"Why are you drinking alone? Feeling down?" Seeing the glass of red wine in Nicholas Coldwell’s hand, Diana Powell’s sleepiness vanished completely. She immediately clung to his shoulder, squinting as she stared at him with suspicion. "You’re not losing sleep over Julia Bluen, are you?"
"Diana." Nicholas Coldwell chuckled, setting the wine glass on the expensive crystal coffee table. Even if he really was lying awake thinking about Julia Bluen, he wouldn’t admit it. Extending his arm, he pulled Diana Powell into his embrace and chuckled as he made his excuses, "How could that be? All I’m thinking about right now is you. I just suddenly felt like having a drink, so I made myself one. Don’t be paranoid. Now, I am all yours. My body and my heart belong to you. You can be completely at ease. I absolutely won’t think about any other woman."
Women are susceptible to coaxing, especially by the man they dearly love.
Under Nicholas Coldwell’s sweet talk, Diana Powell’s suspicions instantly evaporated. She comfortably snuggled into his embrace, softly saying, "Drinking too much isn’t good for you; it’s harmful to your health. Stop drinking and let’s go to sleep. We still have to go out tomorrow, and I want to take a boat trip out to sea."
Nicholas Coldwell smiled. "Alright, we’ll take a boat trip out to sea tomorrow." Then he stood up, lifted the petite Diana Powell in his arms, and headed towards the Bedroom.
Once he was asleep, Diana Powell opened her eyes. Still in his embrace, she gently pulled away and sat up. She reached for the smartphone he had placed on the bedside table moments before and scrolled through his messages. She found nothing from Julia Bluen. However, when she checked the call logs, she saw two numbers she recognized, and her face darkened.
Turning her head, she glared at Nicholas Coldwell, who looked even more handsome in his sleep. Diana Powell clenched her teeth, thinking fiercely to herself, Julia Bluen, don’t you even think about taking Nicholas Coldwell back! I won’t give you the chance!
After placing the smartphone back in its original spot, Diana Powell lay down beside Nicholas Coldwell again.
No matter how jealous she felt, as the night deepened and sleepiness overcame her, she drifted off, her jealousy accompanying her into her dreams. In her dream, she became the beloved daughter of the world’s wealthiest man, a family so powerful that even the Horne Family paled in comparison. She then thoroughly and utterly humiliated Julia Bluen, making it impossible for Julia to remain in Upper Class Society. She ensured Julia Bluen would no longer dare to covet her husband and made it so that no man would ever like Julia Bluen again. Julia Bluen became a hateful woman, deemed worse than a prostitute.
「The darkest hour before dawn passed, signaling the arrival of light.」
Autumn in Paris carried a chill, much like early winter in Syrena’s T City. Especially at night and in the early morning, temperatures hovered between a few degrees and the low teens Celsius.
Julia Bluen opened her eyes and glanced at Glades Horne beside her. Seeing him still deeply asleep, she quietly observed him.
Outside, the temperature was around ten degrees Celsius. For Julia Bluen, accustomed to a warmer southern climate, it felt quite cold. Indoors, however, with the heating on, she didn’t feel the chill.
Julia Bluen turned over, propping herself on her elbows on the bed. Her almond eyes, full of playful interest, visually traced the contours of Glades Horne’s handsome face.
The sleeping Glades Horne looked like a peaceful, oversized child. His features were sharply defined and extraordinarily attractive, each sculpted to perfection. Even his usual cool demeanor couldn’t mask his handsomeness; instead, it added a touch of resolve that made him even more captivating.
Her small hand, filled with curiosity, cautiously crept towards Glades Horne’s handsome face. The skin was somewhat rough to the touch, but not excessively so. After all, a man’s skin, no matter how well-maintained, could never match the delicate softness of a woman’s. Feels pretty good, Julia Bluen murmured softly to herself.
After a brief touch, Julia Bluen drew back her hand, a faint blush spreading across her melon-seed-shaped face.
Somehow, she had almost completely forgotten Nicholas Coldwell. If it hadn’t been for his phone call last night, she truly wouldn’t have remembered that she had once been in love with him. This man... he had such an ability, such charm, to make her forget her pain in such a short time.
Glades Horne was still asleep, so Julia Bluen dared to think his name in the familiar way she used to. Glades, I will try very, very hard to be a good wife to you. I will take my sister’s place and heal the wounds you’ve suffered.
Resting her head on Glades Horne’s chest and draping an arm across his body, Julia Bluen lay there, silently watching as time slipped by.
It was still early, and the streets outside were quiet.
"Pleasant Goat, Beauty Goat... Big Grey Wolf, Red Wolf..."
The clear children’s song, her ringtone, rang out. Julia Bluen quickly sat up and grabbed her phone. She glanced at Glades Horne; seeing the ringtone hadn’t woken him, she breathed a sigh of relief. Answering the call, she walked out of the Bedroom and onto the balcony. However, she was still in her nightgown, and with no heating on the balcony, she felt the chill. She hurriedly turned back and sat down at the small bar.
"This is Julia Bluen."
She always announced her name first when answering a call.
The moment Julia spoke, Diana Powell’s accusatory voice came from the other end. "Julia Bluen, I’m warning you! Nicholas is my husband now, my man. You’d better stay far away from him in the future." Diana’s voice was somewhat hushed; she was probably calling behind Nicholas’s back.
What is this? She stole my boyfriend, and now she has the audacity to call and scold me?
Julia Bluen’s melon-seed-shaped face hardened, and her tone became firm. "What’s the matter, Miss Powell? Oh, no, I mean, Mrs. Coldwell. Can’t keep an eye on your husband? That’s right, marriages bought with money and status never feel truly secure, do they? But wait, you’re still on your honeymoon, aren’t you? Mr. Coldwell should at least be putting on a show of affection for you."