“Sebastian is going to be ten, and Stella is turning eight,” Juliette says, her eyes beaming with pride.

“They still in love with Lucky?” he asks, and I know that I have to get away from this. But my feet stop me from moving.

“Yes, they talked Scott and me into another one, so we have two dogs,” Juliette says, and I stand here and just smile.

“If you guys will excuse me.” I finally get my voice. “I’m going to find another glass of champagne.” I look at Mark, and my heart speeds up. “Stay here.” I pretend everything is okay.

“I’ll be right here,” he says, assuring me, and I turn to walk away, hoping that the crowd swallows me up. I walk out of the ballroom, and I turn to go to the side and find a hallway with another room that looks like a sitting room with couches all around the room, but it’s empty. I walk to the roaring fireplace and put my hand on my stomach, trying to blink away the tears that are stinging to come out.

I breathe in and out and close my eyes. I don’t hear anyone else walk into the room until I hear the two words I erased from my memory ten years ago. “Mon amour.”

Chapter Thirty

Mark

I watch her walk away, but instead of going to the bar, she turns and walks out of the ballroom.

“I think I’m going to grab a drink myself,” Scott says and then turns to Juliette. “Do you want anything?”

“A white wine would be lovely,” she says, smiling, and then I look at Juliette as she continues to talk about their kids, and when I look back, I see that Scott has also walked out of the ballroom. I don’t know what it is, but the minute she turned around, I felt her whole body go tense, and I saw her hands shake just a touch. I don’t even think she knew she was shaking.

“Excuse me,” I tell Juliette. “I’m going to go find Vivienne.”

She just smiles at me, and I walk out of the ballroom, seeing guests lingering everywhere. I walk to the side and see a small hallway, and I’m not sure what I expect to find, but my heart races so fast it sounds like roaring in my ears. I get close enough to hear her voice. “Don’t call me that ever again, and don’t fucking touch me.”

I get to the doorway, and she is standing there with her back to the fire. Scott is in front of her, and he has his hands on her arms, on her bare arms. “Mon amour, please.”