Chapter 20
Aria’s parents didn’t bother hiding their disgust for Alexander.
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“Mr. Sterling, we’re not cut from the same cloth,” Her dad said bluntly. “Go back to your rich life. You can have any woman you want with a snap of your fingers. Screw ‘em and dump ‘em–that’s your style. But our daughter isn’t your plaything or your emotional punching bag“”
“Look at what you did to her,” Her mom choked out, tears streaming down her face. “You locked her up like a prisoner. Humiliated her over and over. What did she ever do to deserve someone as heartless as you?”
Their anger escalated as they spoke, hitting Alexander who stood there and took it, head bowed.
He couldn’t help asking: “What about Julian? He comes from money too. Aren’t you worried he’ll turn out just like me someday?”
Before anyone else could speak, Julian cut in:
“Time will tell. I’m nothing like you.”
“When Aria and I got together, I signed a deal – if I cheat, everything’s hers. Even after we split, she still gets half of whatever I make.”
“With her own money, she’ll never be trapped. If I screw up, she can walk away–no need to put up with my shit.”
“I love her. And if she ever stops loving me or wants something else, she’s free to go. No strings attached.”
Alexander stood frozen. Even Aria looked shocked.
He hadn’t expected Julian to go this far.
Aria hadn’t realized how serious Julian was about her.
At first, she’d figured Julian was just another rich friend of Alexander’s–maybe trying to defend him, or worse, planning to date her just to dump her later for revenge.
But Julian wasn’t anything like she’d assumed.
He was typically reserved, keeping people at arm’s length.
Only with her did he lower his walls.
She’d asked him once: “Why are you so different with me? It doesn’t seem like you.”
His smile had been sad. “Because I can’t lose you again. I messed up once
–
if I screw it up this time, it’s over.”
“I want to make every second count. I don’t want to be away from you.”
Aria had been stunned. She had zero memory of Julian from before.
He told her they’d first met in college, where he’d fallen for her immediately.
They’d crossed paths countless times. Made eye contact. But she never really saw him.
The day she met Alexander, Julian had prepared this whole romantic gesture, but the rain ruined everything.
He was just about to go to her with his umbrella when Alexander got there first.
After that, it was like some cosmic joke–his timing was always off, arriving just after Alexander, never getting his shot.
When he finally managed to talk to her, her attention was already fixed on Alexander.
Later, despite Alexander’s relentless pursuit, she held out for a while. Julian knew she was falling, though–she just needed that final push.
So he stepped back loving her from a distance she couldn’t see.
A love he couldn’t speak of, hidden in plain sight.
07:17
Adios My Playboy Hubby, I’m DONE Being Your Submissive Wife!
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Chapter 20
That’s why he always claimed to have zero interest in dating, throwing himself into his research instead.
The Blake family already had enough kids to carry on the name–besides Brandon, Julian had younger twin siblings.
No one was pushing him to settle down.
Chapter 21
Chapter 21
