CHAPTER 105: CHAPTER 105: WARMING THE HEART (1)_1

"Don’t mind them; let’s take our time and appreciate the scenery. Later we can go to the beach and watch the sea," Glades Horne said gently, comforting his beloved wife. In his heart, though, he felt a slight sting of competitiveness. But gripping the handlebars of the bicycle, he felt a bit clumsy. Whenever he tried to speed up, the front of the bike would wobble, so he had no choice but to slow down. "Julia, we’re out here to enjoy nature. If we cycle too quickly, it’ll be like skimming past things without really seeing them. How could we appreciate the beautiful scenery then?"

"Seeing that smug look on their faces, it’s hard not to feel a bit put out, right? Glades, why don’t you get off and let me ride? My cycling skills are much better than yours," she said. She had even caught a thief on her bike for Rachel Bailey before.

"Their being smug is their business; we don’t even know them, so there’s no need to compare ourselves to them. Besides, this isn’t a bike race." Glades Horne’s mindset was much better than Julia Bluen’s. Her, give *him* a ride? Are you kidding? He’d die before he agreed to that! If she were to carry him, wouldn’t the couple ahead laugh even more smugly?

Yes, one should keep a balanced state of mind and not compare oneself to others.

If that couple ahead was so capable, let them try competing with him in wealth. He was confident his money could bury them.

Hearing Glades Horne say this, Julia Bluen laughed and rejoined, "We’ll cycle slowly and enjoy the scenery, not compare ourselves to them."

A honeymoon was supposed to be a time for a couple to be romantic with each other. If they were busy competing with others, where would the romance be?

Thus, Glades Horne slowed down even more, and the couple leisurely enjoyed the street scenery.

The environment here was wonderful, with no pollution. Since it was an island, one could easily head to the beach to watch the sea.

In the north of Malé, there was a long Coastal Avenue where government buildings and shops were mostly concentrated.

About 50 meters from Coastal Avenue, out to sea, there was a flood barrier made of coral rocks. The water inside and outside the barrier was crystal clear, with schools of fish and shrimp below, fishing boats dotting the distance, and seabirds flying in the sky. The picturesque beauty was enchanting. Inside the barrier, the beach’s sand was white and soft, a superb place for swimming, attracting many tourists.

Originally, Glades Horne had intended to take Julia Bluen to Sultan Park in the city center, but he later changed his mind. Riding the bicycle with Julia Bluen on the back, they headed leisurely toward Coastal Avenue.

Along the way, passersby’s gazes were invariably drawn to them. One was tall and handsome, exuding a distinguished air, and the other was charming and vivacious with a touch of artless spirit. Together, they were a perfect match, a talented man and a beautiful woman.

Julia Bluen hugged Glades Horne’s waist tightly. Whether it was because of their nightly intimacy or some other reason, she now particularly loved snuggling against Glades’s robust body, feeling a sense of stability she had never experienced before. In the past, Nicholas Coldwell had held her in his arms and carefully protected her countless times. Yet Nicholas, also robust and handsome, had not been able to give her this feeling of security. Perhaps the three years of their relationship weren’t as deep as she’d imagined.

Glades Horne was secretly delighted by the possessiveness she showed towards passersby.

The more she began to care for him, the closer he was to success. She was going to fall in love with him—truly, deeply, throwing all caution to the wind.

"The scenery here is so beautiful, and the temperature is just right," Julia Bluen said, entranced by the view along the roadside.

"Then let’s stay here a few more days," Glades Horne said indulgently. If she wanted, he’d even stay here for a whole month. After all, the Maldives has so many islands; they couldn’t tour all of them even in a month.

"Mhm."

Julia Bluen nodded. As she hugged Glades Horne’s waist, her hand inadvertently brushed against his shirt, where a button had come undone. She quickly fumbled to button it back up for him.

Seeing no pedestrians blocking the way ahead, Glades Horne swiftly tilted his head to watch her delicate hands fumbling with his shirt, buttoning it for him. His eyes curved with a smile, his happiness as radiant as the sunshine above, eliciting envy from those who passed.

He carefully freed one hand, gripping the handlebar with just the other, then quickly pulled open several other buttons on his shirt before gripping the handlebar firmly again. He turned his head to Julia Bluen and said, "Julia, all the buttons on my shirt have been blown open by the wind."

Julia Bluen was taken aback at first, but then she understood. With a playful laugh, she pinched his waist and chided, "If you unbutton them again, I won’t button them back up for you."

Glades Horne laughed deeply. His rich, magnetic laughter sounded intoxicating to Julia’s ears. This man, she thought, was charming through and through. No wonder that woman, Susan, had been infatuated with him for so many years and still hadn’t given up.

"If you don’t button me up, won’t I be a treat for all those other women out there?" Glades Horne playfully teased.

"Then I could find a new husband," Julia Bluen giggled. Her bell-like laughter was infectious, even causing the passersby who looked at them to smile.

"Don’t even think about it!" Glades Horne immediately grasped her hand and said authoritatively, "Hurry up and protect your husband."

Julia Bluen chuckled and poked his back with her finger. Nonetheless, she wrapped her arms around his waist again and started buttoning up the buttons he had undone.

Glades Horne greedily watched her hands move across his chest. His cycling skills were already poor, and now, distracted, he lost control. The wheel slipped, and following Julia’s shriek, the two of them fell to the ground.

"Julia!" Glades Horne quickly scrambled up, anxiously helping Julia Bluen to her feet. He nervously brushed the dust off her clothes, asking with concern, "Are you hurt? Where did you fall? It’s all my fault. Where does it hurt? I’ll take you to the hospital to get checked out."

"I told you it would be better if I gave you a ride! Your cycling skills are terrible, not up to par at all." Julia Bluen couldn’t help but laugh. The road was sandy, and Glades had been cycling slowly, so the fall hadn’t hurt a bit. Still, seeing Glades’s anxious expression, she felt an incredible sweetness in her heart.

"Are you alright?" Glades Horne wasn’t in the mood to respond to her teasing; his only concern was whether she was injured.