Aurora was now accustomed to Julian’s presence and fell asleep without much fuss.
The next morning, she was awakened by Asher’s loud voice. Oddly, she had slept soundly in Julian’s arms and hadn’t had any nightmares all night.
Julian had woken up before Asher entered the room, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, thinking the timing was just right.
“You, you two…” Asher stammered, pointing at them sharing a bed.
Aurora, still groggy, opened her eyes, “What’s wrong?”
“Aurora, how long have you been back in the country to end up in bed with a man?” Asher exclaimed, visibly distraught.
He remembered how Aurora had once kicked him off the bed, and now seeing her in Julian’s embrace was a stark contrast.
“Ashy, it’s not what you think,” Aurora responded, calling Asher ‘Ashy’ in her moments of urgency.
“I saw it with my own eyes. You shared a bed together last night,” Asher accused, looking at her as if she were an unfaithful wife.
Aurora was slow to respond, her dress partially removed by Julian at some point, exposing her enticing shoulder.
The two indeed looked as though they had spent a thrilling night together. “No, I… We…”
“We did sleep together, not just last night, but before too. What? You have a problem with that?” Julian added, making matters worse.
“You really slept with him, Aurora?”
Under Julian’s gaze, she couldn’t deny it and simply nodded. “Yes, but it’s not what you think.”
“Humph, you heartless woman.” Asher stormed out.
Aurora wanted to chase after him to explain, but Julian pulled her back into his embrace. “Is he your boyfriend?”
“No,” she replied.
“Then why explain?” he questioned further.
“You’re right. Why should I explain?” Aurora mused, still half-asleep, blinking her large, somewhat bewildered eyes.
Julian adored her in this state. “Do you know how tempting you are?”
He then playfully tackled her back onto the bed, her head landing softly on the pillow, her hair spreading out messily.
The morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting a radiant glow on her delicate, fair skin.
Without makeup, she looked as pure as an angel. This silly, unguarded Aurora was a rare sight for Julian, who then leaned over to kiss her.
“Are you done yet? Do you really think I’m invisible?” Asher, having returned, stood with his arms crossed, watching them.
Aurora then remembered Asher was still in the room and quickly pushed Julian aside, questioning why he stuck around like a burr.
“Time to get up,” she said, finally getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom, slightly embarrassed.
Julian stood up and approached Asher. “See? Now you know her feelings for me are genuine or not, don’t you? I’ve known her for over a decade.”
“If you truly like her, please love her well. She’s a good woman who just hasn’t met the right person to cherish her properly.”
Asher’s tone became much more serious than the day before, and his words were sincere. Julian listened intently.
“You think I’m here to compete with you for her? If I could have taken her away, I would have done so three years ago, but I know she only sees me as family. I can be her support and kin, but never her lover. All this time, we’ve been supporting each other. She never loved me. I’ve known that for a long time, and all I could do was to protect her. I was uneasy about her returning to Clothville, especially since our joint business in the States was our shared passion. Unable to accompany her back, knowing you’re there to protect her puts my mind at ease. I hope you won’t disappoint me. If you harm her in the slightest, I will never forgive you!”
Asher could only express these thoughts in Aurora’s absence, and Julian nodded slightly in response.
“I won’t hurt her.”
“That’s good to hear. She has endured much and has built herself to be a tough woman. Yet, she’s still vulnerable inside. After all, she is a woman, and a woman should be cherished and pampered. You must cherish her and never cause her grief. Even if she guards her heart closely, someday she will gradually open up to you. If she gets hurt again, she might never trust anyone for the rest of her life. I hope you can promise me this.” Asher pleaded earnestly.
Moved by the sincerity in Asher’s eyes, Julian slowly said, “I love her. How could I bear to hurt her?”
“Good, and since you’ll be with her, remember these things. She suffers from severe gastritis and is irregular with her meals. It’s manageable now, but once the company stabilizes and she gets busier, she will likely skip meals, which her stomach can no longer handle. You must remind her to eat on time, or her condition could worsen. She enjoys spicy and cold foods, but her stomach can’t handle anything too extreme. Over the years, she’s also developed habits of smoking and drinking, which I haven’t been able to break her from. She harbors many unresolved issues, and when she feels unsettled, she turns to cigarettes and alcohol. I hope you can help her quit these bad habits completely.”
“Due to these reasons, her menstrual cycle is irregular, and she suffers from menstrual cramps. Keep pain relievers like ibuprofen readily available for her. Although I have never experienced it, I know it must be very painful for her.”
“She prefers simple and subdued colors like black and gray, probably because of her past. Her blood sugar is a bit low, so remember to always have some sweets handy for her. She has a strong sense of pride, so you have to always agree with her and never belittle her…”
Asher rattled off all of Aurora’s habits and preferences, and even Julian had to admit that Asher might know her better than she knew herself. He sighed softly, “Asher, there’s one thing I’m really grateful for.”
“What’s that?”
Julian honestly replied, “Thankfully, the one Aurora loves isn’t you. Otherwise, facing someone like you, I’d stand no chance at all.”
“Of course,” Asher said, “Only I truly understand her worth. If she had taken one step towards me, we would have been together a long ago. But love can’t be forced. Don’t worry. I’ve already given up on her. Now, my feelings for her are like those for a family member. We cherish each other, and I’ll always silently protect her. If you dare to mistreat her, even if it means destruction for both of us, I won’t let you off easily!”