CHAPTER 540: CHAPTER 540: NOT LISTENING

Paige Sterling returned home, only to find Julian Hawthorne, who claimed he was going to a men’s gathering, already waiting there.

Paige was a bit surprised, and asked Julian, "Did the gathering end so early?"

Julian replied, "There wasn’t much going on, so I came back."

Mr. Hawthorne really was only there to notify everyone that he was getting married.

With his goal accomplished, there naturally wasn’t much left to do.

Paige couldn’t help but twitch her lips, and as she lowered her head to change her shoes, Julian came over and hugged her from behind, asking, "Are you a bit upset?"

Before Paige could say anything, the ever-overthinking Mr. Hawthorne asked,

"Is it because of the marriage that you’re upset?"

"Is it because the wedding is being rushed?"

"Is it because you don’t want to have a wedding with me?"

Every soul-searching question left Paige completely flustered.

She thought she was the only one nervous about the wedding, but it turned out Julian was even more nervous—see, he’s probably been overthinking this whole time.

After a while, Julian softly added, "I’m sorry."

Paige went, "...?"

Julian said, "I know you don’t want to marry me, all this is just me forcing you, so you’re not happy."

Paige opened her mouth, about to discuss this topic seriously with Julian, but he didn’t give her the chance, pulling off one stunt after another.

"If you’re really against it, if you really don’t want to have a wedding with me, then we can cancel the wedding."

Paige’s eye twitched fiercely; at this point, was he still deliberately playing mind games with her?

Paige really wanted to pry open this man’s brain to see how many twists and turns there were inside.

She turned her head, looking at Julian with a half-smile, "Are you serious?"

Julian seemed a little hurt, his expression dimming, and he mumbled, "Really."

Paige said, "Alright then, let’s cancel the wedding."

Julian’s body immediately stiffened, and he couldn’t keep up his expression, "...That’s not really good, is it?"

Paige said, "Weren’t you the one who said to cancel it?"

Julian said, "But we’ve already sent out invitations, the venue is set, and we’ve spent money. Canceling it just like that, we not only offend people but also waste money..."

Paige said, "...Hehe."

Julian said, "I’m so tired, let’s go to bed."

But the next day, Paige still remembered Julian’s antics from last night.

Julian was also afraid Paige would remember, so he laid in bed pretending to be dead, refusing to get up.

After Paige washed up, she leaned over to urge him.

"Get up quickly, go inform Secretary Jones, the wedding is canceled, stop proceeding, we need to cut our losses while we can, we shouldn’t waste money."

Julian lifted his eyelids, looking weak, "I’m not feeling well today."

Paige raised her brow, asking, "Where do you feel unwell? Do you need me to call a doctor?"

"My stomach’s upset, but it will pass, no need for a doctor."

Paige responded with an "oh," "Then you should talk to Secretary Jones tomorrow, and don’t send any more invitations."

But by the afternoon Julian was still sending out invitations, and the next day Paige brought up the wedding cancellation again. Julian, however, without the slightest pretense said, "Today my back hurts."

"Oh, your back hurts?" Paige gave Julian’s waist a meaningful glance, "Mr. Hawthorne, as you’re getting older, you should really take better care of yourself."

Julian said, "..."

By the third day, Paige asked again, and Julian made yet another excuse. Paige said, "Then remember to tell Secretary Jones tomorrow..."

And so another day passed, then another, and no one knew how many "tomorrows" passed, yet the wedding still hadn’t been canceled.

Paige saw Mr. Hawthorne diligently playing sick every day, and didn’t know what to say about him.

When they first met, he was a paragon of aloofness, but now he just seemed like a refined rascal.

He could turn on a dime quicker than anyone.

And when playing rogue, he was more persistent than anyone.

Mr. Hawthorne truly was a wolf of a man.

Paige was speechless towards him, asking, "Mr. Hawthorne, are you capable or not?"

Julian’s face, which moments ago lacked any color, suddenly turned flushed. He stood up, using his height advantage to trap Paige in his embrace, eyes dangerously squinting as he stared at her.

"Professor Sterling, you can say I’m capable of anything, but you can’t say I’m not capable at all."

Then he demonstrated with actions what it meant to still have his game, proving his vigor was undiminished.

Paige said, "..."

Your back hurts, Mr. Hawthorne, can’t you exercise a bit of restraint?

Did you resign from your position as the chairman of the Hawthorne Group just to stay home and prove your manhood all day?

A few days later, Julian went to the company and was discussing some wedding details with Secretary Jones.

Just then, Paige knocked and came in, flashing a smile at Julian, "Mr. Hawthorne, about the wedding, I think..."

Before Paige could even finish her sentence, Mr. Hawthorne’s face went pale in an instant.

He went white so quickly and genuinely that even Secretary Jones was stunned, thinking Julian might actually be ill, and turned pale himself.

"President Hawthorne, are you okay?"

Julian supported his head with a pained expression, but his eyes were on Paige, "My head hurts..."

Paige said, "Mr. Hawthorne, your head has been hurting for almost half a month now, and it’s not getting better?"

Julian muttered, "The doctor said as long as I’m dealing with happy matters, my head won’t hurt."

Paige laughed to herself, "Secretary Jones, please step out for a moment, I need to have a word with President Hawthorne."

Secretary Jones left the room in a daze, closing the door behind him.

Just as Paige was about to speak, Julian, taking advantage of no outsiders being present, dropped all pretense of being the domineering president and stood up, suddenly collapsing at Paige’s feet, pathetically clutching her leg.

"My head hurts."

If anyone else were to see Julian like this, it would undoubtedly make him a trending topic.

Paige had long since seen through Julian, and didn’t believe him at all.

"Okay, get up quickly, what would people think if they saw this?"

Julian looked up at her, practically like a pouting, sulky child.

"Then you’re not allowed to mention canceling the wedding anymore, and for the rest of our lives, no talk of divorcing either."

Paige said, "I think this matter...", still requiring careful consideration.

But Julian already knew what she was about to say, "Thinking isn’t allowed! In any case, you’re not allowed!"

Paige looked helpless, "Why are you so domineering, I think..."

Recently Julian, with nothing to do, perhaps has watched too many melodramatic clichés; he started shaking his head wildly, "I’m not listening, I’m not listening, I’m not listening..."

Paige said, "You must listen, you must listen, you must listen..."

Having said it, Paige realized she was being led astray by Julian.

"Julian Hawthorne, get up now, I have something to tell you."

Julian continued shaking his head, acting more roguishly than anyone Paige had ever seen, "I’m not listening, not listening..."

Paige said, "Mr. Hawthorne, are you a ruffian?" Was she blind back then? Why did she ever think this man was aloof and indifferent?

Julian said, "I am a ruffian, not listening, not listening, just not listening..."

This dog of a man truly has gone too far!

As Paige and Julian were at a stalemate, the office door was pushed open, and Simon Hawthorne walked in with a grin, "Big brother, sister-in-law..."

But upon seeing Julian sitting on the floor like a rascal, Simon’s expression cracked in an instant.

This... is his big brother?

Did he get possessed? Was he being controlled?

Julian let loose in front of Paige, but was always image-conscious with others.

Now, he felt a light embarrassment, and Paige had to save face for him, "Your big brother fell accidentally."

Then she looked at Julian, "Aren’t you getting up?"

Julian stood up.

Simon nodded cooperatively, "This floor sure is a bit too slippery, be careful when you walk, big brother, hehe..."

Julian’s face was expressionless, shifting immediately to his high-cool CEO look, "Do you need something?"

Simon said, "No, not really, just..."

Before he could finish, Julian issued his eviction order, "If there’s nothing, then why aren’t you leaving?"

Simon said, "..."