The sound of rotor blades echoed above the hospital. Aurora, who was enjoying her dessert, instinctively looked up. “Why would there be a helicopter at the hospital?” she wondered aloud.
“Maybe it’s some lunatic,” Asher replied casually, though a sly glimmer flickered in his eyes.
The helicopter landed directly on the hospital rooftop. Aurora didn’t dwell on it, dismissing any possible connection to Julian. She continued eating her dessert, oblivious to the small smear of cream left on the corner of her lips. Before she could react, Denis Vukic reached over and wiped it away.
Aurora froze. Wasn’t this the man who was supposed to have a cleanliness obsession?
“Take your hand away,” came a familiar voice. Everyone turned toward the door, and there he stood. Aurora instantly realized who the so-called lunatic was-none other than the man before her.
From initial surprise to growing delight, the pieces began to fall into place. No wonder she hadn’t been able to reach him all day. He must have been on the plane the entire time. Was this his surprise for her?
“Julian…” It had only been a few days since she last saw him, but to Aurora, it felt like an eternity.
Without a second thought, and ignoring everyone in the room, Aurora flung the blanket aside and rushed toward him, throwing herself into his arms.
Julian, holding the petite woman in his embrace, hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic reaction. The anger and worry that had been gnawing at him suddenly melted away, leaving only warmth in its place.
“Little Bunny, are you sick?” Julian asked softly, his eyes scanning her fragile figure. Was it his imagination, or had she gotten thinner?
“It’s nothing, just my old problem acting up. Julian, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Aurora looked up at him, her arms naturally wrapping around his neck.
The others in the room were dumbstruck. This side of Aurora was something they had never seen before. Even with Asher, Aurora always maintained a certain level of restraint. Only in Julian’s presence could she be so free and unguarded.
Asher’s emotions were complicated. The scene was both painful and comforting to witness. This was the difference between him and Julian. She could never act this way with him. For that, he admitted defeat.
Julian, clearly pleased by her reaction, playfully tapped her nose. “I couldn’t stop worrying about you, Little Bunny. I had to come and see for myself. It seems I arrived just in time. Why are you sick again?”
“It’s just my stomach acting up from irregular eating. You know how sensitive it is. But really, Julian, the doctor said I’m fine now.”
Aurora tried to downplay her condition, but Julian wasn’t convinced. Her pale complexion and gaunt features told a different story.
“Fine? I don’t believe that. If you were fine, would you still be in the hospital?” Without giving her a chance to argue, Julian scooped her up in his arms. Aurora instinctively nestled into a comfortable position, resting her head against his chest.
From the moment Julian entered, his eyes had caught Denis Vukic’s figure in the room. Yet he ignored him for now, placing Aurora back in bed before finally addressing Denis.
“Denis, it’s been a while since graduation.”
Graduation? Aurora blinked in surprise. These two exceptional men were alumni of the same school? And from the looks of it, they seemed to know each other quite well.
“Yes, it has been a while-since her death.” Denis’s words were like a blade slicing through the air, the chill in his tone freezing the room.
Asher’s sharp instincts picked up on the tension. It was clear these two men had a history, and a deep one at that. He began to regret calling Julian here. The atmosphere between the two was so charged, it felt like a fight could break out at any moment. More troubling was the sense that their animosity wasn’t entirely about Aurora-there was something deeper at play.
Aurora gripped the bedsheet tightly. Who was this “her”?
Julian’s expression, in contrast to Denis’s icy demeanor, remained calm. “The dead cannot return. After all these years, why haven’t you let it go?”
“Let it go? How can I let it go? Don’t forget who she died for!” Denis grabbed Julian by the collar, his fury boiling over.
Aurora, sensing something amiss, realized there was more to Julian’s past than she knew. Other than the fact that he had waited for her for fifteen years, she understood little about his life. If he and Denis had attended the same university in New York, then during that time, she must have still been in middle school. His past, it seemed, was far from simple.
“I mourned her death too, but what’s done is done. There are no second chances. My advice to you: move on,” Julian said, his words cold and unyielding.
The indifference in his tone struck a nerve. Denis’s voice trembled with rage. “Move on? Julian, is your heart made of stone? Do you have any idea how much Daria did for you? She-” Denis’s anger surged, and he raised a fist to strike Julian.
“Mr. Vukic, please stop.” Aurora, unable to ignore the rising tension, stepped between them.
Denis, seeing her, reluctantly lowered his hand. Julian gently picked Aurora up again and placed her back in bed. “Why did you get up? Don’t you know the floor is cold?” His voice was warm, as though the confrontation moments earlier had never happened.
“Julian.” Aurora clutched his sleeve, concern etched on her face.
Not wanting to disturb Aurora’s rest further, Denis turned and left without a word. Once he was gone, Julian tucked Aurora in and smiled. “Weren’t you craving dessert earlier? Let me feed you.”
Despite everything that had just transpired, his demeanor remained gentle. Aurora and Asher were both stunned. How could he remain so composed after hearing Denis’s accusations? Someone had clearly died because of him, and yet he remained unshaken.
“Julian, I…” Aurora’s emotions were a tangled mess.
“Hmm? Don’t like the flavor? I’ll get you another one.” Julian turned to grab a different dessert.
Aurora glanced at Asher. “Ashy, you have work tomorrow. You should go home and rest. Julian can stay with me.”
Asher understood the unspoken message. She wanted to speak with Julian alone. Though disappointed, he respected her wishes and left after a few parting words.
Once they were alone, Aurora held Julian’s hand tightly. “Julian, I want to hear about your past.”