Chapter 56

Julie opened the bag, and the rich aroma of a bomito wafted into the air. Her phone on the table vibrated. She doubtfully picked it up and saw it was a call from Lucian. She froze briefly before pressing the call button. “Hello?”

Before she could say anything more, Lucian’s deep voice came through the phone. “Did you receive?”

Julie blinked in confusion. “Receive what?”

“I knew you’d get so busy you’d forget to eat, so I ordered you some takeout.”

Realization dawned on her. “Oh, so it was you who ordered it.”

“Yeah. Surprised?”

“How do you even know my address?”

“I helped you move, so of course I’d know.”

Julie hadn’t expected Lucian to go as far as memorizing her detailed address. Her grip on the phone tightened as her heartbeat sped up uncontrollably. She tried to steady herself and responded lightly, “Thank you.”

There was a two-second pause on the other end before Lucian’s voice softened. “Julie, are you going to keep treating me so distantly?”

Julie’s grip on her phone tightened further as a wave of awkwardness swept over her. She desperately changed the topic and asked, “Are you home yet?”

Lucian chuckled, exposing her thoughts. “It’s been so long, and now you’re asking if I’ve made it home?”

Julie’s cheeks burned with embarrassment.

“Just eat your food,” Lucian said.

Julie quietly replied, “Okay. Have you eaten?”

Lucian sighed helplessly. “No one’s here to cook.”

Julie was surprised. “Huh? Isn’t your wife home?”

Lucian frowned. “Wife? What wife?”

Julie stammered, “I-I mean your wife.”

Lucian wasn’t sure how to react. He’d never known he had a wife. “Julie, where would I get a wife from?”

Julie froze and exhaled softly. “How would I know where you got a wife?”

Lucian countered, “Why do you think I have one then? I don’t even know about this supposed wife.”

Julie was dumbfounded. What did he mean by that? Did this mean Lucian wasn’t married? But didn’t he already have a child? Could it be that she’d misunderstood? Feeling increasingly uncertain, she softly said, “That’s what Blaine told me.”

There was a brief, dumbfounded silence before Lucian muttered a low curse under his breath. “The fuck’s wrong with him? When have I ever gotten married? I’m single and unmarried.”

Then, as if to emphasize, he added, “No kids either.”

He fell silent.

Lucian waited for a moment, and when he didn’t hear a response, realization dawned. It was no wonder she’d been acting so distant and polite lately. He’d been baffled about why the little tail that used to follow him everywhere five years ago suddenly pulled away. The idiot Blaine had almost ruined everything.

“So you’ve been avoiding me because you thought I was married?” he asked.

Julie gave a soft hum of confirmation.

Lucian exhaled heavily. “I’m not married.”

Julie pursed her lips and stayed silent. For a moment, the line was filled with nothing but silence. After waiting and hearing nothing more from Lucian, she cautiously said, “I’ll have my dinner then. If there’s nothing else.”

“Wait,” Lucian suddenly interrupted her.

Julie frowned and was confused. “W-what is it?”

His voice was low as he asked, “So, have you been keeping your distance this whole time because Blaine told you I was married?”