Chapter 422

“Of course it’s true!” Jultan held up his hand, swearing as if sealing a vow. “Really, Tessa. After everything that happened today, I realized that I care about you even more. I can’t imagine being without you. I want a life with you; I’m not joking.”

Sitting in the driver’s seat, Tessa looked at how serious he was, and in the end, she was moved.

“Alright. I hear you. I’ll talk to my mother when I get home,” she said sincerely.

And she meant it. Even though she’d argued with Aurora, and she deeply resented Grace’s favoritism, when it came to something as important as marriage, Tessa still wanted her mother’s blessing.

She wanted this union witnessed and acknowledged, not just by her, but by both families. Marriage wasn’t just between two people. It was a merging of lives, families, names. And in matters like that, Tessa remained traditional at heart.

Julian felt a flicker of frustration. He’d hoped for a firm yes, but seeing that he had at least softened her stance, he took it as a win. His smile returned as he gently squeezed her hand over the car window.

“Thank you, Tessa. When the time comes, help put in a good word for me with your mother, alright?” He looked at her, eyes full of emotion. “For me, for us, and for the life we want.”

“Okay.” Tessa’s expression softened as she nodded. “You don’t need to worry. I know what to do.”

Julian brushed his fingers across her cheek, lingering for a moment before asking, “Do you want me to drive you back?”

“No need,” she replied. “Things got a little tense with your parents earlier. Just help me pass along an apology to them.”

Now that she’d made up her mind to commit to this future, she knew appearances mattered. She didn’t want petty arguments or grudges staining what came next. She’d had enough of scheming, enough of cold wars.

Julian understood. She was setting a boundary, making a decision. He nodded quickly. “Don’t worry. I’ll speak to them. Drive safe, alright?”

Tessa gave him a small nod, slipped on her sunglasses, and pulled away without looking back. It wasn’t until Tessa’s car disappeared down the road that Julian’s smile finally faded. In fact, the man standing there now seemed like a completely different person.

When he walked back into the house, Carol rushed over immediately. “Well? Is she still mad?”

“No. I calmed her down,” Julian said casually. “She promised to put in a good word for me with her mom.”

Carol let out a sharp snort. “That little vixen–already stirring up drama before she’s even married in…”

Julian’s gaze turned cold. “Where is she?”

“In the basement,” Carol replied, rolling her eyes. “You’d better be more careful. What if she’d shown up today and your father and I weren’t home? What would you have done then?”

Julian paused in his tracks, considering her words. She had a point.

“Got it, Mom. I’ll move her to a different location soon.”

Carol watched him quietly. For a moment, she considered saying it–telling him to just let the girl go. But in the end, she didn’t. Forget it. They were all adults. She didn’t need to know everything. Everyone had their own preferences and indulgences. Who was she to interfere? And besides, if she said too much, who knew what her son would think of her?

Julian didn’t respond, didn’t even glance back at her. He knew exactly what she was thinking.

But letting that girl go? He would never do that. She was his favorite pet, and no one was going to take her away.

Chapter 423