CHAPTER 554: CHAPTER 554: YOU REALLY ARE A JERK

Helen Hale said, "Of course, it’s for lovers to eventually unite, you and Miss Sterling together, and Julian and I together, that is the right path. If they are together, none of us four will be happy. Since they’re unwilling to fight fate and unwilling to recognize their true feelings, why shouldn’t we help them? What do you think, Young Master Xavier?"

Austin Xavier chuckled, "And what makes you think you can do it?"

"Where there’s a will, there’s a way. How do you know if it’ll succeed if you don’t try? What if it works, then Young Master Xavier can get the person of his dreams. Even if it fails, it won’t get any worse. Since that’s the case, why shouldn’t we gamble?"

Austin Xavier tapped his fingers on the steering wheel twice, "I heard Miss Hale is getting married."

It’s merely a choice made out of helplessness. If I could, I wouldn’t want to marry someone else. Just because I’m unwilling to resign myself, I want to make one last effort before getting married. Even I, as a woman, can put everything on the line, so what’s holding you back, Young Master Xavier? What do you think?"

Austin Xavier didn’t look at her, simply asked, "What do you plan to do then?"

Helen Hale replied, "This is not something I can do alone, I’ll need Young Master Xavier’s cooperation."

Seeing Austin Xavier didn’t interrupt her, Helen Hale continued, "I know about Young Master Xavier’s capabilities. As long as you can take Miss Sterling away before their wedding, far away would suffice."

Austin Xavier sneered, "So you don’t have to do anything, let me do it, and you just reap the benefits. Is this what you call cooperation?"

"Of course, that’s not the case. Young Master Xavier, you take away Paige Sterling, and during this time, I’ll win over Julian’s heart. Even if Paige comes back later, they won’t be able to be together. By then, everything will return to the right path, won’t it?"

Austin Xavier shattered her self-righteous fantasy.

"Miss Hale, despite your efforts over the years, you haven’t succeeded in winning Julian’s heart. What makes you think you can capture his heart now?"

Helen Hale’s face turned somewhat grim for a moment, Austin Xavier’s words were nothing short of an insult to her.

Then Austin Xavier added, "Miss Hale, the most important thing is to recognize oneself. Don’t overestimate your appeal. Instead of thinking you can capture Julian’s heart quickly, I suggest you might as well use some drugs to first take over his body."

Would Paige Sterling want a man who has been touched by someone else?

She’d probably be disgusted just thinking about it.

Moreover, Julian has those complicated allergies. If Helen Hale really touched him, he might just end up dead.

But with Helen Hale’s mind, it’s unlikely she will succeed in such a scheme.

Yet, what if? What if Helen Hale takes the gamble and succeeds? No matter the outcome, Paige will definitely never be with Julian again.

Without Julian as a strong rival, his chances grow larger.

Austin Xavier directly handed a glass bottle to Helen Hale, "If Miss Hale wants to cooperate with me, you’ll have to show me your capabilities first. Once you have the ability to get Julian, come back and talk cooperation with me, okay?"

Holding the glass bottle, Helen Hale’s heart pounded wildly, "What is this?"

Austin Xavier replied, "It’s a drug to spice things up."

Helen Hale, "...", What normal man carries this kind of thing around? Is Austin Xavier a devil?

Helen Hale ultimately stepped out of the car with the glass bottle that Austin Xavier gave her, bewildered and utterly unaware that she intended to use Austin Xavier to take away Paige Sterling to stop the wedding. But in the end, she got distracted by Austin Xavier, forgetting her original goal altogether.

After a whole day of shooting wedding photos, Paige Sterling was a bit tired and went to bed early, waking up around noon the next day.

When she woke up, Julian wasn’t in bed, but she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.

Paige stepped out of bed in her slippers and headed to the bathroom, where she saw Julian shaving in front of the mirror.

Paige leaned her body against the wall, staring at Julian.

Julian turned to look at her, "What are you looking at?"

Before Paige could respond, he was already basking in his own vanity, "Do you think I’m so good-looking that you can’t take your eyes off me?"

Paige twitched at the corners of her mouth, giving Julian a light kick with her foot, "Shameless."

Julian finished washing his face, then approached her, pressing his face to hers, "I just want you, what’s the point of being ashamed?"

Paige, "... Julian, what changed you?"

Julian, "It was you."

Paige refused to acknowledge that Julian’s current self-love was because of her.

Clearly, it was Julian’s true nature, previously repressed, now unleashed and fully displayed, impossible to contain.

But luckily, Julian only behaved that way in front of her. In public, he was still that impeccably aloof Mr. Hawthorne, maintaining his character.

Paige turned around, "I truly feel like divorcing you."

It was just a fleeting thought, a joke.

But Julian couldn’t bear to hear it, reached out, pulled her over, lifting her arms, and placed her on the bathroom counter.

Julian looked at her dangerously, "Mrs. Hawthorne, I’ll give you a chance to rephrase that."

To express his threat, his hand slid boldly up her thigh.

Lately, Julian probably was really bored, having explored numerous harmonious marital positions, leaving Paige frightened.

Seeing him that way now, she feared he might just go wild suddenly.

She swallowed, saying, "I said I really want to spend a lifetime with you."

"Hmm?"

"To spend a lifetime with you."

Only then did Julian’s expression improve, and he gently pinched Paige’s chin, giving her a light peck on the lips.

He couldn’t stand hearing any words about her wanting to leave him, never could.

"You must not mention divorce again. If you do, I’ll just die to show you."

Paige, "..."

Paige hugged his head, "Alright, I won’t say it again, you don’t have to threaten death every time. I don’t like hearing that."

"Okay, as long as you don’t mention divorce, I won’t mention dying."

Paige laughed, extracting Julian’s head from her embrace, and scrutinized him, clutching his chin.

"Mr. Hawthorne has been very concerned with his appearance lately, huh."

Paige didn’t know that Julian felt pressured by their age difference lately. After all, he was significantly older than Paige, who was young and beautiful. He feared that if he didn’t take care of his appearance and grooming, people would mistake him for Paige’s father when they were out together.

So every time they went out, he meticulously dressed up to look like a young man.

The cupboard full of black, white, and gray suits had largely disappeared, replaced by clothes a youthful guy would wear.

Paige hadn’t noticed till today.

"Mr. Hawthorne, you’re not entering a beauty contest. Why make yourself so pretty every day?"

Julian, "Just like women dress up for men they like, men do the same."

"So you dress up for me?"

"Who else then?"

Paige squinted, grinning, as she lowered her head to kiss Julian, "You were handsome even without dressing up."

Then added, "But I like the way you dress up for me."

Like a peacock.

But she only dared to think it, if not Mr. Hawthorne with his prideful nature would be upset.

Julian, indeed, found pleasure in Paige’s words, and couldn’t resist, pushing her onto the countertop in harmonious delight.

Once finished, Paige angrily kicked him aside.

He rubbed his chest, "When I’m wanted, I’m your darling, and when not, I get kicked away. You’re truly heartless."

Paige, "..."