CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: DID SOMETHING WRONG

Sitting in the passenger seat, Simon Hawthorne noticed Julian Hawthorne staring out the window and asked, "Big brother, what’s wrong with you?"

Julian didn’t answer. Following Julian’s gaze, he saw Paige Sterling sitting at a street stall with a group of men and women, eating skewers, chatting and laughing as if they were very close.

Simon glanced at Julian, "Big brother, isn’t that Paige Sterling? Oh, she likes eating skewers. It’s a pity, big brother, you’re a germaphobe and never eat such things."

Julian opened the car door, got out, and tossed the car keys to Simon, "Drive the car away."

Simon, "..."

Witnessing his big brother’s iconic moment, how could he miss such an opportunity? So he immediately drove off to find a nearby parking spot.

The group was chatting and laughing when suddenly they all fell silent.

Paige noticed them staring behind her, slightly turned her head, and saw Julian.

He was in a grey suit, perfectly tailored, making him look tall and elegant. His indifferent face carried a sense of untouchable sanctity.

Paige was used to his mysterious comings and goings and asked, "Want to join us?"

She thought Julian would refuse. After all, with his severe germaphobia, could he handle eating skewers at a street stall?

To her surprise, Julian acted as if nothing was wrong and sat down.

Paige, "..."

She edged her chair a little closer to Julian’s, "President Hawthorne, you don’t have to force yourself, right?"

Julian slightly turned his head, just enough to see her dazzling eyes, seemingly lively with some gentle movement.

"Look, you’re forcing yourself to sit down. You’re uncomfortable, and everyone feels uneasy, too. Maybe you should..."

Julian stared at Paige for a while, then looked at the others, "Does my presence here make you feel uneasy?"

Everyone shook their heads in unison, "No, not at all."

Julian looked at Paige, "They said no, so I don’t feel uneasy either."

Paige, "..."

She let out a laugh. Seeing Julian trying to maintain composure, she had an inexplicable urge to see him out of his depth.

Paige then picked a beef skewer from the pot and handed it to Julian.

Julian glanced at her, took it, only paused slightly, and then put it in his mouth.

The taste was numbing and spicy. Julian, who was used to bland food, winced slightly on the first bite.

But he kept a straight face, and even Paige didn’t notice anything unusual, truly believing he could handle spicy food. She handed him another skewer.

Julian took it again.

Now, even if Paige handed him poison instead of spicy food, he would swallow it without hesitation.

Paige’s neighbor, Miles Morgan, noticed Julian’s increasingly red face and, thinking the big guy might not handle spicy food, subtly handed over a glass of water.

"Big Brother Hawthorne, maybe you should have some water first?"

Julian didn’t take it, but stared at Miles.

Though his face showed no reaction, having eaten two skewers, his physiological response was apparent, his eyes slightly red, staring at Miles, leaving Miles utterly baffled.

What did he do?

The guy next to Miles noticed how Miles was leaning slightly toward Paige and immediately reached out to pull Miles back.

Sure enough, Julian’s gaze retreated.

Miles, "..."

Silently, he moved his chair aside as well.

The guy previously next to Julian had already kept some distance due to Julian’s aura. Now, with Miles also scared by Julian and moving away, a vacuum formed around Paige and Julian.

At this moment, Simon returned from parking. Seeing the gap, he grabbed a chair, sat down next to Paige, and greeted with a smile, "Sister-in-law, long time no see."

Paige turned her head and asked, "What did you call me?"

"Sister-in-law," Simon blinked. "You’re living with my brother, of course, I have to call you sister-in-law."

Living together?!

Everyone’s eyes instantly focused on Julian.

However, Simon noticed their gazes toward Julian were filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment, as if Julian had saved the galaxy.

Indeed, in Miles and his group’s perspective, anyone who caught Paige’s eye must have saved the galaxy in a past life.

Paige was still waiting for Julian to explain, but he just kept his head down, as if seriously checking if the skewers were cooked, saying nothing.

Paige coughed twice, about to speak when Julian suddenly handed her a skewer, "Have some."

Paige, "..."

Simon, amused, also handed a skewer to his big brother, as if relishing Julian’s embarrassment.

"Big brother, you should eat too."

Julian glanced at him, "I don’t eat this chicken skin."

Clearly, he just saw Julian eat the chicken skin Paige had given him.

So when Paige gave it, it’s not called chicken skin but sweetheart?

With Julian joining, the skewers somehow lost their harmonious atmosphere, and the mood felt awkward.

Seeing this, Paige sighed, tugged at Julian’s sleeve, "Let’s go."

Julian looked at her hand holding his sleeve, and after a moment, he stood up, "Let’s go."

Once they left, Simon stayed behind with the group, and the atmosphere instantly became lively again.

Sitting in the car, Paige thought, Julian really isn’t suited for being approachable, is he?

She turned and said to Julian, "Just drop me back at the Sterling Family."

Back to the Sterling Family again...

Julian paused for a moment, then drove off.

Not paying attention to the route outside, it wasn’t until the car stopped that Paige realized they were in the underground parking lot at Silverstream Bay.

She looked at Julian only to find him staring at her intently.

"Paige, have I done something wrong?"

Paige, "...?"

"Then why are you running away from home?"

Paige, "...?"

Seeing Julian’s aggrieved expression, Paige suddenly felt like she had done something to him.

"President Hawthorne, are you alright?"

Julian pursed his lips, got out of the car, and opened the passenger door.

"Let’s go, back home."

Paige, "..."

In the end, in a daze, she followed Julian upstairs, returning to his home.

Initially, it was said to be a temporary stay, so how did it turn into living together?

Paige couldn’t even figure out where she went wrong. Spending too much time in the lab had made her thinking somewhat robotic.

After showering and preparing to sleep, she thought for a moment, opened the door and glanced around, finding Julian still in the living room reading documents.

She walked out of the bedroom quietly in her soft slippers, making no sound.

Standing behind Julian, she unintentionally glanced at his documents and was momentarily stunned.

The major entrepreneur who bought several islands near the small island was actually Julian?