Chapter 14
Chapter 14
London, hotel room.
I lay in the bubble bath, calmly looking at the photos and messages my assistant had sent.
The most striking was a photo of Julian’s self-harm.
The composition was artistically shot.
The man’s clothes disheveled, his collarbones prominent, his knuckles stained with blood, even his precious historical books on the desk marked with crimson
tains.
Jut so what?
Could two measly pen wounds compare to seven years of my battered body?
smiled, feeling strangely calm inside.
‘d expected these photos to cause me heartache, but they didn’t.
blinked and swiped to the next message from my assistant.
Ms. Emma is pregnant.
felt the urge to vomit.
As far as I knew, Emma had been at the estate as a psychologist for less than a month-not even a full menstrual cycle. How could she determine pregnancy?
The only conclusion was that she and Julian had been sleeping together much earlier.
Perhaps during those Cross family-funded history lectures, they’d already been tangled together backstage.
ust not satisfied enough.
After all, the best venue for an affair would be our marital bed at the estate.
I frowned in disgust and turned off my phone.
Hastily wrapping myself in a towel, I called room service for wine.
The doorbell rang right on time.
I tightened my bathrobe and opened the door, freezing when I saw the man.
[ instinctively stepped back.
The man entered with a wine glass, his presence oppressive, speaking in a low, sarcastic tone: “Good evening, Diana.”
It was Gideon.
Julian’s cousin.
Also my ex-boyfriend from a relationship that lasted less than two weeks.
Back in high school, my pursuit of Julian had been legendary-everyone knew about it.
But Julian remained indifferent, only caring about history and grades.
His rejections were always harsh and cutting.
He didn’t even remember my name or face, no matter how hard I tried.
Julian was always cold, treating me like I was invisible.
21:10
Your Frolover in the Car? Screw Off My Billionaire Best Friend le My Croom New
2180
Ay most vivid memory:
Julian was applying for early admission and needest crucial competition scores.
The day before the exam. I braved heavy snow to visit the most famous church nearby, kneeling there all night in prayer, asking the priest to personally write a blessing card
I stayed awake all night, clutching the prayer card as I knocked on Julian’s door.
However, Julian just listened to my explanation expressionlessly, then took the prayer card.
My heart pounded deafeningly
But the next second, Julian suddenly let go.
The prayer card fluttered down into the snow, the ink blurring into illegible stains.
His voice was ice cold and merciless;
“Foolish.”
He closed the door without another glance at me,
That day, I decided never to like Julian again.
But love isn’t controllable.
Even as I repeatedly warned myself, whenever Julian passed my classroom, I couldn’t help staring at his retreating figure.
Until one day, Gideon transferred to my class.
Seeing that face so remarkably similar to Julian’s, my eyes widened.
At the time, I didn’t know what “substitute” meant.
I only knew Gideon was younger, more outgoing, easier to get along with.
I treated him as a distraction.
It wasn’t bad.
They shared blood, but their personalities were complete opposites.
Julian was cold, focused on academics, indifferent to romance.
But Gideon was a playboy, always at the bottom of the class, obsessed with board games and racing.
Getting close to him wasn’t difficult.
Hunting was my specialty.
