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
In the night, she kept rolling to the edge of the bed in her sleep, and each time he discovered it, he pulled her back. After a few repeats, he grew impatient and simply wrapped his arms and legs around her. His body was as warm as a furnace, and in her drowsy state, she murmured about the heat and tried to wriggle free. But a threatening exploration of his fingers made her too frightened to resist any further; she knew all too well what he was capable of.When Julian Sterling awoke, Lily Parker was not in the room.He walked around barefoot, not finding her anywhere, and with a stern face, he pulled open the bedroom door, not expecting to be greeted by the aroma of frying eggs. Following the scent, he found Lily busy in the kitchen. She was wearing an apron, flipping eggs in a non-stick pan, with two sandwiches and milk already set
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