Wrapping his arm around Lily, Julian said with a smile, "This place is quieter and more rustic. The previous town was too commercialized, overcrowded. I couldn't tell if we were there to see people or the scenery. Didn't you find it stifling?"Lily thought to herself, *Anywhere without you would be paradise.*She remained silent, her face expressionless. Julian glanced at her coldly, leading her through the alleyways. In front of some old houses, locals set up stalls selling unique items from the town—embroidery, food, clothing, and more. As they passed a shop selling wooden clogs, they happened upon a young couple having a disagreement.The girl pouted, "I want to buy them! Walking on the wet stone paths after the rain in these would be so fun."The boy shook his head, "No. Haven't you heard? If a man gifts shoes to a woman, they'll drift apart. It's bad luck for the relationship. If you want them, buy them yourself."The girl immediately fell silent.Lily felt a dull pain in her wri
The hotel they were staying at was just outside the small town, a mere ten-minute walk. Naturally, they shared a room.Lily was incredibly anxious. Every time she was alone with him, she was reminded of that ruthless night, the heart-wrenching pain. She was on edge, and Julian, sensing her tension, darkened his gaze briefly before saying, "I'll shower first." He picked up a bathrobe and headed to the bathroom.His words terrified Lily, making her legs wobble. She wanted to flee, but where could she go? She was well aware that Julian's family had even more influence than Ethan Hart's. No matter where she ran, he would likely find her and bring her back, possibly subjecting her to further humiliation.She despised her own insignificance, her helplessness, her cowardice, and ab
In the dim light of dawn, Julian Sterling felt a chill. The comforting warmth that had lulled him to sleep was gone. Half-awake, he opened his eyes to find that Lily Parker was no longer nestled in his embrace. Instead, she was curled up on the edge of the bed, perilously close to falling off, as if she had erected a barrier between them. Displeased by the distance she had put between them, he impulsively pulled her back to his side. His pull wasn't forceful, and she didn't wake. She merely made a small noise of discomfort, scrunching her nose. In the process, the buttons of her pajamas had come undone, revealing a patch of delicate skin, as luminous as the finest white jade. He swallowed hard, unable to take his eyes off her. Any man who doesn't react to such a sight is either a saint or impotent.
Julian wasn't sure what Lily's research entailed and was too proud to ask. Assuming she was interested in local folklore and traditions, he took her to the theater in the eastern part of the town. The venue often showcased local performances, making it a fitting choice. However, instead of the usual operas, today's performance featured a puppet show accompanied by the rhythmic beats of drums and gongs. After watching for a short while and finding it uninteresting, Julian stood up, ready to leave. But as he turned to Lily, he noticed her gaze fixed intently on the stage, completely engrossed. Biting his lip, he sat back down. He thought Lily was engrossed in the performance, but that wasn't the case. The Parker family used to live in an old mansion by the city's protect
After escorting Lily Parker to the apartment, Julian Sterling hurried off to the club he frequented, where Dylan Hayes, Tristan Caldwell, and Lucas Hartley were already waiting for him.Upon entering the room, Julian casually tossed his coat onto the sofa and took a seat at the bar, immediately inquiring, "What's the situation?"Dylan passed him a glass of red wine and nodded towards the documents on the table, patiently explaining, "We've gathered all the intel we could. Victor Blackwood bit off more than he could chew and now he's choking on it."Tristan, with a sly grin, clapped Julian on the shoulder and teased, "Don't tell me you're the one who stabbed him in the back? After all, he's been crying foul all over town lately, always trying to trip you up..."
Ethan Hart had only suffered a head injury; he wasn't brain-damaged or amnesiac. He had been awake for quite some time without seeing the one person he wanted to see, and his calls went unanswered. He sensed something was amiss. His first thought was that his parents were preventing Lily from seeing him. Initially, he was in too much pain to get out of bed, worried that Lily might be suffering again, yet he was powerless to do anything. The hospital staff was all arranged by his parents, and asking them was futile. Adding to his frustration, his childhood friends weren't on his side either. He felt utterly alone.He could only wait, wait to recover swiftly, wait for the right opportunity.That day, his assistant Graham Foster came to visit on behalf of the company. After the customary inquiries about the company's affairs, Ethan Hart
However, what should have been an idyllic moment of lovers' play in the water nearly turned into a disaster. Just moments ago, when Julian Sterling had begun to undress Lily Parker, she started to scream in terror, her voice so piercing that even Julian was stunned into stillness. He couldn't know that this apartment, this bathroom, was for Lily a horrific nightmare, where an unstoppable surge of pain mercilessly lacerated her, leaving her wounded and scarred. It was her own personal apocalypse.Julian could never understand.Lily's eyes brimmed with tears of despair, fearfully watching him as she curled up like a frightened rabbit, trembling and crying. This made Julian feel uncomfortable; he was already irritated, and her evident fear quashed any desire he had to press her further. With a stern face, he said, "I don't like the smel
Aside from a few elders in his family, Julian Sterling had never been rebuked like this, nor did anyone dare to do so. Today, Lily Parker had done just that.His anger flared instantly, a chaotic mix of bile, heart, rage, and malicious fire all igniting at once. His face tensed, his voice dark and threatening, "Are you throwing my kindness back in my face?" Before Lily could react, she was forcefully pinned to the bed, held so tightly she couldn't move, his rough hand gripping her neck as if he wanted to strangle her, "What don't you want? My house, my car, or me?"Lily gasped desperately for air, her face turning from red to purple as she struggled to breathe. Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore and might die, Julian finally let go, his expression cooling down as well. His eyes bore down on her menacingly as he patted