Chapter 4

Thankfully, Nadia's phone started ringing and pulled her out of the awkward moment as Julian teased him. "Hello?"

Her heart sped up as she hurried to answer.

On the other end came the teasing voice of her best friend, Minnie Lane, a top model. "So, my dear princess finally got her marriage registered yesterday. Did you rush to do the deed with him last night?"

The speaker was quite loud.

Nadia remembered Julian was still in the room and quickly glanced over. Luckily, he had already reached the doorway and stepped out.

"I registered," she said. "But… We didn't do anything."

"You dated him for five years, and the most you two ever did was chaste little pecks. You barely even touched each other..." Minnie suddenly let out a gasp. "Don't tell me you only found out on your wedding night that your husband has trouble getting excited?"

Minnie was so worked up that her voice got even louder.

Right then, Julian opened the door and came back in, catching that last line about the husband who could not get excited. He immediately gave Nadia a sideways glance.

He could not get excited?

Nadia happened to look toward the doorway when she heard the sound, and her heart skipped a beat the moment she saw him.

Minnie, oblivious to what was happening on Nadia’s side, kept going. "That's not good. He needs to get to a hospital, fast. If they can't fix it for him, you need to think hard about whether you can accept a platonic marriage..."

Nadia got flustered and quickly ended the call. The corner of her mouth twitched with embarrassment. "Why did you come back?"

"To get my watch," Julian said as he stepped into the walk-in closet and took out a mechanical watch. He put it on his wrist while walking back to her. Once he had fastened it, he extended his arm across her toward the dressing table, half-pinning her against his chest.

He leaned down, lowering his face to her with his warm breath against her skin. "As for whether I can get excited, we can find out tonight. Don't you agree?"

Nadia sat up straight, every muscle stiff, blinking twice in discomfort. "I did not say that."

Julian smiled. "Let's test the theory when I come back later, Mrs. Jones."

He did not give her any chance to explain as he left the room again.

Nadia let out a long sigh of relief, then called Minnie back. "You got it wrong."

"What did I get wrong? Speaking of which, you hung up on me just now. Were you mad at me? Just because I said Harry can't get excited in bed?" Once she started, Minnie couldn't stop herself from pouring out all her questions and complaints.

Nadia took a deep breath. "Not Harry. It's…Julian."

Afraid Minnie would misunderstand it, she added, "The one who married me yesterday was…Julian."

"I beg your biggest pardon?!" Minnie gasped loudly.

Ten minutes later.

After listening to everything, Minnie cursed at Harry and Sammy so viciously that she wanted to have them both skinned alive.

They were really nasty.

Once she had vented and finally felt better about it all, she started to comfort Nadia.

"That's exactly what you should have done. Let him regret it. If he won't be your husband, then make him your brother-in-law.

"Speaking of which, your taste has improved so fast this time. Julian is the CEO of Jones Group, and handsome. He's loaded and has no scandals. He's a hundred times better than Harry. But... He only married you because he doesn't want to be pushed into marriage and thinks you're a good fit. You two have no emotional foundation, and you didn't even get along before. What if..."

She did not finish, but Nadia knew exactly what she meant.

"It's fine. We both get what we want out of it," Nadia said as she lowered her eyes.

She had gone to get that marriage registered yesterday out of spite. But by today, she had already thought it through.

She had fulfilled her father’s last wish. Whether they divorced later or not didn't matter anymore.

"Alright, if you say so. Anyway, I'm sending you a wedding gift. Wait for it," Minnie said.

"What gift?" Nadia asked.

Minnie did not answer as someone on her side was urging her to get ready for her advertisement shoot, so she simply hung up.

Nadia stared at her phone in silence.

What a very busy woman!

-

Jones Group headquarters.

Top floor, CEO's office.

After the meeting, Julian sat behind his desk with his back straight. The dark suit had really shown off his composed and noble aura, as well as the quiet pressure he carried.

Without lifting his head, he gave an instruction to his personal assistant, Brayden Miller. "Pick out a pair of wedding rings and prepare a Stock Gift Agreement."

Brayden nodded respectfully. "Of course, sir."

He still did not leave, however, and Julian looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. "What else?"

"Mr. Charlie knows you're back, and he called me earlier to tell you to return to the family residence for dinner tonight."

Julian’s eyes darkened. "You can go. I'll handle it."

Brayden then left the office.

Julian dialed a number. Before Julian could even speak, the man on the other end launched straight into a scolding as soon as the call went through.

"I see you enjoy your independence a lot. You returned to Highport and didn't even bother to tell me, and no one can find you. I have to make an appointment now just to see you, is that it?"

"Calm down, Grandpa. I was dealing with jet lag last night and didn't have time to tell you," Julian said as his long fingers with distinct joints tapped lightly on the desk.

Charlie Jones snorted. "Don't try to talk circles around me. I have told you repeatedly these three years that if you're coming back to Highport City, you'd better settle down with someone, get married, and give me grandchildren... Don't you dare forget that."

Julian thought of something. A faint, soft light passed through his eyes when he listened to his grandfather's reminder.

"Don't worry, Grandpa. I remember it very clearly." His lips turned into a smile. "I'll definitely make you satisfied."

-

Harry finally slept off the alcohol.

His eyes were half-closed as he searched across the bed until he dragged his phone out from under the pillow.

When he saw the time, his drowsiness vanished. It was already afternoon, and he jolted upright. There was supposed to be a meeting this morning, and Nadia had not called to remind him.

His personal assistant hurried in just then. Seeing Harry awake and sitting on the bed, he lowered his head. "Sir..."

"Where have you been?" Harry’s tone was sharp with blame. His screen showed several missed calls, all from his assistant.

"I thought you might be dealing with something important, and I didn't want to disturb you," the assistant explained. He had come now to tell Harry that Julian was back.

Before he could speak, Harry cut him off in a cold voice. "Where's Nadia?"

The assistant paused, then shook his head.

How would he know?

For the past five years, Harry never had to worry whenever there was an important meeting because she would always remind him personally. He had long since taken that for granted.

No matter when, even when she was sick, Nadia would always call an hour in advance to get him out of bed.

He could always count on her for those kinds of things.

This time, she actually gave him the cold shoulder over something as small as missing the marriage registration?

He really had spoiled her too much.

Harry dialed her number with a dark expression on his face. After a single ring, the call cut off on its own. He tried again, and the result was the same.

She had blocked him!

Harry’s expression grew even darker.

He sent a text, only to see it rejected with a small red exclamation mark.

Good!

Very good!

A cold anger rose in his eyes. He would not indulge her this time. If she wanted to get back together, she would have to stop acting like a drama queen!

-

Sunset.

Golden Bay villa.

Nadia sat cross-legged on the bay window in the bedroom, her laptop balanced on her knees. Her pale, slender fingers were tapping on the keys.

She had not gone anywhere all day. She stayed home, turning over the script in her head.

As a screenwriter, two of her scripts had been made into web dramas with perfectly average views. They weren't hits but not flops either.

Her phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the caller ID and answered softly, "Grandpa?"

"You haven't come back to see me for a while, sweetheart. You registered your marriage yesterday, didn't you? Find some time to come back and see me, and bring that boy Harry with you..." Nadia's grandfather, Philip Thompson, spoke from the other end.

Nadia went quiet for a few seconds, then told the truth. "Grandpa, Harry and I broke up."

A hearty laugh came from the other end. Philip sounded like this was nothing new. "What now? Did he act up again and make you mad?"

His casual way of speaking brought back old memories, making Nadia's heart feel heavy as she said in a bitter voice, "It's for real this time, Grandpa."

After a pause, Nadia added, "I broke up with Harry and registered my marriage with Julian."

Outside the bedroom door, Julian happened to hear everything she said. His half-raised hand suddenly froze as his eyes turned dark and deep.