Aurora watched Julian leave without any hesitation, feeling somewhat moved. It seemed that someone of his status should care greatly about his image. Although he wasn’t a celebrity, his life was as much a favorite subject of gossip journalists as any star’s. There had been no small number of reporters shadowing Julian in the past.
Everyone was eager to dig up some juicy gossip about him, but after following him for a week, they discovered that this man did nothing but work; he was a true workaholic. It was harder to find any gossip about him than to reach the heavens.
Reporters couldn’t believe that someone as wealthy as him wouldn’t indulge in romantic or flippant escapades. Even if he didn’t seek them out, one would think temptations would come his way. Even a famous paparazzo who followed him around couldn’t unearth anything significant.
The final consensus was that this man was either celibate or asexual. He seemed to be completely indifferent to both women and men. That’s why Julian was repeatedly voted “The Man You’d Most Want to Marry.”
In reality, he wasn’t indifferent or abstinent. Aurora, who had been intimate with him, understood how intense his desires could be. His warmth was reserved, sparingly offered only to strangers, and even his desires he kept for her alone.
Her period had conveniently acted as a temporary shield for her. After taking a hot bath, Aurora reflected on how she had felt some emotions stirring while under him. This was not a good sign. Julian was far more dangerous than Hayden; she knew well that a man like him only saw her as prey.
Even if not prey, then a pet. Which owner truly falls in love with their pet? In his eyes, he was the master, and she was merely an object for his amusement. Thinking this, Aurora’s gaze grew colder.
The lessons from three years ago were enough; when she decisively left Clothville, only she knew what she endured each night. From her youthful dependency on Hayden and her naive, budding romance with him, to their ultimate fallout.
It had taken her three years to heal fully, so by the time she was in the United States, she had resolved never to let emotions sway her again. The word “love” was simply too painful, especially with a man like Julian. Only she would get hurt.
After comfortably bathing and changing into a robe, she lay on the bed watching TV, returning to her enchanting self, capable of mesmerizing anyone-except that her eyes held no love.
Meanwhile, Julian had gone to a nearby supermarket, a place he had visited only a handful of times in his life. Normally, his assistant handled such errands, and buying sanitary pads was a first for him.
After wandering around for a long time, he finally found the colorful aisle. Standing before the shelves, Julian was shocked. He had thought there would only be one or two types of sanitary pads, but today was truly an eye-opener.
Unsure of which brand to buy, he simply chose the most expensive one, only to realize it was labeled for daytime use.
“Could there also be ones for nighttime?” he wondered.
Looking further, he indeed found some marked for night use. He didn’t understand the difference but picked up a package anyway. Wait, the one he held was soft; next to it were dry weave options-what was the difference?
“Sir, hello, buying for your girlfriend?” a sales clerk approached the handsome man holding a basket full of pads, greeting him warmly.
“Yeah, which kind is generally used?” Julian patiently inquired.
“Generally, these are for daytime use, and those are for nighttime use. The nighttime ones are longer, and if you’re worried about leaks, we also have leak-proof options. For heavier flows, you can choose this model with greater absorbency, or a thinner one if you find it too bulky. For lighter days, a panty liner will do, and we have both medicated and fragrance-free options…” The clerk recited the details like an expert, one by one.
Julian felt overwhelmed, hardly understanding a thing, “Wait, I’ll take a pack of each of what you just mentioned.”
“Alright!” The clerk happily stuffed various types of sanitary pads into Julian’s cart.
“Sir, you’re really good to your girlfriend!” The clerk admired him, noting his thoughtful choice in sanitary pads.
Hearing the word ‘girlfriend’ lifted Julian’s spirits, “She mentioned she had a stomach ache, what should I do about that?”
“That’s normal. Maybe you’d want some ibuprofen, and drinking some hot water might also help. It’s important to stay warm during her period,” the woman advised, sharing her experience.
“Women really are troublesome,” Julian muttered, though he honestly went to buy the ibuprofen.
On the way back, he also picked up a few outfits for her, as her black dress had gotten some blood stains.
Julian, carrying a bag of women’s clothing and sanitary pads, caught everyone’s attention as he walked.
Especially the lipstick mark on his white shirt stood out vividly, with onlookers envying the good man his girlfriend had.
When Julian returned to the hotel, the sound of the TV indicated the little lady hadn’t fled.
Seeing her lounging on the bed in a white bathrobe, legs crossed seductively, nearly drove him wild again.
A voice from the TV asked, “Susan, what do you think about those photos of Mr. Alvarez?”
Aurora was watching intently, not even noticing his return.
On the TV, Susan, dressed in an elegant white gown, always had the most beautiful smile.
“Thank you for asking. As I’ve said before, that photo was just photoshopped. Hayden and I are very much in love,” she said, her smile radiant, seemingly unaffected, though her fingers elegantly tugging at her gown’s hem disguised her inner fury, the fabric crumpling under her grip.
“So, the engagement ceremony is still on schedule?” the reporter asked again.
“Of course, our relationship hasn’t been affected, why would we postpone it?” she replied. Before entering showbiz, she had already mastered the art of keeping up appearances, not to mention her years in the industry which had thickened her skin.
“That bitch, what’s there to look at?” Julian coldly voiced, not having forgotten how pitiful Aurora had looked when she cried back then.
While grateful that the despicable couple had pushed Aurora into his arms, he really despised such people.
“You’re back?” Aurora finally noticed Julian, laden with bags, “Did you rob that supermarket?”
She had only asked him to buy sanitary pads, yet the amount of stuff he brought back looked like he’d almost cleared out the store.
“Heartless woman, go see what you need for yourself.” He dumped the bags on the bed and headed to the kitchen with a smaller package.