Julian returned to Grandview Manorte bat /bnight. As his car rolled to a stop, he looked up at the second–floor master bedroom.

The lights were already out.

He stared into the darkness for a moment, then unfastened his seatbelt and stepped out bof /bthe car.

bir/bb, /bwho was on night duty, came forward, looking somewhat surprised. “Mr. Ziegler, byou’re /bback? Mrs. Ziegler just went to bed. Would you like ate–night snackb?/b”

Julian answered indifferently, “A bowl of instant noodles will do.”

ir was pleased for Willow that Julian had chosen bto /breturn home. Rubbing her hands together, she headed for the kitchen.

Julian shrugged off his coat and tossed it over the back of the couch. While waiting for his meal, he picked up his phone to handle a few work emails. But before long, he found himself scrolling through his photo gallery instead.

ir returned with the noodles. She stole a nce at the screen and said with a smile, “Mrs. Ziegler looks beven /bmore beautiful than beforeb./b”

Julian smiled faintly. “Does she?”

ir was just about to sing Willow’s praises when Julian’s phone rang. Seeing Catherine’s name on the screen, he frowned and answered. “I told you. Don’t call me for no breason/b.b” /b

Catherine acted as bif /bshe hadn’t heard him. “You’re afraid of upsetting her, aren’t you?”

Julian hung up without a word.

Suddenly, he lost his appetite. Exhaustion seeped through his body.

Leaning back on the couch, he tilted his face upward and shielded his eyes from the harsh overhead light with one hand.

How many years had it been? Just how long had he endured?

Even he couldn’t count anymore. All he knew was that he was tired. And on a night like this, with Willow back under the same roof, maybe bhe /bshould just grow old with her. Maybe bhe /bshould spend the rest of his life with her after all.

The night stretched onb, /bdeep and quietb. /b

Julian ascended the bstairs/bb. /b

The long corridor was still, yet he swore he could hear the bsoft /brhythm of Willow’s breathingb. /b

He pushed open the bedroom door. Inside, the warmth wrapped around him like a silent embrace.

Willowy on her side, bfast /basleep.

She had bathed and changed into ba /bwhite robe. Her entire being looked fresh and serene under the dim glow of bthe /bbedsidemp.

Her bhair /bbcascaded /bbover /bthe pristine bpillow/bb, /bpartially veiling her delicate face. The curve of her bnose /band the bsoft /boutline of her blips /bbwere /blike a bmasterpiece /bcrafted bby /bthe finest artistb. /b

She bcarne /bback. She bwas /blying in his bed right now.

bJulian’s /bAdam’s apple bobbed. He unfastened the bbuttons /bof his shirt, letting his clothes fall bto /bthe floor. bYet /binstead bof /biming bWillow/bb, /bhe walked straight into the bbathroom /band turned on bthe /bcold water.

The next bmorning/bb, /bWillow woke up in his arms.

Even after a full night’s bsleep/bb, /bJulian bstill /blooked beffortlessly /bhandsomeb. /b

His hair fell slightly bover /bhis foreheadb, /bsoftening his busual /bsharpness and making him blook /bbyears /byoungerb. /bHe bwore /bba /bck brobe/bb. /bThe thin fabric clung bto /bhis body, hinting at the bstrength /bbbeneath/b.

Willow bwasn’t /bused bto /bbseeing /bhim like thatb. /b

She bcarefully /bbshifted/b, attempting bto /bbslip /bout of bed. But the moment her toes brushed bagainst /bher slippers, Julian pulled bher /bback and locked her firmly bin /bhis embraceb. /bHer cheek pressed bagainst /bhis chest, where she could hear the steady thump bof /bhis heartbeatb. /b

bIt /bbwas /bwinterb, /band his arms were undeniably warm.

But Willow bdidn’t /bbforget/bb. /bbNo /bmatter how perfect he seemedb, /bJulian was still a scumbag. Buried in his arms, she murmuredb, /bb“/bbI /bbhave to /bbget /bupb./b”

Julian lowered his bgaze/bb, /bhis eyes bdeep /band unreadable.

The next second, he pinned her beneath him. Their fingers entwined as he kissed her bwith /ba fervor that seemed endless, as if bthe /bworld itself could bfade /baway.

b+25 /bbBonus /b

That bwas /buntil ir knocked on the door. b“/bThe Ziegler bresidence /bjust called. Mr. Ziegler Senior wants you two to go back for dinner tonight. He said there’s no refusing this time.”

Juliany over Willow. The muscles in his back were taut, his body like a bowstring drawn tight. Without shifting his positionb, /bhe responded tly, “Got it.”

bir /bbleft /bafter receiving his response.

Silence filled the bedroom, broken only by bthe /bsound bof /btheir own heartbeats, Willow, finding their posture unbearable, pushed at him. “Get up. I have to go to bthe /bhospitalter.b” /b

Julian didn’t press further. But as he let her go, he leaned close to her ear and asked, “It’s been three months. Don’t you want a taste bof /bme?”

“Not at all.”

Willow quickly pulled her robe together and strode into the dressing broom/bb, /balmost bas /bbif /bshe were escaping.

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