Chapter 60

From the way Julian had always watched me, it was obvious he carried some twisted kind of affection. With how I looked, maybe it wasn’t shocking. But the boldness he showed just now?That stunned me.

Honestly, he and Camilla were alike two people wrapped in arrogance, blind to anything but themselves.

The anger inside me snapped. I shoved the door open hard, storming in with heat crawling up my neck.

“Are you completely out of your mind?” I snapped. “Marry you? What kind of joke is that? I’m already “

Before the words could slip out, Lewis moved between us, calm and controlled.

“You heard everything?” he asked quietly.

My stomach dropped. I had been seconds away from saying too much. My pulse raced, my hands trembling with leftover fury.

“I’ve never met anyone as shameless as you,” I said, glaring straight at Julian.

His eyes widened, guilt flickering through them. He didn’t expect me to meet him head-on.

He straightened his shoulders. “Ms. Ashbourne… since you heard everything, I’ll be honest. If I ever bond again, I want it to be with you. You remind me so much of my ex-wife. I made mistakes, but I truly loved her and “

“Stop,” I cut in, my tone sharp enough to slice. “So I’m supposed to be Elena’s replacement now? Is that what this is? That’s pathetic. You’re like a toad hoping someone will call it a prince. Do you think all good men have disappeared and I should settle for a coward like you p>

I didn’t hold back. And I didn’t regret it.

“Easy,” Lewis murmured, placing a steadying hand on my back. The touch softened my temper just enough to breathe.

But when he turned to Julian, his voice hardened, sharp with dominance.

“Riley is my mate,” Lewis said. “Not someone you can lay claim to like a prize. Don’t ever bring this up again p>

“Uncle Lewis, I’m serious “

“Enough,” Lewis said, cold and final. “Leave p>

Julian froze, face pale, humiliation twisting his features. With no other choice, he walked out. Bitterness trailed behind him like smoke.

Once he was gone, I crossed my arms, still fuming. “And what if he asks again? Are you going to hand me over like some offering p>

The words slipped out before I could stop them.Part of me had started to wonder. He always went easy on Julian. Julian bragged about it often enough.

I stepped closer, grabbed Lewis by the collar, and glared into his eyes. “Tell me the truth. What exactly did you let him get away with before p>

Lewis’s eyes darkened, shadows settling deep. He didn’t look away. “The worst mistake of my life,” he said quietly. “One I regret every day. And one I will never repeat p>

Before I could ask, he spoke again.

“If one day you find someone else… someone you love… and you want to leave me, I won’t stop you p>

“There’s no need for that,” I said quickly.

He shook his head, cutting off my words. “The woman I love is standing right here p>

I froze.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.So he had been holding that in all this time?

Trying to steer away from the weight of it, I cleared my throat. “Okay enough. I want some fruit. Can you cut it for me p>

His lips curved into a small, warm smile. “Of course p>

“I’ll change first,” I added.

“I’ll be waiting,” he said gently.

I hurried to the changing room, flipping through my clothes, trying to calm the faint tremor running through me.Still… I couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes on me. A burning stare sliding across my skin, making my instincts bristle.

After changing, I headed downstairs. As soon as I rounded the corner, an arm shot out and yanked me into a storage room.

I stumbled, almost yelling until I realized where I was. The Hale residence. Safe territory.

Still, the scene felt too close to the night everything went wrong. My heart hammered.

Under the dim light, Julian’s face appeared.

He clamped a hand over my mouth. I tore it off instantly, disgust rolling through me.

“Are you insane, Julian?” I hissed.

“Lower your voice,” he said with a smirk. “Unless you want the staff to hear us and spread rumors. My name’s already ruined. I’ve got nothing to lose p>

“You really have no shame,” I said, anger shaking in my voice.

The charm he always faked gone.What stood before me was a man with no restraints left.

“I just want to talk,” he murmured, as if we were discussing the weather. “So stop fighting me p>

Julian kept talking like I hadn’t said a single word.

“Everything I said earlier I meant it,” he insisted. “I know your marriage to Uncle Lewis isn’t real. Everyone knows your ex left you for Lincy. Everyone knows you tried to get out of that marriage the hard way. And now suddenly you’re Lewis’s wife? It’s obvious you’re doing this out of revenge p>

I stayed quiet, wanting to see how far he’d drag this fantasy.

“Let’s be honest,” he said, stepping closer. “Uncle Lewis might be married, but he already cares for someone else. Whoever he chose wouldn’t matter. You were just the most convenient option because of your family name p>

“And?” I asked lightly, folding my arms.

He took that as encouragement idiot.

“I know we don’t feel anything for each other,” he went on, “but you look so much like my ex-wife. Being with you would feel like getting a second chance. I want to fix what I ruined p>

“So you think,” I said slowly, “that because my marriage is based on status, I should pick you instead p>

His smile turned smug. “Exactly. Between us, I’m the better choice. I’m younger, stronger. I can offer you things Lewis can’t.” He leaned in a little. “He can’t hold you or take care of you. But I can p>

I scoffed. “Is that the same excuse you used to crawl into Camilla’s bed p>

“She tricked me!” he snapped. “But if you bond with me, I swear I’ll treat you right. I’ll love you. I’ll protect you. I’ll give you everything I failed to give her p>

“You’re delusional,” I muttered.

He suddenly stepped in. Too close.

“Do you really want to live like a widow?” he murmured. “He’s been like this for years. Do you honestly think he can give you a child p>

My mind flashed back to that morning when my knee brushed Lewis by accident, and the sudden heat that answered.He was far from incapable.Very far.

I paused for a second one second too long.

Julian took it as an invitation and leaned closer. His lips skimmed the top of my ear.

“But I can,” he whispered. “I can make you feel like a woman aga “

“You filthy creep p>

I shoved him so hard he stumbled. I threw the door open and stormed out, skin crawling.

Disgusting. Every part of me rejected him.Did he really think a working body made him some kind of prize?

And even if Lewis wasn’t capable which he absolutely was I would still never lower myself to choose someone like Julian.If physical attention was all I wanted, I could stand outside for five minutes and have better options lining up.

Furious, I headed straight for the kitchen, grabbed a tray of fruit, and went upstairs.

Passing through the living room, I saw Julian again.I shot him a glare cold enough to crack stone.

He had no idea how deeply I despised him in that moment.

When I reached the room, I decided not to tell Lewis anything.He didn’t need Julian’s filth in his head.

I smiled gently and held out the tray. “Mr. Hale, I wasn’t sure what fruit you like, so I brought a mix p>

“I like grapes,” he said with a soft smile.

I picked one up and held it toward him, expecting him to take it with his fingers.

Instead, he leaned forward and closed his lips around my fingertips along with the grape.

“M-Mr. Hale p>

“Sweet,” he murmured, chewing the grape, eyes fixed on mine. His voice dropped low, warm, carrying something deeper than words.

He held my gaze.

“Want to try one p>