Lucas Hartley once said that people of their status could have everything, learn anything, except how to love. They were doomed to a rocky path in romance, so it was best to avoid love at all costs. Once trapped, there was no escape. It seemed he was right.
Julian still went to the hospital. There she was, Lily Parker, lying frailly, her gaze landing on her stomach where his child was growing. At that moment, nothing else mattered. She didn't love him, but his love for her was enough. She didn't want the child, but he did. Whether it was demanding, extravagant, or a plea, he must have gone mad. He had been crazy about her since their first meeting, doing things he never imagined he would.
He thought perhaps Lily was the calamity in his absurd life, sent to redeem him.
Lily,
The two remained motionless for a long time before Julian spoke in a deliberately slow tone, "I don't gamble." His cold voice carried a hint of mockery as he stared at her unblinkingly. He was accustomed to controlling everything and wouldn't allow any unexpected situations.Leaning tiredly against the pillow, Lily said with a mix of weakness and irony, "I never thought the all-powerful Julian Sterling would be afraid."Julian glanced at her with a half-smile, then suddenly leaned in close, his face against hers, whispering in admission, "Yes, I'm afraid. I'm afraid of losing you."Lily's heart raced, her face flushing as she turned away. She was utterly at a loss with his unpredictable behavior.Julian, however, go
That night, sleep eluded them both. Julian had made up his mind not to let go, no matter how cold Lily was towards him. And Lily, for her part, endured his presence. But as fate would have it, events and resolutions that were meant to occur would still unfold. And it seemed that destiny was on Lily's side. She might not have been able to handle Julian, but someone who could was about to enter the picture—Julian's mother. On that day, after Julian Sterling had taken care of everything, he mentioned he had urgent matters to attend to outside of town. Coincidentally, it was also the day his mother arrived at the hospital to see Lily Parker. The timing was impeccable, the intention clear without words. A pot of Pu-erh tea was brewed on the small coffee table. After Julian's mother and Lily were each served a cup by the secretary, who then left, the room filled with the delicate fragrance of the tea. Julian's mother, sitting opposite Lily, had her black hair meticulously combed back int
Looking out the window, she saw snowflakes beginning to fall, blanketing everything in white. The new year was approaching, and after the deep winter, a new year would begin. It was time to end all this. With Julian's mother's support, Julian probably wouldn't be able to change the situation. Lily was about to agree when suddenly, a commotion erupted outside, and the next second, the door was pushed open.A group of people stood at the door, including a secretary looking anxious and sweaty, a stern-faced Jame, a worried Eleanor Brown, and Lily's parents. Margret Parker, with a cold face, pushed Henry Parker inside; both were furious, especially Henry, who was panting heavily by Lily's side."Dad?" Lily was stunned, not knowing what to say. This was the first time in half a month that father and daughter were this close.Lily looked at Eleanor Brown, questioning with her eyes what was happening. Eleanor shook her head; the situation was too complex to explain in a few words.Henry Park
That day, Julian Sterling was unaware that his mother had disrupted his plans, thinking his parents had gone to Turkey with a delegation. Having arranged for people to be around Lily and her parents, he felt at ease and drove to sanatorium outside of town to visit his grandfather, Edward Sterling, who was resting there — the grandfather who adored him the most.Halfway there, a heavy snow began to fall, slowing down the traffic. As he approached the toll station, there was a bit of a jam. Julian's brow furrowed slightly as he turned off the engine and gazed out at the snowy landscape, lost in thought. His eyes were as deep and unfathomable as the ocean. It wasn't until the honking of a car behind him that he slowly moved forward. Feeling a bit stuffy in the car, he turned on the radio, and the DJ's magnetic voice floated out:"
Edward Sterling examined the photo carefully through his reading glasses. The girl did look nice, no wonder she had caught the attention of his usually reckless grandson. But he wasn't one to be easily fooled. His expression hardened as he asked, "But I heard she was involved with that Hart boy, weren't they a pair?"Julian's forehead throbbed. He had guessed right; his grandfather probably knew something. It was unwise to hide it from him, as it could backfire, but being too straightforward wasn't good either. As he pondered, Edward pressed, "Why aren't you speaking?"Taking a deep breath, Julian cautiously replied, "They had a falling out, broke up ages ago. We got together after that. Look, Lily and I are a much better match, aren't we? Dr. Chu has met Lily too. If you don't believe me, you can ask him." Worried about passing this
That night, Julian called Lily Parker again. Her voice over the phone was calm, emotionless. She answered everything he asked, more obedient than ever.Through the cold phone line, he asked her, "Lily, is there nothing else you want to tell me?" He hoped she would mention his mother's visit, express her grievances, either coquettishly or angrily. That would make her seem real to him, not like a puppet, indifferent to him.But she truly didn't understand his feelings, replying coldly, "No."He should have expected it, her complete disappointment, so heartless.He chuckled softly, then burst into loud laughter, laughing at himself. He finally understood the feeling of a one-sided effort, a dull pain that throbbed with
From the day Lily left, Julian Sterling changed. He became very quiet, diligently going to work and coming home, not showing any signs of decay, nor did he argue with his mother. Whenever he had time, he would join his parents for meals and chats in the courtyard. Mrs. Sterling felt secretly relieved, thinking she understood her son better. His so-called seriousness was just a fleeting interest, a three-minute enthusiasm. Now that the two were estranged, he had cooled off. She hadn't heard any complaints from him and thought he had come to his senses, caring for him even more. She began arranging blind dates again, sending a parade of eligible young women his way, hoping one would catch his eye.Julian Sterling, who always hated being manipulated, surprisingly agreed to his mother's matchmaking efforts. He was obliging and gentle with every prospect, so much so that Mrs. Sterling wondered if
Nicholas Sterling pondered for a while before turning to his youngest son, "Everyone has shared their opinions, what about you? Why so silent? You're grown up now, give us some peace of mind!""I don't have any particular opinion. Like I said, I'll listen to you all," Julian Sterling stated nonchalantly.Mrs. Sterling smiled contentedly and poured Nicholas a cup of tea, then suggested, "Why don't you meet with Mr. Hamilton first to discuss things? We might like them, but they might not agree. Or perhaps we could arrange a dinner with both families?""That sounds good," Nicholas agreed, thinking it was time for his son to settle down and start planning for it.Julian appeared completely indifferent, yawning and stand