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 n. All that’s left is setting the date.”

Grace’s condition was still fragile, bso /bshe needed more time to regain her strength. In the end, Leonard scheduled the surgery for two weekster.

Willow finally felt ba /bsense of relief.

Leonard had an old friend to catch up with, bso /bJulian personally escorted him to the parking lot.

On the way, Leonard couldn’t stop praising Willow. Just before getting into the car, he pped 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 momentter, the sleek car slowly pulled away, brushing past Julian as it left.

Julian lingered for a moment before heading back to the ward. Willow was chatting with Grace. When she saw Julian return, she gave him a faint smile. “Grandma wouldn’t be having this surgery if it weren’t for you. Thank you.”

Julian walked over and ced a hand on her shoulder. “You’re my wife. No need to thank me.”

Willow felt the gesture was too intimate and instinctively tried to pull away.

Grace noticed. She had advised Willow to divorce Julian before, but now that he was acting like a devoted husband, she hesitated. Ultimately, she just wanted Willow to have a normal, stable home, so she chose not to say anything.

Julian yed the role of a loving husband well. Even Maureen was starting to believe he had turned over a new leaf and was fullymitted to his marriage.

Only Willow knew the truth. This was just ba /bmask. Everything he did had a price tag attached.

Julian wanted something from her, like her connections to Heather and the influence she wielded over Project Aurelia.

Sure enough, the moment they left the hospital, he brought it up in the car.

Willow said calmly, “Mrs. Chapman got in touch. Aurelia Group is interested in working together. However, they have some concerns about Neb’s management and feel there’s ack of basic trust.”

”

Julian kept his eyes on the road and responded smoothly, “They mean Catherine?”

Willow’s expression cooled. “I left Neb Group a long time ago. How would I know?”

They hit a red light, and Julian brought the car to ba /bstop.

Resting one hand on the wheelb, /bhe turned to look at her and said seriously, “Believe it or not, there’s nothing between me and her.”

Willow bwas /bstunned for a moment before smiling faintly.

A man’s words were as trustworthy as a magician’s tricks.

Julian wanted to build something with Willow. So, without hesitation, he decided bto /bremove Catherine from the project team. She was irritating and a distraction

banyway/bb. /b

When he brought it up to Willowb, /bshe remained indifferent. “I bdon’t /bwork at Neb Group anymore. That’s none of my concern.”

The light turned green.

Julian stepped on bthe /bbgas/b. His beyes /bbwere /bfixed on the road ahead as he let out a quiet bugh/bb. /bb“/bI’m your concern, though, Mrs. bZiegler/b.”

bHis /bwords were unmistakably suggestive. Willow understood him perfectly but chose bto /bbact /boblivious.

Julian didn’t mind the cold shoulder. After driving a little farther, he pulled up in front of a pharmacy and eased the car bto /bba /bstop.

Willow turned bto /bhim. “Are byou /bsick?”

Julian unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed his walletb. /bb“/bNo, I’m buying something elseb./b”

A few momentster, he stepped inside the pharmacy and bcasually /bbgrabbed /bbtwo /bbboxes /bof condoms from the counterb–/bextrargeb, /bbof /bbcourse/b.

When the cashier scanned the itemsb, /bshe nced bup /band was momentarily stunned.

Julian was the kind of man women bcouldn’t /bbhelp /bbut notice. She worked bup /bbthe /bnerve bto /bchat him bup/bb. /b“Would you like to check out some bother /bboptions/b? The strawberry and mint vors are really popr.”

Strawberry? Mint?

Julian looked bat /bher with a nk expression. “No.”

The cashier decided not to push her luck. But as he walked out, she couldn’t resist stealing another nce.

God, he was hot. And those legs were long.

Back in the car, Julian tossed the boxes into the center console.

Willow couldn’t exactly pretend she hadn’t seen them. She turned her face away and said evenly, “We don’t actually need those,”

Julian shifted slightly to look at her.

Maybe it was because of the night before, but Willow’splexion was especially rosy. Her delicate features stood out even more.

His throat tightened. “I thought we agreed to wait for two more years.”

Willow finally turned back to face him. She studied him like she was seeing him for the first time.

+25 Bonus

That night, Julian used two condoms.

Without the pressure of having children, he didn’t hold back. His usual restraint vanished, and his intensity left Willow exhausted.

She ended up catching a cold from the ordeal.

The next morning, Julian was already out of bed. The sound of running water from the bathroom told her he was still home.

Sure enough, a few minutester, he emerged, fully dressed. He held a slim tie in his hand and gestured for Willow to help him fasten it.

Willow felt sick and didn’t want to move.

But Julian was persistent. 1

He lowered himself just enough to make it easier for her. With no other choice, Willow pushed herself up slightly. This wasn’t new–she had done it countless times before. She could tie his tie perfectly with her eyes closed.

As she worked, Julian looked down at her.

Her face rested against the pillow, dark strands of hair spilling over it. A loosely tied white robe hung from her slender frame, entuating her delicate curves. The sight brought back memories ofst night’s lingering passion. T

Two nights in a row. He was getting addicted.

If not for Willow’s delicate frame, Julian wouldn’t have stopped so easilyst night. The intensity of his desire unsettled him. He had never been one to indulge.

A momentter, Willow tightened the knot neatly.

She smoothed it down and said, “Julian, we couldn’t be a real couple in the past four years. And now? It’s even less of a possibility. Stop wasting your energy on me. Whatever your reasons, whatever you’re trying to do, it’s pointless.”

Julian’s gaze deepened. “Is there really no trust left between us?”

Willow smiled faintly but said nothing.

Julian left for work.

Willow tried to get up, but a wave of dizziness washed over her. Fortunately, ir knocked on the door and discovered that Willow was unwell.

ir brought over a thermometer, and to her surprise, it read 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit. “Mrs. Ziegler, you have a fever.”

ir had balways /bbeen kind.

Seeing how well Julian and Willow had been getting alongtely, she figured this was the perfect opportunity to bring them even closer. (1

bSo/bb, /bas she fetched medicineb, /bbshe /bpulled out her phone and dialed Julian’s number. 1