Chapter 3: Growing Tension
Julian stood behind me, his presence radiating coldness. I could feel the stares from the others around me, and I glanced back at him.
Turning my attention to the girl sitting in the corner of the couch, I saw her cross her legs and twirl her hair, a smug look on her face. That smugness quickly vanished as her expression twisted into one of pure animosity.
It seemed Julian and his little girlfriend were hosting a party, and this was certainly not the first time. Their relationship had gone from secretive meetings to openly displaying themselves as a couple.
As Julian approached, the others moved aside, clearly uncomfortable.
“Mrs. Shaw, I’m so sorry, we were just joking around. We’re idiots,” one of them said, trying to smooth things over.
“Yeah, Julian and Miss Crowe are just friends,” another added, their tone awkward.
“Please don’t take it seriously,” a third chimed in.
Julian grabbed my wrist, attempting to pull me away.
Without a second thought, I threw my drink in his face.
The room went silent. Shocked faces stared at me in disbelief.
I smiled coldly. “Have fun with your little girlfriend. I’ll leave you to savor this.” I tried to pull my wrist from his grip.
His face darkened in fury. Without warning, he hoisted me over his shoulder and stormed out of the room. The others watched, stunned, as he carried me away.
In the hallway, I struggled violently, kicking and thrashing to break free from his grip. When the elevator arrived, he stepped inside, still carrying me. As we ascended, I caught sight of a pair of well-polished black leather shoes. Looking up, I noticed a tall figure—his straight, long legs, and cold, pale fingers. The tension in the air was palpable.
As the elevator doors opened again, I glanced up, only to meet his eyes. I quickly looked away, lowering my head to hide my discomfort.
Outside the club, Julian threw me into the backseat of the car, then climbed in beside me. Dizzily, I sat up, feeling the sharp throb in my head. I was sure I had a concussion from his grip.
Julian wiped his face with wet wipes, his gaze cold. I noticed a condom behind the tissue box. He spoke sharply, “What are you doing here? Gathering evidence of my infidelity?”
I tried to open the door, eager to escape the dirty car, but he pulled me back. “Where do you think you’re going? What the hell do you want?”
I gripped my palm, steadying my breath. “I’m going home.”
Julian called his assistant Roy to drive us home. Along the way, we didn’t speak a word. I felt nauseous, and my face was pale. The moment we arrived, I rushed out of the car and downed a glass of ice water. Slowly, the dizziness began to fade.
Julian was sitting in the living room when I walked in. I sat down, and for a moment, there was nothing but suffocating silence. Finally, he broke it.
“I went there for a project, and you turned it into a scene. It was embarrassing. Did you even see yourself? Full-on crazy lady vibes back there.”
I responded calmly, “Anything else?”
“If you want this to last, stop being so jealous. I can’t keep babysitting your insecurities.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
He frowned. “Olivia, do you realize how insufferable you’re being?”
I stood up with a smile, the kind that was destined to disappear from his life soon. “I’m going upstairs.”
I could feel his eyes on me as I walked away. Annoyed by my smile, he sat in the living room for a while, brooding. Eventually, he followed me upstairs.
When he found me asleep after my shower, he slid into bed next to me.
I turned my back, keeping as much distance as possible. But, with an abrupt movement, he pulled me into his arms. His grip was tight, furious, leaving no room for escape.
It was a sleepless night.
The next morning, I made breakfast for myself. Julian came downstairs, his eyes scanning the room. He saw me eating bread alone, preparing to leave, but then he changed his mind. He approached me, his voice soft.
“We’ll go to the sea for two days this weekend, just the two of us.”
I took a sip of milk, my tone flat. “Sure.”
But, not surprisingly, the day before the weekend, he stood me up again, claiming a sudden business trip to Hong Kong. I didn’t care anymore.
He might not realize it, but we hadn’t shared a meal together in a long time. He warned me not to bring up divorce, but he treated me like a roommate, not a wife.
At the end of the week, I gathered my books from the shelf and packed them into a suitcase, preparing to move into my new home.
As I was unpacking, my mother-in-law called. I answered politely, “Hello, Mrs. Shaw.”
Her voice was cold and commanding. “Come over to my place. Let’s put our previous agreement in writing—clear terms, no misunderstandings.”
“Is that really necessary?”
“Yes.”
“Fine, I’ll be there this afternoon.”
“Come by at noon.”
I had no reason to refuse.
Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, Seraphine was watching Julian and Rita walk through the garden together. A wide smile spread across her face as she enjoyed the scene. She wanted Olivia to see what a perfect match Julian and Rita were, to see who truly belonged at his side.
