Chapter 52: A Complicated Matter
Julian’s sudden halt in his actions left Layla confused. Before she could ask what was wrong, Julian sat beside her, adjusting his clothes. “Sorry, I got carried away. You should get up.”
Layla felt dazed, something inside her felt like it had shattered. Her whole body turned cold as the moment she had anticipated fell apart unexpectedly.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked instinctively, searching her mind for anything she could have done to cause this.
She couldn’t think of anything, so she reached out to try and reignite his desire. But before she could even touch him, Julian grabbed her wrist.
“You know I don’t like repeating myself.”
His cold expression stopped her from saying anything further, and she obediently sat up. Julian’s demeanor softened slightly as he watched her. Gently, he helped fix her clothes, which he had disheveled earlier. “It’s late. I’ll have the driver take you back to school.”
Without waiting for Layla’s response, Julian called for the driver.
Realizing she had no choice, Layla knew that she had to leave tonight. Despite her frustration at how things had unfolded, she couldn’t argue against him.
As Layla left, Julian was once again alone in the villa. He lit a cigarette and, unsurprisingly, found himself thinking of Chloe. His mood worsened, and he impulsively called William.
William, who was about to engage in some intimate activities with a woman he had brought home, sighed when he saw Julian’s call. He reluctantly paused his plans.
“What’s going on? Can’t sleep? Unlike you, I actually have something to do,” William teased, though he answered anyway.
“I need you to find me a woman,” Julian said bluntly. Their years of friendship meant William instantly knew what he meant.
William chuckled, surprised. “Aren’t you worried this might come back to bite you? Don’t you and Chloe have some sort of reconciliation going on?”
“What does it matter? It’s not like it’s the first time,” Julian replied dismissively.
William laughed. “Alright, alright. I’ll sort it out. Just sit tight; you’ll have what you need soon enough.”
Within a few minutes, William sent Julian the address. They didn’t need to say much more–both knew what the arrangement was.
Julian grabbed his coat and headed out.
The next morning, Julian and William ran into each other in the hallway of the hotel suite. Both were wearing robes, and they realized it was already midday
This hotel belonged to William’s family, and the suite had always been reserved for William’s use.
As they reached the lounge, a sultry woman passed by, her gaze lingering on Julian with a hint of disappointment. Julian, however, remained indifferent and calm.
“You didn’t even try to be gentle with her, did you? That look she gave you could melt hearts,” William teased.
Chapter 52 A Complicated Matter
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Julian rolled his eyes. “She wanted money; I wanted company. There’s nothing to feel bad about. If you feel sorry for her, you go comfort her.”
William lifted his wine glass in a mock toast. “Care for a drink?”
Julian shook his head. He wasn’t in the mood, especially not this early. Lighting a cigarette, he reflected on the previous night. Even after everything, he didn’t feel as relieved as he had hoped. Something unnameable and unsettling still clung to him.
As William sipped his drink, he lazily watched Julian and asked, “Aren’t you worried Chloe might find out and cause a scene?”
Julian exhaled smoke and replied coolly, “What’s there to worry about? She’s just an ex.”
William blinked, surprised. He had thought the two had reconciled, but it seemed he was wrong. They hadn’t made up at all. Still, Julian’s behavior puzzled him–he had a girlfriend now.
“What about that young girlfriend of yours? Layla, right? If you need someone to ease your stress, wouldn’t she be happy to oblige? Why involve me?”
He remembered Layla–a sweet, young girl. Though she didn’t quite match Chloe in terms of looks or presence, she was youthful and innocent in a way that was undeniably attractive.
Julian’s reply was blunt: “She’s too much of a hassle.”
William understood immediately. There are some people you know are best left untouched, and Layla was one of them. Yet William couldn’t help but laugh at Julian’s contradiction. If Layla was too much trouble, why had he pursued Chloe in the first place?
“You’re strange, you know. Back when you were with Chloe, you didn’t think of her as a hassle. Now, suddenly, everything’s too much for you?”
Julian paused briefly before replying, “That’s why we finally broke up. It was getting to be too much after all these years.”
William laughed. None of them were saints.
As October arrived, the weather grew colder, and Chloe received an email from the SCI journal, Her paper had passed the initial review. Upon hearing the news, Mia squealed with excitement and immediately hugged Chloe.
“Oh my god, you’re incredible! You passed the first review! You’re a genius! We have to celebrate–let me take you out to dinner!”
Chloe smiled modestly at Mia’s enthusiasm, though she wasn’t ready to celebrate just yet. It was only the first review, and there was still the possibility things could change. She didn’t want to get too excited in case things didn’t work out as planned.
“It’s just the first review,” Chloe said. “There’s no need to celebrate yet. What if it doesn’t get accepted in the end? Wouldn’t that waste a perfectly good dinner?”
Mia pouted. “Come on! We’ll worry about the final result later. This is still a huge deal! Passing the initial review is already amazing!”
Chapter 53 What kind of Person
