Chapter 489

“And besides, I’ve got more than enough villas. This one’s no big deal. I’ll come pick you up now and take you to another,” Julian said casually.

He happened to be at the supermarket when he spotted a boxed kids’ umbrella covered in silly cartoon prints.

He smiled, picked it up, and held it toward the camera, flashing it at Tessa during the video call.

“See? I’m at the store. I’ll head back right now. Baby, I’ve missed you.”

Tessa blushed at the sound of his voice, swatting at the screen with a playful pout. “You’re such a tease. Hurry up, I’m waiting.”

“Ten minutes. I’m on my way.”

Worried Lily might pull something while he was out, Julian sped through traffic, ignoring red lights like they were suggestions.

By the time he arrived, Tessa was sitting in her car, bored out of her mind, just waiting for him.

Today, Julian was dressed in a fitted black shirt, hair slicked neatly back, his whole look carrying a touch of refined edge.

He might not have had Lucas’ striking sharpness, but compared to most men, he still stood out with an effortlessly polished charm.

“You’re quicker than I expected,” Tessa remarked.

Julian jogged up to her with a grin. “Of course. I couldn’t wait to see you.”

She caught sight of what he’d just bought and met the smoldering look in his eyes–heat rushed to her cheeks before she could stop it.

“Come on, it’s the middle of the day,” she said, trying to keep a straight face. “I came to talk about something important.”

“Yes, yes, I’m the one with the filthy mind,” he said with mock surrender.

He took her hand and pulled her into her car, leaving his own vehicle behind without a second thought.

Not like anyone else was going to drive it.

That whole “friend” story was pure fiction.

Tessa raised a brow. “You’re just leaving your car here?”

“Of course. My ‘friend’ only drops by occasionally. I figured if I showed up and ran into him, it might get awkward. You know how it is–grown-ups and their little secrets,” he said, shooting her a look laced with suggestion.

Tessa caught on immediately, reading between the lines.

It seemed like this so-called friend of his was just as shameless as Julian, probably using the place for the same sort of thing.

Julian pressed his face into the curve of Tessa’s neck, nuzzling her with a hunger that was hard to miss.

“Baby, I’ve missed you so much,” he murmured.

The subtle scent clinging to her skin stirred something primal in him.

Tessa, of course, was more than pleased by the reaction.

The more eager Julian was, the more it proved just how much she still captivated him.

Among other women, she still had her charm, and she’d managed to hook a man as high-caliber as Julian.

“Alright now,” she said, brushing him off lightly. “Didn’t you say this place is for your friend? Let’s go to one of your villas. We wouldn’t want to get caught.”

Julian paused, then nodded in agreement.

She had a point.

It was better to leave. If they stuck around and the housekeeper showed up, things might get complicated.

“Fine, whatever my baby says,” he said with a grin, planting a quick kiss on her lips before slipping behind the wheel.

He drove them off without looking back.

No one noticed the woman lying in the room at the back of the villa.

Lily was cloaked in silence and cut off from daylight.

Beyond her balcony, all she could see was a stretch of desolate hillside.

The villa was so remote that even if she screamed for help, there’d be no one to hear.

The only people she ever laid eyes on anymore were the housekeeper and Julian.

The thought alone made her heart sink.

How had her life ended up like this?

Things between her and Julian hadn’t always been this way. There had been a time when he treated her decently.

But lately, it was like he’d turned into someone else entirely.