Semua Bab Leaving You Bereft: Bab 41 - Bab 50

To Willow's surprise, Julian stopped.As he looked down at her, his Adam's apple bobbed, showing how hard he was suppressing his desires.After a long pause, he moved off her."Go wash up," he said.When Willow got up, her legs trembled. After stumbling into the bathroom, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and was startled by her own disheveled state.In the bedroom, Julian turned over onto his side.After a few moments of steadying his breath, he reached for the nightstand drawer and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He placed one between his lips. In the end, he walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window in the lounge, cracked it open slightly, and slowly smoked there.The soft glow of the lamp cast a mix of light and shadow across his face. His lashes formed delicate shadows under his eyes, making his chiseled features even more striking.His fingers trembled slightly as he flicked the ash. The faint blue-gray smoke curled upward before the night breeze carried it

Julian took a slow drag of his cigarette before stepping into the VIP ward.Leonard happened to be inside, going over Grace's case.Seeing Julian walk in, he smiled and greeted him, "Perfect timing. We've finalized the surgical plan. All that's left is setting the date."Grace's condition was still fragile, so she needed more time to regain her strength. In the end, Leonard scheduled the surgery for two weeks later.Willow finally felt a sense of relief.Leonard had an old friend to catch up with, so Julian personally escorted him to the parking lot.On the way, Leonard couldn't stop praising Willow. Just before getting into the car, he clapped Julian on the shoulder and said, "You'd better treat her right. She's a good woman. Let this one slip, and you won't find another like her."Julian smiled slightly and held the car door open for him. "I hear you, Mr. Frost."Leonard smiled before getting in.A moment later, the sleek car slowly pulled away, brushing past Julian as it le

Julian pushed open the bedroom door.The room was quiet, filled with the faint scent of Willow's perfume. On the bed, Willow lay curled up, seemingly asleep.He walked over and crouched down beside her. He brushed a few strands of hair from her face before placing a hand on her forehead.It was still warm.Willow stirred. Her fevered eyes fluttered open to meet his gaze. Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper. "You're home?"Julian's heart skipped an inexplicable beat.He cupped her face gently and nodded. "I told Blair to bring up some soup. Eat a little before you sleep again. Are you feeling very sick?"The way he touched her reminded her of how one would pet a small animal. She wasn't used to it.Reaching out, she pressed a hand to his forehead. He wasn't sick.Julian chuckled. "Is it so strange for me to be concerned? You used to complain that I wasn't attentive enough."Willow leaned against the headboard, her expression unreadable. "I needed that before but not any

"I have an amazing wife. One could even say she's the perfect woman, but I don't love her. I can say for sure that I'm not attracted to her at all. I only slept with her to have a legitimate heir. However, I seem to be addicted to this relationship of ours. I've never felt desire in the past," Julian explained, confused.The doctor took some time to evaluate the situation before saying, "Mr. Ziegler, the first thing you need to do is decide whether you love her or not. It's impossible to be subjective or objective about relationships, especially with how unpredictable they can be."Julian frowned, dismissing that line of thought. He had someone he loved when he was younger, so he knew what loving someone felt like.After the consultation, he buttoned up his suit and left the clinic. Esther, who was waiting outside, saw him come out and asked, "Have you been unhappy lately, Mr. Ziegler?"Once they were in the car, Julian leaned against the backseat and muttered, "I'm too happy, actu

Julian leaned back in his leather chair in the CEO's office of Nebula Group. He was having a serious moment of introspection.Everything he did was for his marriage and to have a legitimate heir. He didn't hate Willow. In fact, he somewhat liked her. They had been getting along well in that aspect, at least. Men like him were animals with needs. If they were satisfied in bed, they would generally become much more generous.He was willing to treat her well, let her experience the benefits of a marriage, and show her what love felt like if that was what Willow wanted. That had nothing to do with actually loving her, though. He still didn't love her.While Julian was lost in thought, Esther knocked on the door before stepping in. "You have a call from Grandsburg, Mr. Ziegler."Julian took the phone and lowered his chin. "You can leave."Esther returned to the secretary's office while thinking, "Mr. Ziegler gets a call from Grandsburg once a week, and he flies there at least once a mo