the marriage was never like that. I regret that I chose that path, Eve--I have regretted it every day since. I didn't realized how much I loved you until I had lost you." Julian came closer, his heart aching at the pain on her face. "Please forgive me, my darling." He gazed down at her, marveling anew at how she was still as breathtaking as the day he first laid eyes upon her. The years had only served to enhance her beauty. Now her lovely face was sad, and he was fully to blame.

"No, Julian...too much has happened, and I won't revisit the past. I spent this time putting my energies into a new life for myself, and you have no part in that new life," she informed him, though a tiny part of her still did want him with her, even though she hated to admit that to herself. Julian must not know about the secret that she had carried since she left his life--she couldn't even bear to think about it in his presence. No one would ever know.

The look on his face was almost too much for her to bear. "Julian, the past is the past. No one in Harmony knows my past with you, and I want it kept that way."
 

"I would never want to hurt you, my dear Eve," he told her, his heart in his eyes. "No one will know about our past from me, I swear it." He tried once more to draw her into his arms, but she backed away again. He had hurt her too badly, and Julian vowed to himself to win her heart back.

Eve looked at him, a yearning for him that she couldn't repress taking hold of her momentarily. If he only knew what had happened to her, he'd never leave her alone.
 

Outside the Crane mansion, Ivy seethed at being thrown out by Julian. "I'll find a way to loosen the Crane coffers...and maybe that harlot Dr. Johnson will help me. She and Julian seemed much too cozy--she's got a story to tell, I'm sure of it," she smiled nastily at she walked down the stairs.