Since Julian had gone out of his way to hide it from Marcus, this had to be personal.
Sydney frowned, and her earlier politeness was gone. “Mr. Sterling, I don’t recall there being anything between us that requires a private conversation.”
Julian gave her a sideways glance, his tone cool. “Bruce asked me to return something to you. Don’t you want it?”
“Fine.” Sydney didn’t argue and turned to Marcus. “Marc, go on ahead.”
Marcus hesitated. But since the two of them were supposed to be “siblings,” he figured Julian wouldn’t cross a line. He left first.
As soon as he was gone, Sydney reached out her hand. “What is it?”
Julian didn’t answer. He slipped a hand into his pocket and walked off toward the exit.
Sydney couldn’t think of anything she had left with Bruce, but she had no choice except to follow.
Julian somehow recognized her car. He stopped in front of it and pulled the handle. When it didn’t open, he looked back at her.
“You need me in the car just to return something?” she questioned.
“My car was used to take Marc home. You’re not giving me a ride?” he shot back.
Sydney thought, ‘I never asked you to drive him.‘
Still, she couldn’t forget how he had helped her out at the Sterling estate a few days ago. She sighed and unlocked the door.
Julian slid into the passenger seat calmly and handed her a charm. His voice was low and unreadable. “You think this thing’ll make Caleb come crawling back?”
Sydney recognized it instantly. It was the protective charm that Agatha had given her. She snatched it and shoved it into her purse. Her tone turned cold. “Not your business.”
She didn’t say anything about this. Instead, she asked, “Where am I dropping you?”
Julian didn’t flinch. “Aurum Road.”
Sydney blinked. “Aurum Road?”
He glanced at her. “I live there. Problem?”
She hadn’t expected the coincidence. “No problem.”
The rest of the drive passed in silence.
When they reached Aurum Road, Sydney asked, “Which complex?”
There was no answer.
She turned her head and saw Julian had dozed off. His long lashes cast soft shadows over his sharp cheekbones. His features were striking, even in sleep.
1/2
Chapter 65
+15 BONUS
“Julian…” She opened her mouth, hesitated, then let it go. Instead, she pulled out her phone and removed Elliot from her block list. Then she texted him for the address.
The moment Elliot saw her message, he nearly fell out of his chair. He replied right away.
Elliot: [Ms. Wilson, it’s at Deltan Mansion.]
Deltan Mansion stood just down the road from her neighborhood. It ranked among the most exclusive properties in Jouleston, and the entire access road had been privately purchased. No one truly knew who lived behind those gates.
She had never expected Julian to be the owner.
Thanks to Elliot’s heads–up, the security barrier lifted as her car approached. She turned onto the lakeside
road and eased forward.
Deep winter had frozen the lake on both sides into delicate sheets of ice. Simply looking at them sent a chill through her. Yet somehow, she felt strangely calm.
“We’re here?”
Before she could figure out why, Julian’s low, hoarse voice broke the quiet. It lacked its usual sharpness.
Night had fallen. The car was quiet and dim. The moment reminded her of the past–those nights when he used to pick her up from Alan’s house without a word of complaint.
Back then, she had been the one asleep in the passenger seat. Julian would never wake her. He would carry her inside and put her straight to bed so that she could sleep through the night.
The tires slipped slightly on an icy patch. The jolt snapped her back to the present.
Sydney pressed her lips together. “Yeah. We’re here.”
Julian didn’t seem to notice the change in her mood. “I Heard from Alan that you’re joining the project?”
“Yeah.”
The car rolled to a gentle stop in front of the mansion.
Sydney looked at him. Her eyes softened, but a trace of hesitation lingered. “Can we?”
