Chapter 85 MORNING AFTER
Eli's POV
I blinked my heavy lids awake slowly. For a second, I don’t know where I am. Everything feels… warm and heavy.
My body feels like it doesn’t belong to me anymore.
Then I notice the weight beside me. I turn my head, and Julian is already looking at me.
Not just looking, staring.
His eyes are fixed on my face like he’s been watching me for a while. There’s something in his expression I can’t immediately name. Something deep and steady that makes my chest tighten for no reason.
I get stuck there, in his eyes. For a long second. Maybe longer.
“Hey, baby,” he says softly. “Are you okay?”
His voice pulls me back like a snap and everything rushes in at once: the car ride back home, the heat, the way I clung to him, the way I begged him to touch me… to fuck me, the way he bent me over the stairs and fucked me, the way he folded me in half and—
My face burns up instantly.
“Oh my God,” I whisper.
Julian’s lips twitch.
“I can see all the emotions you’re going through on your face,” he says.
I press my lips together, wishing I could disappear.
I don’t even know where to start. My own thoughts are already attacking me.
You really did that.
You said those things.
You acted like that.
I can’t even look at him properly.
“I—” I try to speak, but nothing comes out.
Julian watches me struggle for a second before he sighs softly.
“It’s okay,” he says. “I’m leaving for work. You have all day to blush and scream in private.”
I snap my head up.
“Leaving for work?” I repeat. “Oh—yeah. I have to go to work too.”
Julian’s brows pull together slightly. “No,” he says. “You don’t have to go to work.”
I frown.
“It’s my second day,” I say. “I can’t take a leave on my second day.”
“Well,” he replies calmly, “I’m your boss. I’m giving you the day off.”
I try to sit up— bad fucking idea. Pain shoots through my body so fast I gasp.
Julian immediately leans closer.
“I see you need more than a day off,” he says dryly. “Take the week off.”
“No!” I snap, even though my body is clearly not on my side. “I’m going to work. Wait for me.”
I push myself up again, slower this time, biting back a hiss.
Everything aches.
Everything!!
I glare at myself mentally.
You did this.
I drag myself out of bed and limp toward the bathroom.
“Eli—”
“I’m fine!” I call back quickly.
I am not fine. I am anything but fine.
I close the bathroom door and lean against it for a second, breathing out slowly.
Then I look at myself in the mirror.
My face is still flushed.
My eyes look… different.
I groan.
“Why am I like this?” I mutter to myself.
I quickly brush my teeth and step into the shower, letting the warm water run over me.
It helps a little, but not enough.
By the time I’m done, I feel cleaner, but the soreness is still very real.
I dress quickly, choosing something simple, and limp back out.
Julian is already dressed perfectly as always.
He looks at me for a second, then shakes his head.
“Being stubborn is not benefiting you.”
Before I can argue, he walks over and lifts me.
“Hey—!” I protest weakly.
But I don’t actually fight him.
He carries me downstairs, reminding me of the routine he's taken on for weeks now.
Outside, the driver opens the car door immediately.
Julian settles me inside, then gets in beside me.
The drive is quiet.
Thankfully.
Julian is focused on his tablet the whole time; typing, reading, working…
And I’m grateful for it.
Because I don’t think I can survive another conversation about last night without combusting.
I just sit there, quietly, trying to exist normally. Trying not to think about anything. It doesn’t really work.
When the car finally stops, I feel both relieved and nervous.
Julian gets out first, then helps me out.
Before I can even take a proper step, he picks me up again.
“Julian, this is our work place, be professional.” I whisper.
“No,” he replies simply. And that’s that.
We enter the building.
Everyone bows, no one dares to stare, no one dares to comment.
Julian walks like this is completely normal.
Like carrying me around is part of his daily routine even outside indoor privacy.
He only puts me down when we step into the elevator.
I breathe out.
Freedom :-)
… for two seconds.
Because the moment the elevator opens, he carries me again : -(
“Julian,” I whisper again, more embarrassed this time.
“No.”
I give up.
As we pass the secretary area, my eyes land on Ms. Carter.
And I instantly hide my face against Julian’s shoulder.
I can already feel her staring.
I just know it.
Julian walks straight into his office and finally sets me down on the couch.
I exhale in relief.
“You’re not leaving my office,” he says.
I look at him.
“What?”
“Your work today,” he continues calmly, “is sitting where I can see you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” I say immediately.
“Talking back at your boss,” he replies without missing a beat. “You want a pay cut?”
I roll my eyes.
“You’re unbelievable.”
A knock comes at the door.
“Come in,” Julian says.
Ms. Carter walks in with a file.
I avoid eye contact, completely.
She walks up to Julian and hands him the paperwork.
“Your meeting with the foreign investors is in ten minutes,” she says.
Julian nods.
“Alright.”
She turns to leave—
Then gives me a quick wink.
I want the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
Please.
Immediately.
Julian starts going through the papers.
And I sit there, trying not to remember anything that'd have been blushing like I'm stupid.
I count the seconds.
Literally.
One.
Two.
Three.
By the time I get to six minutes, Julian stands up.
He picks up a file and walks over to me.
Then… he leans down and kisses my forehead, soft and quick.
“I’m leaving for a meeting,” he says. “And I have another one right after. Ms. Carter will bring you breakfast in a few minutes.”
I nod, still a little stunned.
He points to a door across the room.
“That’s a bedroom. You can go lay down if you need to sleep. I won’t be back for the next one hour.”
“Okay,” I say quietly.
He kisses my forehead again.
Then leaves.
The door closes and silence bites into my skin.
I sit there for a moment… then slowly stand up. My legs protest immediately.
“Okay… we’re walking today,” I mutter.
I take a few careful steps. Testing, adjusting… It’s not great, but it’s manageable.
My eyes drift to Julian’s desk. It’s messy. Unusually messy; files scattered, papers out of place. I stare at it for a second, then sigh.
“Of course.”
I walk over slowly, one step at a time.
And start arranging things; stacking files neatly, aligning papers, making it look… organized.
My hands pause when I notice one file. It looks different; the cover isn’t the same as the others.
Curiosity gets the better of me and I pick it up.
Open it… and freeze.
My grandfather’s name is boldly at the top.
Paul Winslow.
My chest tightens.
“Why…?”
I flip the page and my heart drops.
It’s a property document.
A transfer.
From my grandfather’s name—
To Julian’s name.
I stare at it and my mind goes blank trying to understand what I'm looking at.
I don’t understand.
I don’t… understand.
Why would Julian have this?
Why would my grandpa sign something like this?
When did this happen?
My fingers tighten around the file.