Beside him stood his wife, Amelia Brooks.
Amelia was seven months pregnant, her pale silk dress carefully chosen to hide the exhaustion that had become impossible to disguise in recent weeks. Cameras flashed as she forced polite smiles for photographers, though the weight of the evening already pressed heavily against her shoulders.
“You look tired,” Julian murmured beside her without turning his head.
“It’s been a long day,” Amelia replied quietly.
Julian’s smile stayed perfect for the cameras.
“Then try harder,” he whispered.
The words were soft enough that no one else heard them.
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