Semua Bab New Body, Old Obsession… Complete Decadence: Bab 41 - Bab 50

Though Julian knew Josephine and Phoebe were completely different people—except in his dreams, where he sometimes confused them—Julian still felt a heavy weight in his chest. He silently repeated her name: Josephine. The teacher tapped the desk. "Ethan's uncle is here. This is Julie's mother. Why don't the parents sit down and talk?" Josephine stood with a stiff, straight back. Her fingers hung naturally, but then clenched tightly before relaxing again. Ethan's uncle was none other than Julian. Julie, turning around, looked at Julian with wide, surprised eyes. "Doctor!" "Mm." Julian walked over and crouched down. Even kneeling, he towered over Julie. His long fingers gently smoothed her hair. "I'm sorry. It wasn't right for Ethan to mess up your hair." Julie thought for a moment, then glanced at Josephine. Josephine faced the teacher, not turning her head or side-glancing at Julian. The teacher noticed they knew each other already. "Alright then, since you know each o

Josephine had brought breakfast that morning—a cup of oat milk and an egg. But she never got the chance to eat it. The entire morning was swallowed by meetings. LM had secured two major design contracts, and the heads of two women's fashion brands arrived in person. Bernard called her into his office, and by noon, she was obliged to join them for a business lunch. Josephine never cared for such meals, yet out of courtesy, she drank two sips of wine. The whole day passed, and she had eaten almost nothing. By four o'clock in the afternoon, her phone rang. It was Julie's teacher. Julie had gotten into a fight with the boy seated behind her. Josephine asked for leave and rushed to the school. She managed only a single bite of pizza. But the greasy taste still lingered in her throat. Pale and unsteady, Josephine crouched down. She had low blood sugar—it had plagued her since her daughter's birth. Her head buzzed. White static filled her vision. Through the haze, she heard her

Ethan clung to Julian's trousers, and Julie heard every word. How could a man admit he had no money? Especially in front of a beautiful woman—what humiliation. But in truth, Rosalyn had confiscated all his pocket money, afraid he would waste it on junk food after school. Josephine offered to treat them. It was already late, and though her daughter had eaten a little earlier, she still needed something more substantial. Besides, since Julian had driven them, she could count dinner as his fare. Flushed red, Ethan straightened his back to defend his masculine dignity. "Josephine, I do have money. My uncle's just keeping it for me." Julian didn't tease him further. He lifted his chin, and immediately Ethan seized Julie's hand, tugging her excitedly toward Wendy's Diner. Julian's gaze shifted to Josephine. His eyes lingered on her pale lips, and his brow tightened. "Since you have low blood sugar, you need three proper meals a day. Balance your nutrition. Don't eat breakfast too l

Mid-November, an outbreak of flu swept through the school. In a classroom of children, once one caught a cold, the rest quickly followed. Their immune systems were too fragile. Josephine worried her daughter might get infected. After all, Julie had a weak heart. If she caught the flu, it could become serious. So Josephine requested a week's leave for her. What she hadn't expected was to fall ill herself. Fever struck her first. Afraid of passing it to Stella or her daughter—both vulnerable, one elderly and the other a child—Josephine urged Stella to wear a mask. Stella only chuckled, teasing that Josephine's constitution seemed even weaker than hers and little Julie's. Josephine stayed home on sick leave. She spent three days at the small community clinic hooked up to IV drips, yet her fever lingered, flaring and receding. At noon each day, Stella came to deliver meals, urging her to go to a proper hospital and get her blood tested. Josephine kept putting it off, telling hers

The young nurse smiled. "Dr. Faulkner, you're here too." Julian's face was well known in this hospital—striking enough to draw attention wherever he appeared. The nurse's gaze slid past him to the woman standing at his side. She was immaculately dressed in a Chanel sweater layered with a beige plaid cashmere coat—every inch the picture of a wealthy socialite. Myra's eyes then fell on Josephine. Her brows pinched together. "Josephine?" Josephine gave a small hum of acknowledgment and lifted her cap. "Hello, Myra." At the sound of her hoarse, rasping voice, Myra let out a surprised laugh. "Oh, Josephine, your voice is so gone I didn't even recognize you just now." She turned to Julian. "This is one of my department's staff. We had dinner together last time, do you remember?" Of course, Myra knew Julian would never recall such trivialities. She only mentioned it in passing, a gesture more for show than sentiment. She and Josephine had little personal connection; their circ