Chapter 39

Lucian and Julie tell Silgut once again.

In the end, he broke the stillness. “Aren’t you curious how I plan to quit smoking?”

She tied her beer bead, her curiosity piqued. “Do you even need a plan, Lu?”

Lucian exhaled a puff of smoke, replying lazily, “Of course. This is a habit that’s hard to quit.”

Julie was speechless. She paused for a moment before suggesting, “If you can, it’s better…”

Lucian smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. “Does it matter to you?”

His eyebrows hitched as he spoke, and his tone had a teasing edge. “(To sinoite. It’s bad for your health.)”

Julie felt awkward. Her hands, which had been hanging by her sides, tightened into fists. Did it matter to her? She didn’t dare boast. She wasn’t in a position to…

“Sorry, that’s not what I meant.”

As she spoke, Lucian’s smile faded. He narrowed his eyes, watching her closely, a flicker of frustration crossing his features. Why hadn’t he noticed before how stubborn she was? What kind of life had she been leading these years? She had changed so much.

Seeing that he didn’t respond, Julie added, “I’ll head back now.”

With that, she made to pass him and leave. They had been running into each other often recently, and Julie had been hoping to approach Lucian as an old friend. But now, she realized she couldn’t. She kept feeling like she was crossing boundaries, which made things awkward between them.

Before she could walk away, Lucian grabbed her wrist. She turned to look at him.

He stubbed out his cigarette in the fine sand of the trash bin and then said, “I’ll go with you. Let me see you off.”

Julie hesitated. “That doesn’t seem appropriate. You’re the main guest here. It wouldn’t be right for you to leave.”

He said lazily, “If the leading lady isn’t here, what’s the point of me staying?” His tone carried a teasing hint, something Julie couldn’t quite place. She didn’t want to stay in this ambiguous atmosphere and tried to make a quick escape.

“You should stay to greet the guests. No need to accompany me.” She awkwardly pulled her hand back.

Lucian seemed displeased. “Are you avoiding me?”

Julie, feeling guilty, shook her head. “No, I just want to go back.”

“Then let’s go.”

He started walking toward the elevator, and Julie reluctantly followed.

The incident with Zayn at the auction had left her feeling low, and she sat quietly in the front passenger seat. Lucian glanced at her occasionally as he drove. “Talk to me,” he said suddenly.

Julie, a little confused, replied, “Huh?”

“If you don’t talk, it feels like there’s no one here.”

Julie’s lips twitched. Was he treating her like a ghost?

Suddenly, the car stopped in a parking spot by the side of the road. Julie was slightly confused. “Why are we stopping here?”

“Let’s grab something to eat.”

She instinctively declined. “I’m not hungry. You go ahead.”

“Let’s go together. I haven’t been here in years.”

Julie looked up at his words. It was only then that she realized where they were—Windcrest Road. It was a popular food street. Back when she was studying, she had come here with Lucian several times.

As Lucian stepped out of the car, Julie had no choice but to follow. She was wearing a gown today, and as soon as she stepped out of the car, a cold gust of wind hit her, causing her to shiver uncontrollably. She had been careless; she should have brought her down jacket. It was still in Blaine’s car.

The next moment, her vision darkened. A familiar, cool, and heavy coat landed on her shoulders.

Julie quickly pulled the coat off her shoulders, glaring at Lucian. “What are you doing?”

Julie’s grip tightened around the coat; it still carried the warmth from Lucian’s body. His coat was long, and although she wore high heels, the hem dragged on the ground. As she walked, she had to hold the bottom of the coat to keep it from trailing. She followed closely behind Lucian.

Chapter 39