CHAPTER 9

As the night wore on, I found myself feeling more and more drawn to Julian. He was charming and witty, and he seemed to genuinely care about what I had to say.

As we finished our dessert and prepared to leave, I decided to take a chance and ask Julian about his past. "Hey, can I ask you something?" I said, trying to sound casual.

Julian looked at me with a hint of curiosity. "Of course, what is it?" he asked.

I took a deep breath and plunged ahead. "I couldn't help but notice that you seem to be hiding something," I said. "Is everything okay? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Julian's expression changed in an instant. He looked taken aback, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of fear in his eyes.

But then, just as quickly, his expression smoothed out, and he smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice light and careless. "I'm just a normal guy, living a normal life."

I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Save it, Julian," I said. "I'm not buying it. There's something you're not telling me, and I want to know what it is."

Julian's smile faltered, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of uncertainty in his eyes. But then, he seemed to regain his composure, and he stood up, his expression smooth and confident.

"Let's just say that I have my reasons for keeping certain things private," he said. "And I'd appreciate it if you could respect my boundaries."

I felt a surge of frustration and disappointment. I had been hoping that Julian would open up to me, that he would trust me enough to share his secrets.

But instead, he seemed to be pushing me away, shutting me out behind a wall of secrecy and silence.

I nodded, feeling a sense of understanding wash over me. "Okay, Julian," I said. "I respect your boundaries. I won't push you to tell me anything you're not ready to share."

Julian's expression softened, and he smiled, looking relieved. "Thank you, Alex," he said. "That means a lot to me."

We stood there for a moment, the tension between us dissipating. Then Julian glanced at his watch and frowned.

"I'm so sorry, but I have to go," he said. "I have an early meeting tomorrow morning."

I nodded, feeling a pang of disappointment. I had been enjoying Julian's company, and I didn't want the night to end.

But Julian seemed to sense my disappointment, and he smiled. "Would you like to grab coffee with me tomorrow afternoon?" he asked.

I nodded, feeling a surge of excitement. "I'd love to," I said.

As we said our goodbyes, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation.

What did the future hold for Julian and me? I had no idea, but I was eager to find out.

As I watched Julian walk away, I felt a sense of hope that I hadn't felt in a long time. Maybe, just maybe, I was ready to start moving on from my past and embracing whatever the future held.

The next day, I found myself counting down the minutes until my coffee date with Julian. I had been looking forward to it all morning, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and nervousness.

When Julian arrived at the coffee shop, he smiled and waved, and I felt my heart skip a beat. We hugged briefly and then sat down at a small table by the window.

As we sipped our coffee and chatted, I found myself feeling more and more at ease in Julian's presence. He was easy to talk to, and he seemed to genuinely care about what I had to say.

As we talked, I learned more about Julian's business ventures and his passions. He was a successful entrepreneur, but he still hasn't told me what kind of business he's doing or the family he came from; he had a real drive and enthusiasm that I found inspiring.

But despite the ease and comfort of our conversation, Julian was still holding something back. There was a sense of reserve about him, a sense that he was keeping certain parts of himself hidden.

I pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on the present moment and the enjoyment of Julian's company. As we finished our coffee and prepared to part ways, Julian smiled and leaned in close.

"I had a great time today, Alex," he said, his voice low and husky. "Would you like to do it again sometime soon?"

I nodded, feeling a surge of excitement and anticipation. "I'd love to," I said.

Julian grinned, and we exchanged a brief, sparkling glance. As we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and possibility.

As I settled into bed, still basking in the warmth of my dinner date with Julian, my phone buzzed with a text from Rachel. "Hi babe, how was it?" she asked, her curiosity palpable even through the screen.

I couldn't help but smile as I typed out my response. "It's fine. I don't know how he does that. Whenever I'm with him, I forget about Jack and Emma." It was true - Julian had a way of making me feel seen and heard, of making me forget about the pain and betrayal of my past.

Rachel's response was immediate. "Maybe your heart is opening up for him," she suggested, her words sparking a flutter in my chest. "Right?" I replied, trying to sound casual despite the turmoil of emotions inside me.

Just as I was about to drift off to sleep, my phone rang, shrill in the silence of my bedroom. I hesitated for a moment before answering, my heart sinking as I saw my dad's name on the screen.

"Hey Alex, I was wondering if you could come home for dinner tomorrow?" he asked, his voice jovial but with an undercurrent of something else.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as I agreed, my mind racing with possibilities. What were they planning? Were they going to try to manipulate me again, to get me to forgive and forget? Or was something more sinister at play?

As I hung up the phone, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into a trap. But I was determined to be prepared, to face whatever my family had in store for me with my head held high.