Chapter 101

Julian pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, about to exit the chat when Sean's message caught his eye. Sean: [Julian, red alarm, you've been cuckolded. You've been cuckolded, Julian].

Seeing the word "cuckold," the first person that came to Julian's mind was Rosalie. His gaze lingered on the word as a dangerous glint flickered in his eyes. He tapped the chat; below Sean's message were several attached photos. The background was the parking lot of Westfield Medical Center. One of the people pictured was Rosalie.

The man in the pink coat supporting her was a stranger to Julian. But seeing Rosalie's bright, carefree smile while chatting with another man churned his stomach. Worse, the man wasn't just standing beside her; he was holding her. From the camera angle, she appeared nestled in his arms.

The more Julian stared at the photos, the darker his expression became. His face was so cold it could freeze over. Gritting his teeth, he muttered, "Rosalie, you never fail to surprise me."

He was unwilling to admit his jealousy, but his sharp eyes could easily kill anyone who dared stand before him. Just when he thought his irritation couldn't increase, Sean kept tagging him in the group chat.

Sean: [Man, you don't even know how good you had it. I mean, sure, Rosalie kinda looks like Roseanne, but let's be real, she's on a whole different level. Rosalie's way classier and way more your type.]

Sean: [I don't know how to explain it, but Rosalie just has that same energy as you. It's like you two look perfect. Roseanne is no match for her.] A distinct note of disdain colored Sean's mention of Roseanne. Seeing no response, he pressed on.

Sean: [Why are you guys so quiet! Emilia? Matteo? Don't you guys agree! Julian? @Julian @Matteo @Emilia]

That comment finally elicited a reaction.

Emilia: [Are you seriously stating the obvious? What does Roseanne even have to compare with Rosalie? Julian's just blind to swap a pearl for a cheap imitation. I'm just gonna sit back and watch him beg for a second chance.]

Sean: [Oh, Emilia, that's too much. If Julian sees this, he's gonna be mad.]

Emilia: [If I can't say my opinion, don't ask me next time. Bye.]

Julian didn't process a single word; his focus remained locked on the photos. His face was a thunderstorm ready to break.

Meanwhile, across town, Roseanne had been glued to her phone all afternoon. She'd waited past working hours, expecting a call, text, or even a punctuation mark from Julian. To her disappointment, there was nothing. A sinking feeling, one she didn't dare confront, crept over her.

Then, a group chat notification popped up. Curious, she clicked and found herself added to a small group by Matteo. The next second, she saw several photos of Rosalie with a ridiculously flamboyant, yet annoyingly handsome, man in a pink suit. They stood close, talking and laughing; their body language was far too intimate.