Long Time

I took a hesitant step closer, trying to catch a clearer look at his eyes.

He's not blinking.

I smacked my own forehead and let out a short laugh.

“You idiot,” I muttered under my breath. "Of course he doesn't. He's blind. He relies on his instincts, not his sight."

Then his low and steady, carrying an intimacy that made my skin prickle.

"You smell so sweet, darling. Tell me… are you finally ready for our wedding night?"

The words wrapped around me like a noose. I bit my lips down hard, struggling to form an answer.

Oh, Ety… why now? Why does Oscar have to appear now?

The system's voice rang faintly in my head:

The story has shifted. Oscar is here to claim the wedding night you've kept him waiting for.

“Damn it…” I whispered. I had broken the story. Twisted it into something else entirely.

And now I was the one who had to pay for it.

"I'm on my period, darling," I said to trick him.

"It's okay if you don't want to. But you can satisfy me in other ways, right?"

Damn!

I never thought he'd think that!

I mean, married life was much more surprising than I expected.

"Okay," I said.

So I pushed his wheelchair and carried him to the bedroom. I first undressed him and pulled down his pants. I massaged his head until his body relaxed and he fell asleep.

"You're relaxed now." I said.

He didn't answer, so he must have fallen asleep.

I stepped out cautiously, hailed a cab, and followed Julian’s address. It led me to a massive mansion by the riverside.

But there no sign of a party.

“Wait… there’s no celebration? I thought Julian invited me to some grand event.”

My gaze lifted to the wide glass window overlooking the water. A tall silhouette stood there, a wine glass glinting in hand. That has to be Julian.

Before I could move closer, an older, heavyset man stepped out from the mansion. His face lit up in a polite smile.

“Welcome back, Miss Helena,” he said, bowing slightly.

'Back?' I repeated in my head.

Suddenly, Helena’s memory clawed at me again—the time she stormed out of this mansion, tears streaming down her face, while Mr. Node—the house steward, dropped to his knees begging her to stay.

Now here I was, Helena returning once more. What the irony.

“Please, come inside, Miss Helena. Rest yourself—You've been away from home for quite a while.” Mr. Node even clasped my hand warmly as he guided me in.

I sank into the velvet sofa of a grand living room, chandeliers casting soft golden light above polished marble floors. Servants rushed in, arms full of beauty spa equipment. My brows knit together in confusion.

And then—he appeared.

A tall, striking figure descended the staircase. Every detail of him matched the book cover I remembered—broad shoulders, sharp jaw, eyes cold enough to slice through me.

Julian.

He stopped right in front of me, reached for my hand, and pressed his lips against each fingertip. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Long time no see, darling,” he murmured.

Damn it!

I could already feel the heat climbing up my cheeks, turning me as red as a boiled lobster. Julian had this way of acting like a freaking prince on a white horse—the exact kind of guy I always dreamed about but never thought I’d meet in real life. So this is what it feels like to be stared at by a rich, ridiculously handsome man…

Julian sat down right beside me, close enough that I could smell the faint cologne on his shirt. “How’s life with the Padip family?”

I sighed, staring at my hands. “Honestly, I’d rather be back home in my own place.”

He nodded slowly, exhaling as if he already knew my answer. Then, with a snap of his fingers, he stood in front of me. “Give her the full spa treatment,” he instructed one of the attendants.

My eyes widened. 'Seriously? Did that just happen?'

Soon enough, I was lying on a cushioned bed, covered in soft towels while warm hands worked gently across my shoulders. The scent of lavender oil filled the air, and the low sound of running water from a small fountain nearby made me want to drift away completely. The massage loosened every knot in my body, melting the tension in my back, arms, and legs. For the first time, I felt like sleeping among the clouds.

“You look way too comfortable,” Julian said.

I opened my eyes lazily, my lips curving into a sleepy smile. I had no idea how much time had passed, but there he was, walking into the room wearing green pajamas. My jaw almost dropped. The V of the shirt dipped just enough to reveal a hint of his chest muscles, carved like something out of a Greek statue. I froze when his eyes caught mine.

Instinctively, I reached out my hand. He took it without hesitation, his grip warm and steady. His gaze lingered on my fingers before he lifted them and pressed a kiss to my knuckles—this time inhaling as if memorizing my scent.

'God, does this guy have a finger fetish or what?' I screamed inside my head.

“You’re back again,” he murmured, his eyes locking onto mine with that dangerous intensity.

My whole face burned again. I was just a broke, single girl from my world, and here I was, wrapped in silk sheets, being looked at like that by Julian—the walking definition of tall, ripped, and stupidly perfect. My heart was basically about to explode.

Biting my lip, I couldn’t stop myself. I leaned closer, placing both my hands against his broad, solid chest. The heat radiating off him made me dizzy. Resting my cheek there, I whispered, “I missed you.”

He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in tighter. His hand slid up to my jaw, fingers brushing lightly as if testing how fragile I was. “What exactly did you miss?” he asked, his voice dropping low.

I stood on my toes and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “I just… I want to go back,” I said with breathless.

“Kiss me,” he demanded.

I didn’t think twice. My lips found his again, but this time he didn’t hold back. His mouth moved against mine, with deeper and hungrier.

My back arched as his hand pressed against the small of it, holding me close, while his other hand tangled into my hair.

The way our breaths mixed in between desperate kisses. My fingers dug into his chest, while his knee brushed against my thigh, making me lose all balance. His lips claimed mine harder, and i felt my body melted.

"Don't you feel like you're doing something wrong, Helena?" he asked.