Chapter 1

"This is the thirty-third version of the marriage contract I’ve drafted."

I handed over a stack of papers. "Julian, are you going to reject me again?"

Julian didn’t even look at them. He took the documents and shoved them directly into the glove compartment, which was already stuffed with a pile of identical files.

"Your grasp of the law is improving. If you keep drafting these, you might as well specialize in family law."

There it was again—that casual, effortless joke used to sidestep my feelings.

I looked at the man in the driver's seat and suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion.

I withdrew my gaze and stared out the window.

The scenery blurred past as the car accelerated.

I couldn't help but think of all those years spent chasing him. Every time I confessed, Julian would deflect with some lighthearted remark.

Once I became an adult, I stopped confessing with words. Instead, I presented him with a marriage contract every month.

While I was lost in thought, my phone vibrated.

I looked down to see a text from Jude: "Mom arranged a blind date for you this Friday. Make sure you go."

"Not going," I replied with two words and locked the screen.

From the driver's seat, Julian caught my movement. "Your brother?"

"Speaking of him, what was he thinking, letting you move in with me? A man and a woman alone—isn't he afraid of something happening?"

His nonchalant tone sparked a flicker of irritation in me.

"It would be better if something did happen! Why else would I move in if not to build a deeper connection with you?"

Julian acted as if he couldn't hear the subtext. "Your mom already treats me like her own son. How much more 'connection' do we need?"

"Well, I'm not on your family registry yet, am I?"

To that, Julian fell silent.

The car became quiet. The sunny-doll hanging from the rearview mirror had a slight curve to its mouth, as if mocking the awkward silence.

A chill seeped through my fingertips, and I gave myself an out. "Where you live is close to the firm where I’m interning. It makes the commute easier."

Julian gave a curt "Mm," and everything returned to stillness.

...

The car pulled up to Julian’s apartment.

Inside the flat.

Julian stood in the living room and pointed toward the guest bedroom. "You’ll stay here."

I walked straight past him to the master bedroom door. "I want to stay here."

Julian leaned against the doorframe. "There’s only one bed. If you sleep here, where do I sleep?"

"We sleep together," I said calmly.

Having said that, I tried to walk into the bedroom.

Julian suddenly reached out and pressed his hand against the opposite side of the frame, his arm forming a barrier that blocked my path.

I stopped in my tracks and looked up at him.

Julian leaned down slightly, slowly drawing closer.

His crisp, clean scent washed over me as the distance closed until I could hear his every breath.

My hands tightened into fists, fighting the urge to step back.

A moment later, Julian chuckled. "Kid, stop trying so hard to act mature."

He moved past me, grabbed my suitcase, and pushed it straight into the guest room. "Not up for negotiation."

I ended up staying in the guest room.

That evening, I was leaning against the sofa watching TV.

Julian emerged from his room in a suit, clearly having put effort into his appearance.

I was confused. "Where are you going?"

Julian adjusted his cufflinks. "Taking you out to dinner."

I was used to him treating me, so I didn't ask questions and followed him out.

At a luxury restaurant.

Julian was deep in a pleasant conversation with a strange woman across the table.

"I’ve heard that a prosecutor’s work is very busy. I’m a preschool teacher, so I can definitely help take care of the home."

The woman’s smiling words hit my ears like a lightning bolt. A dark suspicion began to rise in my heart regarding this meal.

At that moment, I forgot my manners and looked at Julian, my voice rasping with every word.

"Julian, what kind of dinner is this, exactly?"

The moment our eyes met, Julian’s expression was void of emotion. "Can't you tell? I’m on a blind date."

Chapter 2

The night wind swept into my coat, leaving me feeling infinitely cold.

The man across from me was someone I had loved for over a decade, yet now, I couldn't recognize him at all.

"Why..." I suppressed the surge of sorrow within me. "Why did you bring me along?"

"Because you want me to be happy, so I thought you should see that the woman I’m with is the best choice."

I felt my heart skip a beat.

Julian was ruthless.

His reasoning was so sound that I couldn't even find a gap to argue back.

Gathering a sudden burst of courage, I said word by word, "But I believe that no one is good enough for you except me."

Leaving those words behind, I stood tall like a proud swan and climbed into a taxi.

The second the door closed, my strength crumbled instantly.

I gripped the blue star bracelet on my wrist—a gift from Julian.

When he had put it on me, he said, "Sienna is my princess."

But now, I wasn't even a candidate.

...

When Julian returned, the apartment was pitch black.

He glanced at the sandals kicked aside in the entryway and went straight to the guest room, knocking on the door.

"Tomorrow is your first day as an intern. I prepared a gift for you."

Inside, I was huddled in the darkness, unwilling to respond.

A second later, the lock turned.

Julian let himself in and switched on the light. He came to the bedside and knelt down. "Come, try these on. See if they fit."

He reached out, took my ankle, and pulled me toward him.

His large hands were well-defined and carried a burning heat that made me flinch.

Julian applied a bit of pressure with his fingers. "Don't move."

He didn't let go until he had slipped the high heels onto my feet and fastened the straps.

He inspected them closely and nodded with satisfaction. "They look good."

My gaze settled on Julian’s face as I whispered, "You say you don't like me, yet you treat me so well..."

"Julian, are you just keeping me on a hook?"

I knew my words were harsh, even twisting his genuine kindness into something malicious.

But in that moment, I couldn't restrain my bitterness.

Julian looked into my eyes for a long time. He stood up, ruffled my hair, and said, "Get some sleep."

With that, he turned and left.

The door clicked shut, and the warmth vanished.

I sat on the bed in a daze, staring down at the heels, closing my eyes to push back the tears.

...

The next morning.

I didn't let Julian drive me. I took a taxi to the Nova Law Firm for my internship.

I didn't expect to see Foster, a senior from my university, there.

"Long time no see, Sienna. I’ll be your mentor starting today," Foster said with a smile.

"I look forward to learning from you, Foster!"

Afterward, Foster arranged for me to review the firm’s past cases.

The day passed quickly.

By the time I finished work, it had started to drizzle, which quickly turned into a downpour.

The ride-hailing app showed dozens of people ahead of me in the queue. I hesitated, wondering if I should call Julian to pick me up.

Just then, Foster walked over. "Shall I give you a lift home?"

I hesitated for a moment but didn't refuse.

On the way, we chatted about funny stories from school, and the atmosphere was pleasant.

When the car pulled up, I stepped out. "Thanks for the ride, Foster. See you tomorrow!"

I turned to walk toward the house.

Julian was standing at the door, taking everything in.

He glanced in the direction Foster had driven off. "Who was that?"

"That was Foster. we used to be on the same debate team. I only found out today that he’s at Nova. He’s the lawyer mentoring me now."

As Julian listened to my explanation, his eyes fell on the slight smile on my face. "Does he have a girlfriend?"

I was stunned. "Why are you asking that?"

Julian’s gaze lowered; I couldn't read the emotion in his eyes.

I only heard him say, "He seems like a good guy. You two would be a good match."

Chapter 3

Having dropped that remark, Julian turned and walked inside.

I stood there staring at his back, feeling a numbness that made it impossible to move.

It wasn't until Julian looked back at me that I forced myself to walk forward, enduring the sharp sting in my chest.

I tried to keep my voice steady. "Were you serious just now?"