Upon hearing Zayn’s instructions to Priscilla over the phone, Hans glanced up at him. He clicked his tongue casually. When he spoke, it was as if he was forcing the words out through gritted teeth. “Have you really fallen for Julie? Can’t you just let her go?” A subtle hint of mockery played on his expression. Zayn didn’t reply; instead, he grabbed the cigarette box with an annoyed look, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. Seeing Zayn wasn’t saying anything, Hans arched an eyebrow and continued, “In my opinion, your current girlfriend is a much better option. She’s passionate and, above all, able to provide you with emotional value. Why bother with someone as unappealing as Julie?”
Zayn took a heavy drag of his cigarette, then slowly exhaled. He narrowed his eyes slightly, looking sharply at Hans. “And then what?”
Hans immediately fired up. “Wasn’t it because of Megan that you rejected the Fuller’s marriage proposal?”
Zayn was startled. He had rejected Anna Fuller mainly because he felt nothing for her, but there was another reason. He’d encountered Julie on a blind date and subconsciously tried to draw a line between himself and Anna. He’d resolutely refused the proposal despite immense family pressure.
Zayn pinned Hans with a scrutinizing gaze. After a long while, he finally asked slowly, “Did Julie do something to you, Hans?”
Hans was caught off guard. “Huh? Did she do something to me?”
Zayn angrily squashed the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray, almost as if trying to extinguish the irritation he felt, before elaborating, “With how much you hate her, I thought she may have done something unforgivable.”
Hans unconsciously tightened his grip on the billiard cue. Did Julie do anything to him? No. He only knew of her because of Zayn. Every time their circle of friends got together, they would make fun of Zayn’s “lapdog,” Julie. Initially, Hans looked down on her, considering her far inferior. She seemed to have no dignity in Zayn’s presence. No matter how terribly he spoke to her, no matter how his friends ridiculed her, Julie didn’t react. She simply continued to look after Zayn wholeheartedly.
Since when did he start thinking someone like Julie was great? After so many years, he’d forgotten. He just felt that if he had a woman like that by his side—a woman who would devote herself wholeheartedly—he would be incredibly blessed. He couldn’t understand why Zayn didn’t like her, nor why Julie hadn’t left him despite his insults and mistreatment. That’s why he’d come up with the underhanded plan to get her to leave Zayn on her own.
Undeniably, thanks to Hans’s denigration and belittling of Julie over the years, Zayn had become increasingly disrespectful. In fact, it reached a point where Zayn started openly cheating on her. However, Julie still refused to give up on him. As long as Zayn offered a way to avoid confrontation, she’d take it, making it even more improbable she would leave.
Just as Hans was considering giving up, Zayn broke up with Julie again. Unlike previous quarrels, Julie was very calm that day, and Hans had been present. He’d been incredibly excited back then. After three years, Julie had finally had enough and left him. He’d thought of chasing after her, wanting to know why she’d suddenly ended their relationship. But due to Zayn’s presence, he abandoned that thought. Instead, he tentatively tried to gauge Zayn’s bottom line. He told Zayn he wanted to try a relationship with Julie. Zayn was dismissive, but Hans knew his opportunity had arrived.
Zayn watched Hans stand there, wondering what he was thinking. “What are you daydreaming about, Hans?” he asked gruffly. “Have you gone deaf?”