Chapter 72

To Julie’s surprise, Lucian didn’t seem curious at all. For a moment, she felt an inexplicable sense of frustration and suddenly refused to see him. She decisively issued a polite but firm request to leave.

Lucian nodded slightly. “Get some rest. I’m heading back.” He untied his apron and walked toward the entrance without hesitation. Out of courtesy, she followed him to the elevator before returning to her apartment. Once inside, she headed straight for the bathroom.

Half an hour later, Julie emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered. She walked through the living room when her eyes landed on a black coat draped over the couch. It was Lucian’s coat. He’d forgotten it.

She quickly picked up her phone and dialed his number. The call connected after just two rings. “Hello?” Lucian’s voice came from the other end.

Julie glanced at the coat and said, “You left your coat behind.”

There was a brief pause before Lucian chuckled softly. “I forgot to take it with me. I’m already home.”

“Huh?” Julie thought about it and suggested, “Shall I send it to your office tomorrow?”

Lucian calmly replied, “I won’t be at the office tomorrow. I have a business trip to a neighboring city.”

“When will you be back?”

“Around six in the evening.”

“I’ll drop it off for you then. Just send me the address.”

Lucian’s smile deepened, and he suggested, “How about this? Send it to my place tomorrow afternoon, and I’ll come straight home from the highway. Let me send you the address.”

Julie hesitated. “Your house?”

“That’s right, not the Fuller household, just my current place since returning home.”

“Okay. Send me the address, and I’ll bring it over.”

“The neighborhood has strict management. Delivery services can’t enter, so you’ll have to bring it yourself.”

Julie softly agreed, “Alright.”

After hanging up, Lucian smiled. Julie was just as clueless and easy to fool, and he was certain she was bound to be bullied, given her innocence.

As he returned home, he found himself replaying Julie’s words in his mind. Scholarly-looking… What exactly did scholarly-looking mean?

Just as he was about to search for an answer on his phone, Blaine’s call came through. Lucian tapped the answer button, but before he could speak, Blaine’s playful voice came over the line. “Hey, Luce, what are you doing right now?” There was a teasing edge to his voice.

“Just got home,” Lucian replied indifferently.

Blaine paused in surprise. “Shouldn’t you be messing around romantically with Julie at this hour? What are you doing back home?”

His words struck a nerve, and Lucian snapped annoyedly. “Going to bed.”

Just after he spoke, Blaine burst into laughter. “Hah! Did Julie reject you and send you home?”

Lucian went silent, and sensing his silence, Blaine pressed on, “Wait, how exactly did you court her? How is it that you got rejected already?”

Lucian grumbled, “Bullshit. I never got rejected.”

“Then why are you home? I thought you and Julie were making fast progress.”

Lucian said nothing. Fast progress? Turned out she liked gentle, scholarly-looking men who were his complete opposite. In just a few years, she’d changed her type and fancied someone else.

Suddenly, Lucian asked, “Do you know what scholarly-looking means?” Blaine was utterly baffled.