Willow blurted out, “No.”

Julian lowered his head and captured her red lips, kissing her deeply and repeatedly. She struggled against him, so he grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head.

He picked up the slender champagne bottle from the table and fed her the remaining half bottle until he got herpletely drunk.

Her long mauve dress was soaked with golden liquor, turning sultry and decadent.

Her voice, too, became soft and alluring. “Julian, you bastard…”

Julian caught her swaying body, his voice hoarse. “Yeah, I’m a bastard. A bastard who’s taking you home.”

The night was intoxicating.

A ck Rolls–Royce Spectre was parked outside the apartment building. Even in thete hours, passersby couldn’t help but steal nces. The car was simply too luxurious and dazzling.

The driver, understanding the situation, stepped out for a smoke.

Inside the car, Willow had fallen asleep.

She was nestled in Julian’s arms, wrapped in his light wool coat. She slept soundly with her face buried against his chest, her warm breath seeping through his dress shirt, sending tingling heat straight to his skin.

The air inside the car carried the faint scent of her perfume. It was an intoxicating aroma that could drive any man to sin, let alone Julian, who had been abstinent for so long.

It hadn’t mattered to him in the past, but once a man had had a taste, it was hard to forget.

Now, with this soft, fragrant woman in his arms, it was impossible not to want her.

But Julian held himself back.

He lowered his gaze, watching Willow’s face.

She only behaved this obediently when she was drunk. Otherwise, she would never willingly curl up in his arms like this.

There had been a time when he took these moments for granted. Now, he had to get her drunk just to steal a fleeting moment together.

His heart felt damp and heavy.

Unbidden, his mind wandered back to that night at Lake Tolpond when she set the car azeb. /bbHe /bcould never forget the look in her eyes when she turned back bto /blook at him. It was a look filled with both hatred and a strange sense bof /breleaseb. /b

But if he had to choose, he would rather she hate him.

Willow woke up at 1:00 am. She was still in Julian’s arms.

They were intimately wrapped togetherb, /bsharing the warmth of his coat and each other’s body heat, She wasn’t some naive young girl. She could clearly feel the change in Julian’s body.

Just then, the man stirred awake, his dark eyes locking onto her with a gaze that left no room for doubt.

Willow pretended not to noticeb. /bbShe /bsat up in his arms, feigning indifference. “I’m going back.”

Julian didn’t stop her. He simply said in a quiet voice, b“/bI bought bthis /bcar for you. The transfer paperwork is done. I’ll have Edward bring you the keyster.”

Willow ran her fingers along the car’s interior. She recognized the model. It was worth ten million.

But she refused. “I have bno /buse for ba car /blike this.b” /b

Julian’s gaze deepened. “Is it that you have no use for it, or that you just don’t want it?”

“Both.” She didn’t beat around the bush.

She stated bluntly, “Julian, if something is rightfully mine, I won’t pretend to be noble and not take it. But these so–called gestures of

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b+25 /bbBonus /b

appeasement andpensation–keep them. Julian, they’re pointlessb./bb” /b

With that, she pulled on her coat and left without a backward nce.

In the back seat, Julian sat quietly. He was wearing the ck dress shirt that Willow had bought him. The top two buttons were undone, making him look casually disheveled.

The lingering heat of their closeness still clung to him, tempting him to savor it just a little longer.

Then, his phone rang. It was a call from Grandsburg.

Julian nced at the screen but didn’t pick up. For the first time, he ignored a call from Grandsburg.

Julian didn’t leave. He stayed outside Willow’s building all night.

Willow knew him too well. She knew that he loved using the pity tactic. She wasn’t falling for it anymore.

Julian found himself shut out time and again. He couldn’t get close to Willow, and he couldn’t keep getting her drunk just to be near her.

Eventually, word of this reached the Ziegler residence.

Dominic personally called him, scolding him for being utterly useless. He berated Julian for being 28 and still clueless about rtionships.

Dominic said, “Even the fiercest woman can’t resist a persistent man.” 1

But Julian knew persistence wouldn’t work. Willow didn’t love him anymore.

Yet, he couldn’t help but think that if they had a child together, maybe Willow wouldn’t be so determined to leave and divorce him…

Before he realized it, Willow had be the affliction he could never cure.

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