CHAPTER 42: CHAPTER 42: JULIAN FORDHAM, I’M NOT IN THE MOOD

Julian Fordham carried her horizontally, and Victoria Monroe tried to struggle, "Put me down!"

He coaxed softly by her ear like soothing a child, "Victoria, be good."

Julian walked toward the bathtub with long strides, placing Victoria in the giant double bathtub. Realizing what he intended, Victoria’s heart tightened.

"Julian, this dress is borrowed, I haven’t even..."

Before she could finish, he had already turned on the faucet.

Warm water splashed onto her diamond-studded dress, and Victoria frowned. Previously, the luxury dresses she borrowed for events were strictly forbidden from getting wet.

The man knelt down on one knee between her legs and leaned down, "Victoria, it’s alright, I’m very wealthy now. I can replace that dress with a hundred of them."

As he spoke, he tossed aside his jacket and yanked off his tie with one hand.

This action was not graceful at all, carrying a crude and wicked air.

"Wife, we haven’t been intimate for almost a month, right?"

Although he hadn’t strayed physically, the thought of his sperm combining with another woman was hard for Victoria to accept.

Not to mention she’s pregnant now, and until the surgery is done, no mother would be that irresponsible.

"Julian, I’m not in the mood."

"Ha." Julian chuckled lightly.

Victoria met Julian’s smile, but his dark eyes held no warmth, only a cruel ferocity. His gaze frightened her.

"Victoria, he must have touched you, right? Tell me, where did he touch you?"

She feared this madman discovering her pregnancy and was also afraid he might resort to force.

"You can smile at him, but give me a cold face. Victoria, that really hurts me."

"Because Rhys Hawthorne never forces me to do anything... mmph..."

Julian kissed her fiercely, not giving her a chance to speak. The elegant scent that belonged to him, tinged with a hint of alcohol, invaded all her senses.

Victoria wanted to push him away, but the man pressed closer, the only barrier between them was a layer of fabric.

He murmured softly, "Wife, call me Julian."

Victoria had to placate him to stop. She took a breath, "Julian, I’m feeling a bit unwell, could you please leave first?"

She wasn’t lying to him; she had been feeling woozy all day.

Upon hearing her gentle voice, Julian became even more engrossed, "Victoria, be good, help me take off my clothes."

Victoria grew anxious, "I said I don’t want to."

"Then I’ll keep going until you do, wife, your body will be more honest than your mouth. It’s my fault, I’ve been neglecting you due to work lately."

The bathwater was slowly rising, and the starlit Victoria in the water looked astonishingly beautiful.

Perhaps it was his imagination, but tonight Victoria seemed not only beautiful but also somewhat fragile, inexplicably endearing.

Yet she didn’t cooperate at all, pushing him away and trying to climb out of the tub.

The dress, soaked and heavy, was caught by Julian, who grasped her smooth, fair ankle to stop her.

"Victoria, why do you always want to run away? Your feet are so pretty; don’t you want me to chain them?"

The man’s thumb gently caressed her delicate ankle skin, "Even though I’ve always wanted to do that."

Victoria’s eyes widened; how could he have such thoughts?

"Victoria, don’t look at me like that. A long time ago, I had wanted to lock you up, so you’d belong to me alone, so no one else could see you."

His kisses slowly descended to her neck, "But I didn’t expect my possessiveness to hurt you, letting Rachel Hayes take advantage. Wife, after I sign the contract tomorrow, let’s go travel, okay? I’ve bought an island for you, and you’ll love it."

"Victoria, I truly love you. Please don’t leave, stay by my side forever."

His heartfelt confession had no effect on Victoria, who remained indifferent, "Julian, I never doubted your love. I once thought your love was a harbor, but now I realize it is a prison."

"I won’t be imprisoned by you anymore. I have my own things to do. Before I completely detest you, let go!"

"Let go? How could I let you go?"

He smiled, "Even if it means restraining you, I’ll keep you by my side, Victoria, this is your doing."

Victoria watched as he approached with the tie in his grip, her pupils dilating.

"Bastard, what are you doing!"

The man secured her hands to the faucet with the tie, shocking Victoria. She never imagined that the man she had loved for over a decade would treat her like this.

With a sobbing tone, she said, "Julian, how can you do this to me?"

Julian caressed the tears at the corner of her eye, his gaze filled with only mad love for her, "Victoria, I don’t like it when you reject me. Just thinking of you smiling sweetly at another man drives me insane with jealousy, darling, has he ever seen your body?"

If her hands weren’t tied, Victoria would have slapped him hard.

Now wasn’t the time for defiance, she knew saying something spiteful would only drive Julian further into madness.

"No, he really hasn’t even touched my finger. On the way back, I was afraid the paparazzi would catch us in the same car, so I covered myself with his suit, which is why there’s a trace of his scent."

She thought explaining this would solve it, but unexpectedly, the man’s pupils gradually turned cold.

A voice as icy as winter squeezed from his throat, "So, his coat touched your body, did it?"

"It’s only a piece of clothing..."

Victoria knew he was possessive, but she’d never expected it to this extent before.

Julian wickedly smiled at her, "Victoria, how can you let another man’s clothes touch your skin? I’ll take it to heart."

Then his kiss landed on her soft earlobe, "Wife, how about not leaving the bed for three days this time?"

Victoria shook her head, "No, no!"

The man didn’t care, "I must’ve been away too long, you forgot how I feel, Victoria, I’ll satisfy you right now."

"Your eyes should only look at me, your brain should think only of me, your heart should only be filled with me."

"No, Julian, you can’t touch me!"

"You’re my wife, why can’t I touch you? Unless you..."

Julian’s actions stopped, his lowered gaze staring at her brought a meaningful scrutiny, and in that instant, Victoria felt her soul being seen through entirely.

Her heart clenched.

Could he know she was pregnant?