Chapter 5

"Nothing," I lied. "My legs were tired, just resting them for a bit."

My true intentions couldn't be exposed, otherwise, Julian would never cooperate with me.

Julian's deep, dark eyes lingered on me for a moment, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Those dark eyes seemed to see right through me, and I felt a shiver of unease under his gaze.

Barefoot, I stepped onto the floor, feeling awkward. "Uncle Julian, I should go now."

"Not going to eat something?"

Julian offered me the sandwich in his hand.

"You've exerted a lot of energy. You should replenish it."

"I'll eat it on the way." I grabbed it and hurried out.

Except when seducing him, I actually wasn't very comfortable being alone with Julian.

His eyes were too sharp; I always felt like there was nowhere to hide, as if he could see right through me.

"I have to go on a business trip abroad. Pick me up at the airport in ten days. I'll send you a message." His low voice drifted to me.

My steps faltered for a moment. "Understood."

I arrived back at the villa close to two in the afternoon.

The housekeeper saw me and asked, "Madam, should I send Mr. Hawthorne his nourishing broth today?"

Nourishing broth.

I used to send Rhys a nourishing broth every day.

The day I discovered his affair, I was late delivering the broth. Rhys, thinking I wasn't sending it, felt safe enough to indulge in some office play with his mistress.

That's when I realized that after drinking the tonic I meticulously prepared for him every day, he would then get intimate with his assistant.

He was always so busy with work, and I worried he was losing weight.

So I traveled far and wide to find a reliable herbalist to get a restorative herbal brew recipe.

I personally selected all the ingredients and herbs, pouring my heart into preparing it to keep him healthy.

Yet, he turned around and expended all that energy on his mistress.

My concern now felt like a cruel joke.

I said flatly, "Pack it up. I'll take it over now."

The ironic thing was, despite everything, I still had to pretend nothing was wrong and dutifully deliver it.

Because if I stopped, both the Hawthornes and the Sterlings would assume there was friction in our marriage and send elders to "mediate."

I was a woman living under constant surveillance.

A mere link binding the interests of the Hawthornes and Sterlings. No one cared if the 'item' was happy or not.

As long as the item served its purpose, that was enough.

So, no one truly cared about me.

The broth was packed, and I picked it up, heading out.

Hawthorne Group.

When the front desk called, Rhys was pressing Chloe against his office desk.

Upon hearing I was on my way, he immediately pulled away from Chloe.

"Find somewhere to hide. Don't let Sera see you."

Rhys frantically straightened his rumpled shirt, then opened the window to air out the lingering scent of their encounter.

He had originally fired Chloe after Grandpa Hawthorne's lecture, but he and Chloe were so used to their office trysts that he couldn't stand it after just a few days.

He secretly brought her back, then specifically instructed the front desk to call him immediately if they saw me coming.

As long as I didn't know Chloe was back, everything would be fine.

Chloe picked up her scattered clothes, putting them on, and looked at Rhys with a resentful gaze.

"If I'm such a secret, why bother calling me back?"

Rhys, seeing her unhappiness, cupped her face and kissed her, trying to appease her.

"This is for the good of all three of us. If Sera finds out, she'll just cause another scene.

Then Grandpa Hawthorne will personally step in, and I worry it might be bad for you."