FOUR

“Craig…” Julia began softly. “Would it be alright if I came to visit whenever I’m free?”

A gentle smile spread across Craig’s face.

“Of course. I still owe you those cooking lessons, remember?”

Julia’s heart leaped with excitement.

She hadn’t expected him to agree so easily. The thought that she would get to see him again, listen to his mesmerizing voice, and watch that warm smile of his made happiness blossom inside her. It was a simple promise, yet it was enough to brighten her entire day.

“I’ll call just to say hi sometimes, okay?” she said after saving his number in her phone.

“Okay,” Craig replied with a smile.

Julia glanced toward the front door before looking back at him.

“I should get going. I’m certain my parents are worried sick about me.”

Craig gave a small nod.

“You’d better leave before they report you missing.”

Julia laughed softly.

“I suppose you’re right.”

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

Neither of them seemed eager for the conversation to end.

“Goodbye, Craig,” Julia said quietly.

Before she could lose her courage, she stepped closer and gently placed a kiss on his cheek.

Craig froze in surprise.

Julia’s heart raced from the brief kiss.

It had only lasted a second, yet the simple touch sent a rush of excitement through her. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had made her feel this way.

She wished she didn’t have to leave.

Craig insisted on walking her to her car.

As they stepped outside, Julia gently slipped her hand into his.

“I can manage on my own,” Craig said with a small smile.

“I know you can,” Julia replied just as softly. “But I’d still like to walk with you.”

The truth was, she simply wanted to hold his hand a little longer.

His hand was warm, strong, and surprisingly comforting, fitting perfectly around hers. She treasured every step they took together, silently wishing the short walk would never end.

When they reached the car, Tyler was standing a few feet away, finishing a phone call.

“Take care, Tyler,” Julia said with a smile.

“You too. Drive safely,” Tyler replied.

Julia reluctantly let go of Craig’s hand before getting into her car.

She gave them one last smile, started the engine, and slowly drove away.

As she made her way home, her phone suddenly beeped from the passenger seat.

“Oh no…”

She had completely forgotten that she had left it in the car the previous day.

Picking it up, her eyes widened.

One hundred missed calls.

Seventy-five unread messages.

Her heart sank.

Most of the missed calls were from her father.

Guilt washed over her.

Her parents must have been worried sick.

How could she have forgotten to let them know she was safe?

Without wasting another second, she quickly dialed her father’s number.

The call barely began to connect before her phone screen went black.

The battery had died.

Julia let out a frustrated groan.

“Just great,” she muttered, tightening her grip on the lifeless phone.

Now they’d be even more worried.

***

Julia arrived home after an hour’s drive.

As the familiar gates of the mansion came into view, she let out a long breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding.

It felt good to finally be home.

At twenty-four, she still lived with her parents, and she couldn’t care less what anyone thought about it. She loved them dearly and had every intention of staying with them until she got married.

Unfortunately, the thought of marriage—especially to Jeremy—sent a shiver down her spine.

The moment she stepped through the front door, her mother rushed toward her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Oh, my baby!” her mother exclaimed, relief filling her voice. “Thank goodness you’re alright! You had us so worried.”

Julia hugged her back just as tightly.

“Oh, Mama, I’m so sorry. My car broke down, and then my cellphone battery died.”

She could feel her mother’s arms tighten around her for another moment before finally letting go, as if reassuring herself that Julia was truly safe.

Just then, Julia saw her father walking hurriedly from the direction of his study.

“Papa…”

She immediately walked over and wrapped her arms around him.

“I’m so sorry I worried you.”

Her father hugged her tightly.

“I wasn’t just worried, Princess,” he said quietly. “I was terrified.”

He pulled back just enough to look at her.

“I kept imagining that you were hurt… or that something terrible had happened to you. I even called the police, but they said they couldn’t officially declare you missing yet.”

Hearing the fear in her father’s voice made Julia’s guilt grow even stronger.

“My car broke down, and then the rain started pouring,” she explained. “I left my phone in the car without realizing it. When I finally tried to call you this morning, the battery died before the call could go through.”

She lowered her head.

“I’m so sorry, Papa. Please forgive me.”

Her father gently rested a hand on her shoulder.

“It’s alright, Princess. I’m just thankful you’re safe.”

He smiled softly.

“But next time something like this happens, please find a way to let us know. We were worried sick.”

Julia nodded.

“I will, Papa. I promise.”

Her mother stepped closer, gently brushing a few strands of hair away from Julia’s face as though checking to make sure she wasn’t hurt.

“My poor baby,” she murmured. “You must have been frightened.”

She looked at Julia with concern.

“Where did you spend the night?”

Julia smiled almost immediately.

“I met a very kind stranger,” she replied. “He let me stay at his house until this morning.”

A smile found its way onto her lips without her even realizing it.

“He even arranged for a mechanic to fix my car.”

The mere thought of Craig filled her heart with warmth.

Her mother noticed the smile but simply returned one of her own.

“I’m just glad you’re safe, dear.”

She paused for a brief moment before adding,

“Jeremy was worried about you too.”

Julia scoffed.

“What does Jeremy have to do with any of this?” she asked, unable to hide the annoyance in her voice. “Did you tell him I was missing?”

Her mother shook her head.

“No, sweetheart. Jeremy and his parents were already here last night. We had invited them over for dinner because we were expecting you too.”

She sighed softly before continuing.

“When you didn’t come home and we couldn’t reach you for hours, everyone became worried. Jeremy even wanted to go out and look for you himself, but your father convinced him to wait.”

She gave Julia a gentle look.

“Before he left, he asked us to tell you to call him as soon as you got home.”

Julia couldn’t help rolling her eyes.

Who was Jeremy to tell her what she should do?

He always behaved as though she belonged to him.

She hated that.

No…

If she was being honest with herself, she hated everything about him.

Although they had grown up as family friends and even attended the same college, she had never liked him.

Jeremy always carried himself with the confidence of someone who believed the world existed to give him whatever he wanted.

And unfortunately…

He seemed to believe she was one of those things.

The only reason Julia tolerated him at all was because of her father.

A few months earlier, her father’s company had been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy after the company’s accountant embezzled a huge amount of money before disappearing.

The man was still on the run, with the police searching for him.

With the company struggling to survive and their finances falling apart, Jeremy’s father stepped forward with an offer.

He would buy the majority of the company’s shares and provide the financial support needed to keep the business alive.

But there was one condition.

Julia had to marry Jeremy.

Her father had accepted the proposal because he believed it was the only way to protect both the company and his family.

He wanted to save everything he had spent years building.

More importantly, he wanted to secure Julia’s future, hoping that one day they would earn enough money to buy the company back—or perhaps even start a new one from scratch.

Julia understood why he had agreed.

She had never blamed him for it.

That was why she had accepted the engagement without protest.

Not because she loved Jeremy.

Not because she wanted to marry him.

But because seeing her father lose everything would hurt far more than sacrificing her own happiness.

“Mama, I’m really tired,” Julia said softly. “I’d like to get some rest.”

She managed a small smile.

“If you want to, you can call Jeremy and let him know I’m home. But I’m not in the mood to talk to him right now.”

Her mother looked at her with sympathy.

She understood her daughter better than anyone.

She knew Julia hadn’t accepted the engagement because she loved Jeremy.

She had agreed to it for the family’s sake.

For her father’s sake.

As painful as it was, there was nothing Julia’s mother could do to change the situation.

She simply nodded.

“Alright, honey. Go and get some rest.”

Julia hugged both of her parents once more before making her way upstairs to her bedroom.

The moment she lay down on her bed, exhaustion washed over her.

She had barely closed her eyes when her phone, which was charging on the nightstand, vibrated.

With a quiet sigh, she reached for it.

It was a text message from Jeremy.

«Babe, are you alright? You had us all worried. Where were you last night?»

Julia stared at the message for a moment before locking her phone without replying.

She wasn’t ready to deal with him.

She had just placed the phone back on the nightstand when it began ringing.

She glanced at the screen.

Jeremy Calling

She groaned.

After letting it ring several times, she reluctantly answered.

“Hello?” she said flatly.

“Why haven’t you replied to any of my messages?” Jeremy demanded.

Julia rolled her eyes.

“My battery died,” she replied, trying to keep her voice calm. “I only just put my phone on charge.”

“You could’ve found a way to let us know you weren’t coming home,” he said. “You had everyone worried.”

The irritation she’d been trying to suppress finally surfaced.

“Jeremy,” she said sharply, “I’ve had a really exhausting night, and I’m in no mood to be lectured.”

She took a slow breath.

“My car broke down, I got caught in the rain, my phone died, and I barely got any sleep.”

“All I want right now is to rest.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line.

“Alright, alright,” Jeremy replied, his tone softening. “Take it easy, babe.”

“I’ll let you rest for now.”

He paused.

“But you’ll tell me everything later, okay?”

Julia closed her eyes for a moment.

She didn’t have the energy to argue.

“Okay,” she replied quietly.

“Good.”

“I love you.”

There was only the briefest pause before Julia answered.

“Bye.”

Without waiting for another word, she ended the call.