Charlotte stepped back with disdain, whispering to the person beside her, "That's her, the one who ruined Isabella de Valois's engagement, eloped with Ethan Hart, and then clung to Julian Sterling, driving a man out of the country. What a shameless person." Such remarks, though seemingly harmless, were the most hurtful, especially when echoed by those unaware of the truth. Rumors spread like wildfire. Lily, not wanting to cause a scene, tried to leave with Eleanor, but Eleanor refused to budge. She glared sharply at Charlotte and retorted, "The upright need not fear a crooked shadow. Everyone knows who really messed things up. After all, what goes around comes around, and those who do wrong will eventually face their karma!" Charlotte, infuriated and seeking revenge for her sister Isabella, glared at Lily and spat, "I think the karma is for you. Now you're probably left with nothing, failing to secure either Ethan Hart or Julian Sterling. Don't delude yourself into thinking you can
The air was tinged with the distinct scent of tobacco. The lampshade's intricate design cast a dim, amber light, accentuating his handsome features. His dark, lustrous eyes held a mesmerizing glint, causing her to instinctively recoil until there was nowhere left to retreat. The contrast between the black satin sheets and her fair, flushed skin created a striking visual impact. Seeing her tremble adorably, he smiled, his lips curling up as he whispered, "Don't be afraid of me, my dear." He gently pried her arms crossed over her chest, intertwining his fingers with hers. The sight before him made his eyes shimmer with desire. He leaned down, kissing her lips tenderly, murmuring, "Lily... Lily..." His strong, athletic body pressed down on her, leaving her unable to escape, blossoming under his touch. His kisses trailed lower, inch by inch, consuming her soul. She tensed, trembling uncontrollably, unable to resist his overwhelming strength. She closed her eyes in resignation, hiding he
It was all a dream, leaving no trace.Julian Sterling woke up abruptly, sweating despite the cold winter night. Looking at his disheveled state, he cursed himself. How could he, a grown man, have such a vivid, sensual dream? Was it just because it had been a while since he'd been with a woman?Embarrassed by his own thoughts, he noticed the moonlight streaming through the curtains, casting a silvery glow.The other side of the double bed was empty, amplifying his sense of emptiness. Unable to bear the gnawing void, he threw off the covers and took a cold shower. Despite the chill seeping into his bones, the burning sensation in his heart lingered.Awake in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, he went to his study. He reviewed the agenda for the next day's meeting and responded to emails from international partners. Finally feeling a bit tired, he leaned back in his chair, rubbing his nose. His gaze fell on a poster photo on the wall, and his usually sharp eyes softened. He sighed
On his way back to the family home, Julian drove with the car window half-open, letting the sharp, cold wind hit his face, helping him to think more clearly. He knew what his mother wanted to discuss and was already formulating his responses. Slowing down, he stopped at a chain flower shop and emerged with a bouquet of lilies, his mother's favorite. Placing them on the passenger seat, he continued his journey. After dinner, with his niece Olivia causing a ruckus, Catherine had to retire early to put her to bed. This left Julian alone with his mother in the living room, chatting intermittently. The bouquet of delicate and fragrant lilies sat in a white jade vase, a rare gesture of affection from Julian that his mother greatly appreciated. But despite her happiness, there were serious matters to discuss. Mrs. Sterling served Julian a bowl of lotus seed and lily sweet soup. He quietly sipped it, attentively listening for what was to come. Mrs. Sterling glanced at Julian and said, "I r
Julian spent another sleepless night, tossing and turning. It wasn't the family pressure that troubled him, but Lily Parker's attitude. No matter what he did, she firmly refused him. What else could he do? The next morning, he woke up early. As he descended the stairs, he heard Mrs. Thompson's voice, "Oh, my little treasure, don't cry, you're breaking my heart..." Listening closely, he heard soft sobs. Entering the dining room, he found his little niece Olivia crying. Frowning, he picked her up and kissed her, then asked Mrs. Thompson, "What happened?" Before Mrs. Thompson could answer, Olivia pouted, "Mommy lied, she said we'd go to the zoo, and now we're not!" Her childish voice was so endearing, her little braids bouncing as she spoke. How could anyone bear to see her upset? "Where's my sister-in-law?" Julian asked, gently wiping Olivia's tears. Mrs. Thompson explained, "With the New Year approaching, she was called early to the cultural troupe for a performance arrangement."
Julian Sterling, not wanting to drive himself while taking care of Olivia, had his driver take the car directly to Lily Parker's school, where she was already waiting at the gate. Julian, ever the gentleman, opened the car door for her. Without any fuss, Lily got into the back seat and was greeted by the sight of the little girl she had spoken to on the phone. Olivia was perched on Julian's lap, dressed in a bright red corduroy jacket with a bow tied at the collar, her little legs in black leather shoes swinging back and forth. Her face, as round as an egg, was adorned with eyes as big and bright as black grapes, unblinkingly fixed on Lily with curiosity. Lily was instantly charmed by this child who resembled a Barbie doll and reached out to pat her head, saying, "So you're Olivia? How old are you this year?" Olivia held up four chubby little fingers, leaning against her uncle's shoulder as she said sweetly, "Auntie, Olivia is four years old this year." The term 'auntie' made Lily
They didn't just visit the panda exhibit; they also went to the giraffe, hippo, and lion and tiger enclosures, covering the entire zoo. Before they knew it, the afternoon had arrived. Julian, feeling they had seen enough, held Olivia and glanced at his watch. He suggested to Lily, "How about we go for lunch? This little one was too fussy to eat breakfast this morning and must be starving by now." The day was blessed with bright sunshine, adding a touch of warmth to the cold winter day. The sunlight fell on Lily's face, casting a peachy glow on her fair complexion. Hesitant at first, she had planned to leave early, but seeing Olivia clinging to her hand, her heart softened, and she reluctantly nodded in agreement. Julian Sterling played his trump card with the child, confident that Lily Parker wouldn't refuse. And indeed, she didn't. Julian's eyes crinkled with a smile, the faint lines at their corners revealing his contentment. Today was probably the most relaxed he had felt in a l
Julian had never imagined that a phone call, unrelated to him, would ruin the positive image he had worked so hard to build, rendering all his efforts futile. He first took his niece back to the family compound, not in the mood to go to the office, and headed straight to his apartment. Perhaps due to the exhaustion of the day and lack of sleep the previous nights, as soon as he got home, he flopped onto his bed and soon fell asleep. In his sleep, he drifted in and out of dreams featuring Lily, himself, and some blurry, forgettable images. When he woke up in the evening, he ordered a takeaway pizza. While eating, he transferred the photos he had taken during the day from the memory card. He had taken over a hundred pictures, mostly of Olivia, but of course, there were some of them too. Suddenly, his gaze froze on one particular photo. He was holding Olivia in one arm, with Lily smiling next to him. The image was incredibly warm... If only things could always be like this. Julian th
However, Lily seemed indifferent to his efforts, which only added to his frustration. One day, as Lily was tearfully watching a movie, Julian, feeling neglected, couldn't stand it anymore. "Why watch these kinds of movies? They're so unproductive, and you'll ruin your eyes crying." He didn't find the movie touching at all; in fact, he disliked any movie that made her cry.Lily gave him a look and said with a nasal voice, "You go watch your financial reports and economic news, and don't bother me!" Julian immediately shut up but still stayed by her side. In the movie, the heroine tells the hero that they should walk a hundred steps away from each other, and if they look back and still see each other, she would listen to him.Lily was feeling emotional when Julian, in a mood-killing moment, said, "Why walk? Just hug her and kiss her un
Julian began to understand after Charlotte's talk. Just when he was at a loss for how to make amends, a timely call from his mother, Mrs. Sterling, came to his rescue. Mrs. Sterling called Lily directly. Lily was somewhat surprised and nervously answered, "Mom." "Lily, have your parents gone back?" "Yes." "Then why haven't you and Julian come back for dinner? Are you two having a quarrel?" Lily stuttered in response, "No, no, we're just busy, sorry, Mom.""I don't think it's just being busy. I asked Julian, and those rumors in the newspaper are all false. Don't worry too much about it," Mrs. Sterling reassured. "Yes, I'm fine, Mom. Don't worry about me," Lily responded. Mrs. Sterling was referring to the previous day's entertainment headlines, which speculated about Julian's new love interest. Lily had to admit, seeing that report did unsettle her for a moment.
Even as a young boy, too proud to ask for help, he would just softly call her "sister," and she would relent. As he grew up and became a man in his own right, he no longer needed her help.Charlotte sat down again, "Now you're worried, but where was this concern earlier? Do you really want to lose your wife before you're happy?" "I won't divorce her. She can't make me," Julian said stubbornly.Charlotte shook her head disapprovingly. With that temper, it's a miracle things haven't fallen apart already. "What you need to do is keep Lily's heart. What's the use of just keeping her physically? Mom just asked about Lily; I guess she doesn't know about your issues, does she?""How could I tell her?" Julian nodded, then curiously asked what else their mother had said.
Marriage is like a besieged city; those outside want to get in, and those inside want to escape. — Qian ZhongshuAfter Sophia Sterling had her fill and fussed around Lily Parker for a while, she gradually fell asleep.Lily rested her hand on the bedside, half-leaning against the bed frame, and gazed thoughtfully at her son, who bore a striking resemblance to Julian Sterling.Her mother's words still echoed in her ears, "It takes a hundred years to share a boat, a thousand to share a pillow. Marriage isn't child's play; it's not something you enter or leave on a whim. These young people are just being reckless." Her mother's eyes were full of disapproval. "Lily, don't you agree?"Recently, TV dramas
As if remembering something, she picked up her suitcase, unzipped it, and pulled out a gray sweater that was still unfinished, with a ball of yarn attached. It was clear from the style that it was a men's sweater.She touched the pattern on it and said, "I secretly learned to knit this from Aria. I wanted to surprise you on your birthday. It's not very well done. I kept dropping stitches at the beginning, and it's badly damaged."She held up the sweater for him to see, a hint of a smile on her lips, though it was a smile filled with bitterness.Julian Sterling cleared his throat and, regardless of whether she wanted it or not, pulled her tightly into his arms, repeatedly saying, "I'm sorry, Lily, I was wrong... I'm so sorry..."
The air in the room seemed to freeze."What did you just say?" Julian Sterling spoke softly but held Lily Parker's wrist tightly, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I didn't quite catch that. Say it again."Lily lowered her gaze and took a deep breath. "I said, we should..." She hesitated.The all-too-familiar scent overwhelmed her as he swept her into his arms. He kissed her deeply, shutting down all the words she didn't want to hear, trapping them between their entwined lips and tongues.She widened her eyes and struggled weakly. Her feeble punches landed on him, neither hurting nor bothering him. She eventually collapsed into his embrace, allowing him to do as he pleased.
These past few days, Julian's god mother had been visiting their home. She doted on Julian the most, and since she couldn't attend their wedding, this was her first time meeting Lily, and she naturally scrutinized her daughter-in-law with a discerning eye."Sweetie, your husband isn't complaining of being tired. Why are you?" Julian bit her lip gently and spoke slowly, then lifted her nightgown, sliding off her undergarments and caressing her, before gently entering her.Her sweetness drove him wild. It had been so long since they'd been together, and his passion couldn't be contained. He pushed into her again and again, making her whimper in pain and pleasure. He held her down, much like a butterfly pinned and ravished.He still craved more, lifting her legs onto his should
Lunch was served in the art gallery's attached restaurant, and Amelia Hamilton's parents also joined. It was her first exhibition as the gallery's director, and this meal served as a small celebration, with many friends and acquaintances filling up the table. Lily Parker ate her meal quietly, responding politely to any questions and maintaining her composure. Although Mrs. Sterling felt that Lily's performance could have been better, she found it quite satisfactory. At the very least, there was nothing to criticize.Towards the end of the meal, Julian Sterling called Lily on her phone. The restaurant was noisy, so Lily politely excused herself and went to the foyer to answer the call."Where are you? It sounds lively over there," Julian's voice sounded somewhat lazy, as if he had just woken up.
As the cool spring night settled in, Julian pulled the blanket higher, covering them both. He whispered softly, "Enough 'buts.' I'm here for everything, and you can always trust me. It's getting late, and I have an early morning meeting. Let's get some rest, okay?"Julian Sterling, the unwavering head of the family, held a position that was beyond reproach, even in matters of the heart. In his world, his words were law. Just a few days after their wedding, Julian decided to embark on a business trip to Singapore, which would keep him away for half a month.Lily Parker constantly reassured herself, reminding herself that she had married this man and integrating into his family was her duty. After all, those in high positions were just ordinary people, and with effort and determination, she could surely adapt. However, reality had diff