eing bperceptive/b, Esther led the styling team out, leaving the spacious room bto /bjust Julian and Willow.

Julian turned Willow around, his palm pressing gently against her cheek. He btraced /bover her skin with slow, deliberate strokes. bFor /bthe first time, he took the time to truly study her faceb. /b

“Are you cold?”

His beyes /blocked onto hers, filled with a quiet intensity.

Willow smiled faintly. b“/bI’ll wear ba /bcoat outside.b” /b

Julian didn’t let her bgo/b. His hands wandered to her waist, feeling the fabric against her skin.

She looked beautiful tonightb; /bso beautiful that he didn’t want her stepping bout /bof this roomb, /bespecially not in front of other men.

It had been a week since she returned, yet they hadn’t truly be one. He had been holding back for too long, and now, the restraint was wearing thin.

But Willow refused. She tilted her head back and gently closed her eyesb. /bb“/bYou’ll ruin the bdress/bb./bb” /b

Julian exhaled slowly, frustration flickering bacross /bhis features.

Without warning, he caught her wrist and pressed her against the cool mirror. His lips captured hers in a fierceb, /bmanding kiss.

At first, Willow bresisted/b. But Julian’s dominance was overwhelming. Soon, she was melting against him. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, her head tilting back as she surrendered to the deep, lingering kissb. /b

Just as her mind began to blur, something cold slipped onto her finger.

Willow panted softly as she lowered her head. The wedding ring on her ring finger shimmered brilliantly under the crystal chandelier.

Julian rested his forehead against hersb, /bhis gaze bdeep /band intense. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. “Just tonight. bI /bcan’t hold back anymore.b” /b

The night wind howled.

Timothy’s mansion was breathtaking under the night bsky/bb, /bexuding grandeur and elegance. Luxury cars lined bthe /bcourtyard, and elegantly dressed bguests /bmoved gracefully through the gardens.

A sleek ck limousine slowly pulled into the Chapman residence. When the bcar /bcame to ba /bstop, Julian stepped out and gently took Willow’s hand.

This time, her status bin /bhigh society bwas /bdifferent.

She owned 5b% /bof Neb bGroup’s /bsharesb, /band Julian treated her with the utmost brespect/b. She was no longer the woman who looked up bto /bhim. She hadplete independence now.

And tonightb, /ball eyes bwere /bon her.

bJulian/b, as alwaysb, /bwas meticulous in his appearance. bHe /bwore ba /bbcrisp /bwhite shirt beneath ba /bbcustom/b–tailored ck suit. bEvery /bdetail highlighted bhis /bbtall/bb, /bbsculpted /bframe. His strikingly handsome face drew more than a few admiring nces.

With Willow’s hand in his, he moved effortlessly through the sea of elegantly bdressed /bbguests/bb, /bheading straight for Timothy.

The btwo /bof themb, /btogether, shattered any lingering rumors of discord. They looked nothing short of perfect.

bOn /bthe other bside /bbof /bthe banquet hallb, /bTimothy and Heather were busy entertaining bguests/b.

Nearbyb, /bCharlie and Nancy bwere /battempting bto /bbintroduce /bCatherine to the influential couple. After all, Charlie and Heather bwere /bold acquaintances.

Catherine bhad /bbdone /bher bresearch/b.

She knew that Timothy and Heather had no children of their bown/b. If she bcould /bwin their bfavor/b, she bmight /bbjust /bbsecure /bher bce /bbas /bbthe princess /bbof /bbAurelia /bbGroup/b.

And if that bhappened/bb, /bbthen /bbher /bbpath /bbto /bJulian bwould /bbbe /bbeffortless/b.

bWith /bthat bthought /bin mindb, /bshe bput /bon ba /bbcarefully /bbrehearsed /bbsweet /bbsmile/bb. /bb“/bbIt’s /bba /bbpleasure /bbto /bbmeet /bbyou/bb, /bbMrs. /bChapmanb. /bI’m Catherine Burke, Charlie Burke’s daughterb. /b

Heather bbarely /bbspared /bher ba /bbnce/bb. /bb“/bbMy /bbapologies/bb, /bbut bI’m /bnot particrly familiar bwith /bMr. Burkeb./bb” /b

Catherine’s smile bstiffened/bb, /bher bface /bturning bred/b.

This was absolutely humiliating.

Heather bfelt /bno obligation to be polite and showed no warmth btoward Charlie /band Nancy.

Catherineb, /bbin /bturnb, /bassumed this was just the way the wealthy behaved–treating everyone equallyb, /bbeven /bif Charlie was a renowned painter.

Catherine failed to notice the disdain in Heather’s eyes.

Just then, Julian walked bover /bbwith /bWillow. The striking couple instantly drew everyone’s attention.

D

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