Chapter 3

But by the time I discovered Julian’s feelings, I was already with Ethan.

So, I buried that secret deep in my heart.

Later, Julian returned to the country as the youngest CEO of the Sterling Group.

He never crossed the line or disturbed my life.

Until a few weeks ago.

Ethan was driving me home when he got a call from Chloe. She said she was moving and needed help. Ethan U-turned immediately to help her pack.

But there was too much stuff to fit in the car. Ethan actually asked me to get out so Chloe could sit in the passenger seat.

He left me on the side of the road. I waited for two hours, but he never came back.

I called him a dozen times. No one answered.

Then my phone died.

It was ninety-five degrees outside. I ended up getting heatstroke and fainted on the sidewalk.

Julian happened to drive by, found me, carried me into his car, and rushed me to the ER.

When I woke up, he was sitting by my bedside, his eyes bloodshot with worry.

"Nadia, how long are you going to keep swallowing your pride for him?"

Looking back, human emotions are strange.

When you're loved, you think you have all the time in the world.

But love can vanish just as quickly as it comes.

That day in the hospital, when I plugged my phone in and turned it on, I realized something.

It had been seven hours. And Ethan hadn't sent a single text to check on me.

At that exact moment, I decided to leave him.

Ethan thought I was desperate to get married because of my age. He thought that after seven years, I had no other options.

It was true that I wanted to settle down and start a family.

But that didn't mean it had to be with him.

Julian helped me buckle my seatbelt.

"Do you have your ID?"

"Yes."

He looked at me. "Are you sure about this?"

I looked out the window.

The bright lights of the hotel reflected on the glass, looking like a fake, hollow dream.

I parted my lips, my voice steady. "I'm sure."

Julian said softly, "Okay."

The car started.

I turned to look at him and asked, "Aren't you going to ask me why I suddenly agreed to marry you?"

His hand on the steering wheel tightened slightly.

"I’ve asked myself many times why I kept waiting for you."

"The answer was always the same."

"So now that you’re finally looking back at me, I’m just going to catch you."

My heart skipped a beat.

The next morning, Julian and I went straight to City Hall.

When we stood in front of the camera, I was still a little dazed.

The photographer asked us to stand closer.

Julian turned slightly, his shoulder gently brushing against mine.

He didn't take the opportunity to wrap his arm around me. Instead, he whispered, "Is this okay?"

I nodded.

Only then did he gently place his hand on my waist, leaving a polite distance.

My heart warmed.

Respect is shown in the smallest details. When you've been taken for granted for so long, even a tiny bit of respect feels incredibly precious.

When we got our marriage certificate, Julian stared at it for a long time.

I couldn't help but ask, "What are you looking at?"

His thumb gently traced our names on the paper. "Just making sure I'm not dreaming."

I laughed.

It was the first genuine laugh I’d had in weeks.

He looked at me, his eyes full of warmth.

"Nadia, want to come to the Sterling estate for dinner tonight?"

I blinked, suddenly nervous. "Isn't that... a bit too sudden?"

"Not at all."

He opened the passenger door for me.

"My grandfather has been talking about you for years."

I was shocked. "He knows me?"

Julian looked down, a soft smile on his lips. "Yeah."

"In high school, when my grades dropped to second place in the grade, he asked me why."

"I told him it was because the person in first place was too beautiful to distract me."

I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"You seemed so serious back then."

"I was acting. I was afraid of scaring you away."

His voice was calm but incredibly sweet.

As I sat in the car, the cold, empty place in my heart felt like it was suddenly flooded with warm sunshine.

Late that night, Ethan finally sent me his first text.

[Are you done throwing your tantrum?]

I didn't reply.

Five minutes later, another text popped up.

[I already had the ring sanitized. We are signing the marriage papers tomorrow. Don’t be late.]