Jared was sleeping when Jin and Julianne left the Adams Mansion. Julianne sent a text message to Adrienne, apologizing for everything and then asked her to take care of Jared for another day.
They drove the first ten minutes in complete silence. She had a lot of questions she wanted to ask him. But she didn’t know how or where to begin.
She felt him reach out for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Are you sure you’re alright, love?” he asked.
“No. I’m not sure,” she replied. Then she sighed and asked, “You knew?”
He glanced at her and gave her a gentle smile.
“About Jared? Of course, I knew,” he replied. “I had been waiting a long time for you to tell me yourself. But today, I couldn’t hold it back anymore.”
“How long have you known?”
“That same night I met you again in Paris, at my mother’s party,” he replied.
“I couldn’t destroy it,” Jin said behind Julianne. “After what happened between us there, I just couldn’t bear the thought of breaking it down.”She turned around to face him. His eyes looked teary as well.“Like you, The Arabella belongs here,” he whispered.Julianne stared at the familiar glasshouse that used to sit in the gardens of White Rock Hotel.She couldn’t find the words. She turned around and threw herself in Jin’s arms. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace.“Why?” she asked looking up at him. “Why are you doing this?”“Is it not obvious?” he asked back. “I’m making it easier for you to have a life with me. This is going to be our home here in Chicago. I want you and Jared to be here. And if you will allow it, I would like to live here with you.”“Why? Why me?”He took her hand in
Jin lay on the rug in front of the fireplace, dressed only in his boxers. He was waiting for Julianne to come out from the shower.He stared at the ceiling with a big smile on his place.It’s over, Jin. Your dark days are finally over.He didn’t know what happened to him these past years. It was like he was living in a limbo. He owned his body but somebody else was driving it, controlling his thoughts and his actions.He’d been rude, ruthless, relentless. True, he’d been very good in business. Starck Corp. had made a lot of money since he took the reign from his father. But now, he realized what’s been missing in the way he ran business. It had all been logic, math and probabilities. It lacked heart. And in the hospitality business, you have to have plenty of heart.He realized that he didn’t have to be the rude, brutal man he was. His heart was no longer broken and he had nothing to be mad about anymore
The next day, Jin drove Julianne to work. Then he went to one of their hotel properties to do some work and to call his parents.He remembered the last day he was in Paris. He just came back from speaking to Arthur Bernard and Vanessa. He finally told them that the deal was off. He could not marry Vanessa. Both father and daughter were beyond upset. Vanessa wailed like little child whose favorite toy was taken away from her. Arthur shouted all sorts of profanity against him, vowing to kick him out of Round Ten.“Is she worth it?” Vanessa asked him, her smudged mascara and foundation left black lines from her eyes to her chin. At that point, it was hard to take her seriously.Suddenly, Jin realized he had never seen Vanessa without thick makeup. He wondered if he would recognize her at all without the powder foundation, fake lashes and ruby red lips.“Excuse me?” he asked.“Julianne Sanders,” Vanessa said. “
That afternoon, Jin walked with Julianne towards the gazebo in the Adams Mansion.“Are you ready?” he asked Julianne.She looked up at him. “Are you?”He caressed his jaw with his fingers. “Yeah, I think I can take a few more punches. As long as you take care of me tonight.” He winked at her naughtily.She laughed. “I don’t think Justin will beat you up in front of Adrienne.”“Even if he does, I don’t care. Right now, I’m the King of the World! I have everything I ever wanted.”They reached the gazebo where Justin and Adrienne were, drinking wine. Justin had his arms around his wife, and he was whispering something in her ear that made Adrienne laugh and blush to the roots of her hair.Jin cleared his throat so they would notice them standing in front of them.“Oh my God! Jin! Ian!” Adrienne exclaimed in surprise.Jin saw tears in A
Julianne entered the lavish ballroom of Jardin Estates, one of the hotels owned by Starck Corp. in Paris. Jin’s mother had another bestselling book and as part of tradition, she threw a party to celebrate it. It was also a chance for the Starck Family to get together with family, friends and business partners.It had been one week since she and Jared had arrived in Paris. Although she had met Jin’s parents before, it was a different meeting this time around. Julianne could still remember how Arianna Starck rushed to greet them and how hard she cried when she hugged Jared.“My baby. Do you know who I am?” she tearfully asked Jared.“Yes. You’re Jeffie’s grandmother,” Jared replied.“Yes. But do you know that I am your grandmother too,” Arianna said.“Really?”“Yes. Because I’m your father’s mommy. You can call me grand-mère.”Jared sm
Julianne Arabella Sanders walked the streets of the city she loved the most—Paris. Her family owned a glass factory here and her father often came. Sometimes, he took them with him. And every time she went, she would fall in love with the city over and over again. But this particular visit to Paris was special. This time she was all by herself. She was free to be who she wanted to be and do whatever she wanted. She only had two weeks left of life as she knew it. She could have an adventure, assume a different identity, make mistakes, fall in love and make her dreams come true. But once her time was up, she would no longer be free to decide her own fate. She would pledge all her days, all her tomorrows—her present and her future—to a man she had only met twice, and didn’t really like. She would follow her stupid family tradition of arranged marriages and be miserable for all eternity. She tried to fight her fate, but her father had always
Get out of my face!” Edward Sanders bellowed. His voice vibrated in every corner of the tea room where he sat with his wife, his son and his daughter. “Get out of our lives! Consider yourself banished! You cannot expect any form of financial support from this family from now on!” “Dad!” Julianne heard her twin brother plead. “That is too harsh a punishment! She made a mistake but she’s still my sister, she’s still your daughter! And the baby she is carrying in her tummy is every bit our flesh and blood! Do you really want your grandchild to grow up without a family?” “What difference does it make? It will grow up without a father, right? Its poor excuse of a father chose for him to become a bastard! And its mother chose to smear this family’s name! Generations of good reputation, wealth and grace… gone because of your sister’s indiscretion!” “I know she caused you grief. But I guarantee you it would break your heart even more if you choose to banish her
Tu es ravissante… J'adore… Je chériraice moment pour toujours… Restez avec moi… Julianne sat up from bed, waking up from a deep sleep. She looked at her bedside clock. It was only four in the morning. She reached out for her ankle, to rub the tattoo that was permanently etched there. Seven years ago, in a small studio apartment in Paris, she was sneaking out quietly, trying her best not to wake him up so he couldn’t stop her from leaving… so she could let go of this fantasy life and face the nightmares that were waiting for her at home. She thought she would forget him—the only man she’s ever been in love with. Jas Mathieu. But even now, he still haunted her dreams. And oftentimes, in the middle of the night, she would lie in bed, thinking about him. She wanted to fall in love. She did. And he was perfect. An aspiring painter waiting for his time to shine. He