' It's fine , ' Charlotte told herself . ' I still have plenty of time . ' As long as Julian kept no other woman by his side , she believed persistence would wear him down . Tiffany , drowsy from her medicine , had already returned to bed . The living room was empty . Sydney picked up her tablet , ready to retreat to her room and scroll mindlessly through variety shows . Just as she rose , her phone lit up with a message . Brother : [ Come eat . ] She had always saved Julian's contact as Brother . Even now , after he had dragged himself off her blacklist , she had forgotten to change it .
Sydney glanced at the clock . Charlotte had only gone inside five minutes ago . What was she supposed to do ? Go be a third wheel ? She typed back : [ Already ate . ] It was a lie . Tiffany was on a bland diet - no seafood , no seasoning - and Sydney had barely managed a few spoonfuls of soup with her . Julian's reply came instantly . Brother : [ Do I need to come get you ? ] Even through the screen , she felt the cold , unyielding edge in his tone . Afraid he might actually appear at her door , she dropped her tablet , grabbed her phone , and hurried out .
Standing at his door , she hadn't even reached for the bell when another message appeared . Brother : [ 902079. Let yourself in . ] It was the code for the door . For a moment , she froze as her mind leapt . Was it the same way Charlotte had gotten his code ? Was she just one of many women who knew it ? She forced the thought down , keyed in the numbers , and stepped inside , slipping into her own slippers at the entryway . The dining table was set with all her favorite dishes , especially the pork ribs .
Julian emerged from the kitchen in a black striped lounge set , his tall frame relaxed , two glasses of juice in his hands . He set one before her . Sydney pressed her lips together . " Thank you . " She unwrapped the disposable utensils and ate quietly , not meeting his eyes . 1/2 Julian lounged back and watched her for a long while . The corner of his mouth curved coldly . " You come all this way to eat , and this is the face I get ? " "No. " She shook her head quickly and picked up a piece of roast pork . Before she realized it , she had eaten nearly all the ribs . Julian's gaze narrowed .
" Didn't you say you'd already eaten ? " She set her utensils down , at a loss for words . She couldn't explain it . Ever since seeing Charlotte punch in his code earlier , a heavy , suffocating weight had pressed against her chest . Julian's brows drew tight , his dark eyes boring into her like he could strip away every thought . Sydney stayed silent . Suddenly , he rose , swept her off her chair , and set her on the table , forcing her to meet his eyes . " Tell me , princess . What exactly are you sulking about ?
Or is it that you only want dinner with that fake - divorced husband of yours ? " He looked irritated . Sydney didn't know how to answer . What right did she have ? She was only his mistress . She had no claim to question him about Charlotte . And yet , she didn't even understand what she felt jealous of . Her feet dangled above the floor , making her feel unsteady . She turned her face away . " I told you . It's nothing . " The air thickened with tension . Julian planted his hands on either side of her thighs and caged her in . " Want me to carry you to bed ?
" Her mind leapt to the obvious meaning . She shook her head . " Next time , alright ? " Her period still had not fully passed . The repeated refusals drew a sudden coldness over his face . He pulled back , jaw tight , and jerked his chin toward the door . " Then leave . " His voice was cutting . Today's Bonus Offer