Chapter 309

Sienna teased, “Oh! Weren’t you just saying you’d pay double to get it back? Now that you know I was the one who bought it, you’re changing your tune this fast? Looks like I’m pretty special to you after all.”

Julian felt a rush of heat flood his body, like he was burning up. “Sienna, we’re best friends, aren’t we?”

At his words, something flickered in Sienna’s eyes. Julian couldn’t quite catch it before she quickly hid it away. Probably, it was disappointment.

Julian knew he shouldn’t let himself hope. She had a family of her own.

Maybe things weren’t great between her and Thorn, but they’d still lived together for ten years. Julian didn’t have any right to ruin her family.

Sienna propped her chin on one hand, giving him a devilish, enchanting smile that could steal anyone’s heart.

“Julian, after all these years, have you really only ever seen me as a friend?” she asked.

Without a second thought, Julian blurted out, “Of course not. In his heart, she was his beloved, his first crush, the only one he ever loved.”

Sienna fixed him with a teasing, unreadable smile. “Then what am I to you?”

Julian clenched his fists tight, nerves buzzing. “Have I read her right, or am I just imagining things?” he wondered.

“Sienna, do you remember what I told you ten years ago? My feelings have never changed,” Julian said, keeping it vague; he didn’t dare say it outright, afraid of dragging her into any rumors.

Sienna’s breath hitched as she stared at the man in front of her, completely transfixed.

He was like a piece of jewelry polished by time—quiet, gentle, and refined, with an air of nobility. His eyes looked distant, but there was a tenderness hidden deep within them.

Sienna couldn’t handle the way he looked at her, so full of longing and memories. She quickly looked away; she just wasn’t ready to deal with matters of the heart right now.

Julian felt his face flush, so he quickly took a sip of water to cover it up.

Sienna smoothly changed the topic. “Anyway, we were talking about the building. Julian, this place is yours. I’m giving it back to you.”

Julian pushed the document back to her. “You bought it, so it belongs to you. Like I said, Sienna, you’ll always be someone special to…”

Clark, standing nearby, was so shocked his jaw nearly hit the floor.

“Didn’t Mr. Ford always swear he’d never mess with her marriage?” she wondered. “He always said he and Miss Hart would only ever be friends.”

But now, the way he was talking was starting to sound a little flirty.

And if Clark wasn’t mistaken, Thorn was here too. Is he seriously saying this kind of stuff right in front of her husband? Isn’t he afraid of getting himself killed? Clark thought.

“Julian, I can hold onto the building for now, but if you ever want it back, just let me know,” Sienna said.

Sienna wasn’t ready to spell things out between them yet; there was just too much going on in her life for her to even think about relationships right now.

Julian could read between the lines and caught her meaning. He gave her a faint smile. “Alright, Sienna, are your sisters here tonight?”

Sienna nodded. “Yeah. Vivian and Winifred are here. Amber’s too busy with her SATs.”

Julian watched her beautiful profile, feeling his heart race faster than usual tonight—so fast it was almost overwhelming.

Desires and bold impulses were being amplified inside him, growing stronger with every passing second.

The young folks’ dance was being held in a room on the second floor. Most of the rich kids weren’t into all the polite chit-chat from the older folks downstairs, so they’d all slipped away to have some real fun at the dance instead.

Julian stood up and reached out to Sienna, his gaze gentle and his voice almost too charming. “Miss Hart, may I have this dance?”

Sienna placed her hand in his. “It would be my pleasure.”

Julian took her hand, but his heart was pounding so fast his feet could barely keep up.

Step by step, they headed toward the ballroom. At the entrance, there were masks to choose from—ones that covered just the eyes, but enough to keep anyone from recognizing them.

Without even saying a word, they both picked out black masks. Once they put them on, no one could tell who they were. Julian held Sienna’s hand a little tighter, a smile playing at his lips.