OLIVIAS POV The morning lightstreamedthroughthe sheercurtains,castingasoftglowovertheroom.Istretchedmyarmsabove myhead,feelingthestiffnessinmymusclesfromanotherrestlessnight.
Mymindhad beenrunningincircleseversincemyconversationwithJulian.Finallytellinghimeverythingliftedsomeweightoffmychest,butanewheavinesshadtakenits placeagnawinguncertainty.
Adrian.
Ishouldbedonewithhim.Iwanttobedonewithhim.ButIcouldntshakethefeelingthattherewassomethingIwasmissing.
Isighed,rubbingmytemplesbeforesittingupinbed.Thatwasthelogicalnextstep.ButwhenIreachedformyphone onthenightstand,Ihesitated.
WhatifAdrianretaliates?Letsnotforget thathesahugeinvestorin myparentscompany,andIwouldnt wantthingstogosideways Ishookmyhead,frustratedwith myself.Iwas overthinking.MaybeJuliansparanoiawasrubbingoffonme.
Decidingnottodwellonit,Ipushedthethoughtsasideand headed tothebathroom.Aquickshowerhelped clear my head,butthemomentIsteppedout,thatsamefeelingofuneasereturned.
IneededtotalktoJulianagain.
3 P v WW Thesmellof freshcoffee andspaghettifilledtheair asImademy way tothediningroom.Julianwasalreadythere,seatedatthelong woodentable,casuallyscrollingthroughhisphoneashesippedfromasteamingmug.Hisinjuredarmrestedonthetable,still bandagedbutlookingmuch betterthan yesterday.
Hiseyeslandedon measIwalkedin,and heoffereda small smirk.Goodmorning,Iseeyoutookyourtimeinbed today.
Irolledmyeyes asIslidintotheseatacrossfromhim.Itsnotthat late.
Alittlepastnine,hepointedout.

Amaidpromptlysetdowna plateinfrontofme,spaghettiforbreakfast,thatsnew.
AsItookmy firstbite,Juljanleanedforwardslightly.Sotellme,howwasyournight? Ihadanothernightmare againbutIwanted tokeepthattomyselfIguesshemusthavenoticedmyeyebags Not thebest,Ireplied Juliandidntrespondright away.Hejustobservedme,asifwaiting for metosay more.
1/4 CHAPTER023 Iplacedmyforkdownandsighed.Whatsonyourmindthistime? He tilted hisheadslightly.
Istillcantgetwhathappenedlastweekoffmymind Whichone,yourdivorcewithAdrianorthekidnappers?Julianaskedjokingly IgavehimaseriouslookbeforereplyingBoth.
Juliansethisphoneasideandlacedhisfingerstogetheronthetable.Ivebeenthinkingabouteverythingyoutoldme.Andhonestly,Olivia…Idontthinkthisisjustaboutabadmarriageoracontrollinghusband.Somethingisntright.
Ifrowned.
Julian,IknowAdrianisntagoodperson,but… Thisisntaboutwhetherhesagood person,Juliancutin.Itsaboutwhetherhesdangerous.
Ifrozeforamoment,myheartskippingabeatathiswords.
Juliancontinued,hisvoicesteadybutfirm.
Yousaidyourselfthatthemomentyouleft,Adriahasnteventriedtocontact you? Ishookmyhead.No.Notonce.
Julianleanedback,exhaling.Exactly.Thatdoesntmakesense.
Iclenchedmyhandstogetherinmylap.Maybehejustdoesntcareanymore.MaybehesrelievedIleft.
Ormaybe hewantedyougone,Juliancountered.Maybehewaswaitingforyouto run.

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Theweightofhiswordssettledoverme,sendingashiverdownmyspine.
Youdonthaveanyproofofthat,Isaidquietly.
Juliansighed,rubbinghisjaw.No,Idont.ButIdontlikecoincidences,Olivia.Andrightnow,therearetoomanyofthem.Ithinktheressomethingwerenotseeing.
Iwantedtoargue,tobrush offhisconcerns,butdeepdown,Iknewhehadapoint.Somethingaboutallofthisdidfeel off.
Wealsohaventfigured outwhosentthoseguys,who knowsAdrianmightbeinvolvedinthis,Juliansaid Ihavelivedwiththatmanforyears,Iknowthethingshecandoandcantdo,hehasotherthingstoworry about trustme,Isaid Julianthenpickedup thetabletbesidehim,hisblueeyessharp.Heshowedmethetabletwherelivevideofootagewasplayingandthebuildinglookedfamiliar,itlookedalot likemyapartment Itsbeen morethan24hoursandnosuspiciousvanhasparkedat yourplace,Julian said wait,you plantedcamerasatmynewapartment?Whendidyouhavethetimetodotha
t?Iaskedconfused,becausethroughoutyesterdayIwaswith him 2/4 CHAPTER023 Ihired guystodoit.Hesaidtakingasipfromhiscoffee Aconfusedlookappearedonmyface Anywaythatsnotthemainissue,theyhaventreturnedheresoitseitherIscaredthemoffortheyknowyourenolongerstayingthere,Juliansaid Ithinktheymusthavefiguredout,Isaid YoudontthinkIcanscarethemoff?Juliansaidjokingly Ididntsayyoucantinspector,butthoseguyswerehiredsoIdontthinktheywouldgiveupeasily,Isaid YouthinkDoramightbebehindthehiring?Julianasked AndthenIstart
edtothink,coulditbethatshewantedmekidnapped?Pushingmeoutofthehouse wasntenough Wellmaybe,Isaidnotsure Okthenshe shouldbeonourtoplist ofsuspects,Juliansaid Iblinked,caughtoffguard.
Wait…youwant toinvestigateher Yes.
Ihesitated.Julian,Iappreciateyouwantingtohelp,butthis…thiscouldbedangerous.
Heshrugged.
Icanhandlemyself.
Inarrowedmyeyes.Saystheguy withawounded arm.

Juliansmirked.Fairpoint.Butthat doesntchangemymind.
Iexhaled,running ahandthroughmyhair.
Julian…Idontwantyougettingdraggedintothis.Youvealreadydoneenoughbylettingmestayhere.
Heshookhishead.Lettingyou stayhereisntenough.Notiftheresareal threat.
Idontknow…Iadmitted.
Iswallowedhard.Hewasright.Things mighthavegottencalmsincethedaywecaughtthem,but whatiftheycomeaftermeagainwhenIleave,IcantstayinJulianshouseforever Inoddedslowly,Okay.Butpromisemesomething.
letmehearit.
Imethisgaze.Promisemeyouwontdoanythingreckless.
Asmallsmirkplayed on hislips.Youdoknowme,right? Julian,Iwarned.
Hisexpressionsoftened.Alright,alright.IpromiseIwontbereckless.
IwasntsureIbelievedhim,but for now,itwas enough.
Julianleaned back,adeterminedlooksettlingoverhisface.Good.BecauseIhavea 3/4 CHAPTER023 feelingtheyrejustgettingstarted.