Ian watched as Aurora leaned gently against Julian’s chest, not resisting his touch. She nestled by his side like a delicate bird, and the sight struck Ian.
The two of them truly looked like a perfect pair. If Ian had just moments ago felt that his reflection with Aurora in the mirror made them seem a little closer, now, watching her with Julian, he realized they were the ones destined for each other.
A perfect match: the man was handsome and elegant, while the woman was coldly beautiful yet tender in her own unique way. Only with Julian could Aurora reveal her softer, more delicate side.
Julian exuded a strong possessiveness, making it clear to Ian that this woman was his, warning him not to entertain any ideas.
“Mr. Barnet, we owe this to the president; she brought us here for styling,” Ian said, feeling a sense of inadequacy as he stood before Julian. Julian was like the moon amidst a galaxy of stars, dazzlingly radiant, while Ian saw himself as nothing more than a dim, insignificant speck.
“This tie clip is quite nice,” Julian remarked, gently brushing his fingers over the tie clip Aurora had just helped Ian try on. She had only wanted to see how it looked.
“If you like it, Julian, it’s yours. I was planning to give it to you anyway,” Aurora said without hesitation.
Ian heard her words, and a bitter taste filled his heart. Julian, however, despite knowing the circumstances, seemed unwilling to accept something Ian had worn, even if it was just for a moment.
“I do like it,” Julian said, his tone light, “but I think this one suits Ian better. I’ll take this one instead.” He casually picked another tie clip from the selection.
Even Aurora, as perceptive as she was, could feel the undercurrent of tension in the room. The atmosphere grew awkward.
“This is also one of our store’s newest designs, sir. You have excellent taste,” the shop assistant chimed in.
“Great, I’ll take it,” Julian replied with a faint smile.
Aurora, despite her usual obliviousness, began to notice something different about Julian. After a moment of thought, she realized why-he must have assumed she’d come shopping specifically with Ian.
Putting herself in his shoes, she understood. If she ever saw Julian shopping with another woman, she would undoubtedly feel upset, too. It was her oversight not to consider this earlier.
“Alright, could you help me wrap it up? I’ll go pay,” Aurora said, heading toward the register with the sales assistant. This time, Julian didn’t insist on paying first.
As he passed Ian, Julian glanced at him and, in a voice only the two of them could hear, said, “Put away your little thoughts. Don’t even think about my woman.” With that, he walked away toward Aurora.
Ian clenched his fists tightly, his emotions swirling in turmoil. He had always been clear about the situation-he wasn’t worthy of Aurora, and she already had someone by her side. He had never imagined anything happening between them.
But Julian had seen through his faint admiration for Aurora in an instant, leaving Ian feeling deeply humiliated, as if he wanted to disappear into the ground.
When Julian saw that Aurora had finished paying, he walked over to her and asked, “Are you heading over now? I’ll drive you.”
“No need, you’re so busy with work. We drove here ourselves,” Aurora replied, shaking her head. She knew Julian had spent days accompanying her to relax and taking care of Hayden, leaving his work piling up. She couldn’t possibly ask him to take any more time for her.
“But I want to take you,” Julian said, his tone carrying a hint of grievance. Aurora couldn’t help but smile helplessly.
“Alright then, just don’t let it affect your work…”
“Don’t worry about that. I’m not as busy as you think. Let’s go,” Julian said, wrapping his arm around Aurora as they left.
The mall manager stood by, watching as his boss left with a woman in his arms. Nearby, Rocky also understood what had just transpired.
“So, today’s inspection is over, I see.”
“The boss… is he…?”
“Even I can’t figure him out anymore. Let’s go,” Rocky said, preparing to hail a taxi back to the headquarters.
In the spacious backseat of the car, Julian held Aurora tightly in his arms, unwilling to let go for even a second. The thought of her being in the same car as Ian earlier had left him deeply unsettled.
“Do you like this tie clip?” Aurora asked, fastening the tie clip she’d just bought onto Julian’s tie.
“If you bought it, I like it,” Julian replied. From the moment they got in the car, he hadn’t released her from his embrace.
“I think you liked Ian’s tie clip more,” Aurora teased, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She knew Julian was jealous.
“Don’t mention other men to me,” Julian said, his expression darkening. He couldn’t stand the way Ian looked at Aurora. He knew he couldn’t stop others from admiring her-Aurora was exceptional, after all. Even if he drove Ian away, there would surely be someone else who’d follow. Still, seeing Ian’s gaze linger on her filled him with discomfort and unease.
“Julian, are you jealous?” Aurora leaned close to his ear, gently nibbling on his earlobe.
“Yes, I’m jealous,” Julian admitted, lifting her chin. “You took another man shopping for clothes. Every pore in my body is jealous.”
Aurora couldn’t help but laugh. His jealousy was even greater than she had expected. She leaned close to his ear, her breath soft as she whispered, “Oh my, I just wanted to help Ian and Heather get ready to assist me in running the company. You know how realistic the world is nowadays. They’ll need to sign contracts and negotiate deals, and naturally, they need to maintain a good appearance.
I really didn’t mean anything else. That tie clip was meant for you. I just wanted to see how it would look. Julian, you’re not still upset with me, are you?”
“That depends on how you plan to make it up to me. I’m very angry right now,” Julian said lazily, leaning back against the leather seat.
Aurora climbed onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, “We have half an hour before the appointment. Is that enough?”
“Barely enough,” Julian replied, pulling her closer by the waist. He loved it when Aurora took the initiative.
To dispel his anger, Aurora threw caution to the wind, using every trick he had once used on her to coax him.
Half an hour later, the car came to a steady stop. Though the two had tidied themselves up, Aurora’s cheeks were still flushed, and her lipstick had been completely kissed away by the man.
“Time’s almost up. I’ll head out first,” Aurora said, checking her watch. There were ten minutes left before the appointment.
She opened the car door and stepped out. Heather and Ian had just exited their own vehicle.
“President, should we head over now?” Heather asked.
“Yes, let’s go,” Aurora replied. But before she could take a single step, Julian pulled her back into his arms.
“Wait,” he said.
“Hm?” Aurora looked at him, puzzled. Julian pulled out a lipstick, lifted her chin, and carefully reapplied the color to her lips.
Not far away, Ian watched the scene, his heart heavy with bitterness.