Gemma stormed off, only to spot a man leaning casually against a Rolls-Royce. His mere presence seemed to draw everyone’s attention.
Tall and straight-backed, with deep, piercing eyes and a strikingly handsome face, he was the kind of man who could make passing women stop in their tracks.
“Wow, he’s so handsome! Do you think he’s a celebrity?”
“Look at the watch on his wrist-that’s worth over a million dollars!”
“Maybe he’s the CEO of some big company. I didn’t think guys like this existed in real life. Isn’t this just like those romance novels about powerful CEOs falling for ordinary girls? Do you think someone like me has a chance?”
“You’ve read too many novels. Look at you-he’d never even glance at you.”
“Come on, you never know. What if I accidentally run toward him and fall right in front of him? That’s how all those romance stories start.”
“He’d probably just step over you and keep walking. Honestly, I think he’s waiting for someone. He probably already has a girlfriend. Don’t get your hopes up.”
“Look over there-a bitch is heading toward him. She’s definitely going to try and flirt with him.”
The “bitch” in question was none other than Gemma.
When Gemma saw the elegant man, her heart raced. He was the type of man she dreamed of marrying-handsome and rich.
How had Aurora gotten so lucky to date someone like this? If only he were hers instead.
“Mr. Barnet, are you waiting for the CEO?” Gemma approached with what she believed was her most graceful walk and an innocent smile.
Julian shot her an impatient glance. With his photographic memory, he easily recognized her as the woman who had once poured coffee on Aurora.
“Who are you?” Julian’s words came cold and direct, cutting off Gemma before she even had a chance to continue.
Her smile froze. She had crossed paths with Julian several times before-he had even been the one to fire her from her real estate job. And yet, he was now pretending not to know her?
Gemma’s lips twitched in anger, but she forced herself to maintain a polite smile. “I’m Gemma. I went to the same university as Aurora, and now I work in her company.”
“You don’t need to introduce yourself so thoroughly. I’m not the least bit interested.” Julian’s tone was dismissive.
Gemma could feel his disdain and coldness, but she wasn’t ready to give up just yet.
“Mr. Barnet, if you’re waiting for Aurora, you might have to wait a while,” she said, forcing a sweet smile.
“Why?” Julian finally gave her a proper look. Thirty minutes earlier, he had called Aurora, and she had always been punctual.
“Because she’s busy mentoring her subordinates. Everyone else has already left, leaving her alone with one of them-a man. Just the two of them, spending quality time together,” Gemma said mockingly.
Julian immediately understood her insinuation. He frowned. “You can leave now.”
“Mr. Barnet, don’t blame me for not warning you. No matter how well you treat her, she’s not exactly keeping her distance from other men at the office,” Gemma added with a smirk.
“Get out!” Julian’s voice was filled with fury, his entire demeanor radiating anger. This woman must have had a death wish, daring to say such things in front of him.
“I’m just being kind. If you don’t appreciate it, Mr. Barnet, that’s not my problem,” Gemma said as she turned to leave.
She knew that the biggest threat to a relationship was a crisis of trust. Even if Julian didn’t believe her now, no man could completely ignore such comments.
Her words were like a small stone dropped into a calm lake-eventually, they would cause ripples.
Julian watched her swaying figure disappear. How childish. Did she really think he would believe her nonsense?
Did she think he didn’t know who his Little Bunny was? If their relationship could be destroyed by such baseless remarks, then it wasn’t worth having in the first place.
Julian quickly composed himself. After waiting for ten more minutes, he finally saw Aurora walking out with Mona and the young man they had met earlier at the cafe.
In that moment, he understood why Gemma had made those comments. It was clearly about this young man-someone who wore oversized glasses and had messy hair, a typical bookworm.
The idea that Aurora would like someone like him was almost laughable. Comparing this boy to himself was an insult.
Gemma’s actions disgusted him. If she couldn’t have something, she would rather destroy it.
“Julian, sorry to keep you waiting,” Aurora said warmly, cutting off her conversation with Ian as she walked toward Julian with a smile.
“I just got here,” Julian replied, ruffling her hair affectionately.
Ian, watching their interaction, felt a pang of self-consciousness. The bond between Aurora and Julian was something he could never hope to match.
“CEO, I’ll take my leave,” Ian said, lowering his head. He didn’t even dare to meet Julian’s gaze. The aura Julian exuded was overwhelming, making Ian feel insignificant.
Aurora barely noticed Ian’s retreat. All her attention was on Julian.
Julian, however, saw through Ian immediately. Even if Ian harbored feelings for Aurora, it didn’t matter. A man who couldn’t even meet his eyes wasn’t worth being considered a rival.
“What do you want for dinner?” Julian asked casually, as though nothing had happened.
Mona, standing off to the side, avoided Julian’s gaze. Ever since that night, she had felt too embarrassed to face him.
“Mona, you’ve been working so hard lately. What do you feel like eating? We could go out, or you could join us at home. I can call Mrs. Hill to prepare something,” Aurora offered kindly.
“No, no, it’s fine. My stomach hasn’t been feeling well. I think I’ll just head home and rest,” Mona stammered.
“Are you feeling unwell? No wonder you seemed off today. Let me take you to the hospital,” Aurora said, reaching out to help her.
Mona quickly pulled away. The thought of facing Julian after what had happened made her even more uncomfortable.
“I’m fine, really. You two go ahead and enjoy your evening. I just need some rest,” Mona said before hurrying off.
Aurora watched her retreating figure, puzzled. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Maybe she’s feeling guilty about something,” Julian joked lightly.
“Do you know something? Tell me!” Aurora demanded.
“Sure, but you have to kiss me first,” Julian teased as he headed toward the car. Aurora immediately chased after him.