Chapter 165: Like

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Like

Julian Faulkner liked Vivian Lowell.

Even he didn’t know when these feelings had first taken root.

There was an old cliché: love begins without reason, yet deepens with time.

Julian had actually realized his feelings for Vivian long ago, but back then, he had subconsciously chosen to ignore them.

There had always been so many things right in front of them demanding their attention. Besides, he had no idea if Vivian felt the same way about him.

He hadn’t dared to gamble on it. He was terrified that she didn’t like him back, and that once he spoke up, there would be no going back.

If that happened, they might not even be able to remain friends.

Vivian held a unique place in Julian’s heart.

She was so dazzling and outstanding. She had the brains to design creations that amazed everyone, and the brawn to march out with a trap to catch stray kittens. She was truly remarkable.

She was so vibrant and brilliant that once Julian noticed her, he found it incredibly hard to look away.

During this recent incident, Julian had felt true fear for the first time. He experienced the utter panic of realizing things were completely out of his control.

The slight trembling Vivian had noticed in him earlier was the physical manifestation of those intense emotions.

Julian had been terrified that things wouldn’t go as expected, that something terrible would happen, and that he would lose Vivian. He had even made peace with the worst-case scenario.

As long as she was safe, he would be completely satisfied—even if it meant they had to separate and he could only watch her from afar for the rest of his life.

No matter what, Vivian shouldn’t have to suffer the slightest grievance. Even accidentally nicking herself with a knife while cooking or getting burned by splashing oil was unacceptable.

Who said women were destined to do chores? Girls were delicate; they shouldn’t be subjected to bumps and bruises. She was meant to be pampered in the palm of his hand.

Once Julian figured all this out, the answer in his heart could no longer be contained.

He loved Vivian and couldn’t bear to lose her. Now that the moment had come where he simply had to speak up, he was going to lay his feelings bare.

"Vivian."

Julian was sitting beside her. They weren’t sitting exceptionally close, but somehow, Vivian could catch the faint scent of his cologne.

And Julian, in turn, could smell the subtle fragrance of aromatherapy radiating from her.

It was the fragrance he had bought for her.

And the cologne he wore was a gift from Vivian.

"Do you remember when Robert Lowell and Sharon Galahad cornered you in the parking lot and posted those intimate photos of us online? Afterward, I posted on X to announce our marriage. Do you remember?"

Vivian’s mind had been preoccupied with other things, but at his mention of this, she subconsciously nodded. "I remember."

As Julian brought it up, the corners of his lips curved up slightly. His voice was soft but laced with unconcealed delight. "At that time, I actually just wanted to protect you."

"I know," Vivian replied.

Julian continued, "But beyond that, making such a high-profile announcement also stemmed from a selfish motive. What’s going on between us... it should have been made known to everyone a long time ago, shouldn’t it?"

Julian had wanted to tell the world that he was a married man and that Vivian was his wife. With him around to protect her, no one would be allowed to bully her.

Likewise, he wanted everyone to know that Vivian was a married woman. By staking his claim, Julian aimed to crush the hopes of anyone who might still secretly harbor designs on her.

She was his.

She was so wonderful; he was determined to seize the opportunity and keep her by his side.

Recalling the events of that day, Julian’s gaze dimmed slightly. "When I made up my mind to go public, I asked Vance Wyatt to prepare roses.

"I knew you loved roses, so I prepared a sea of them in your office. Honestly, it was a bit rushed.

"If you’d like, I have an estate abroad with a massive rose field. When you have some free time, I can take you there.

"You can do whatever you want there, including... making up for our wedding.

"Unfortunately, you didn’t seem to realize that I had carefully arranged all of that for you that day. But it’s okay. As long as you saw it, that was enough for me.

"Vivian, I don’t know when I started having feelings for you. But maybe from the very first time I saw you, when I realized I wasn’t repulsed by the idea of us, I should have figured it out.

"When Grandma Faulkner arranged this marriage for me, I initially didn’t want it. The main reason I agreed was because of her poor health; I had to do it to give her peace of mind.

"However, from the very first moment I laid eyes on you, your brilliant smile moved me. It made me realize that perhaps this was fate.

"I know now that you are my destiny in this life."

After speaking, Julian took Vivian’s hand that had been resting beside her. He hesitated for a moment, and upon seeing that she didn’t pull away, he pressed a feather-light kiss to the back of her hand.

He kissed her with extreme care, as lightly as a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water. It was as if he was terrified of offending her, and the contact lasted for only a fleeting second.

Yet, both Vivian and Julian felt an electrifying jolt course through their bodies, leaving behind a tingling sensation.

Julian recovered his composure quickly.

Holding Vivian’s hand firmly in his own, he said, "You said you wanted a divorce, and I was unwilling. So, in order for our marriage to continue...

"I’ve made some efforts. I promise you that my love will last a lifetime. I will give you everything I have to offer, and I will protect and cherish you for the rest of my life.

"However, whether you accept or not is entirely up to you. If you insist on leaving, I won’t forcefully hold you back. I’ll figure out a way to explain things to Grandma.

"Even though, as you know, Grandma has always adored you and hopes that we can be together."

Julian’s last sentence carried a hint of selfishness.

He was terrified of being rejected. Knowing full well how much Vivian respected and cared for Grandma Faulkner, he felt he had no choice but to bring her up to buy himself a fighting chance.

Vivian hadn’t expected Julian to confess his feelings to her at a time like this.

She didn’t know if her brain was still muddled from the poisoning, but after Julian finished speaking, she found herself unable to process his words.

Things were definitely not playing out the way she had expected!

She had previously thought...

That all of Julian’s concern for her was merely the care an investor showed to the person he had invested in. After all, she could help him make money!

They also had an agreement, so it made perfect sense for him to check up on her from time to time.

But now, she suddenly realized that might not be the case at all!

Julian really did like her!