Chapter 122

Chapter 122
Violet's POV

After all, she was a socialite cultivated by the Gray family. She quickly replaced her rage with a venomous, arrogant smile.

"Violet, you think having Julian backing you means you can challenge me? You're too naive." She crossed her arms, tone filled with condescending contempt. "In Manhattan, love is the cheapest commodity. I've never failed to get what I want. Julian is no exception."

She stared into my eyes, declaring war word by word. "I'll take him from you. I'll make you watch yourself get thrown out."

Hearing her arrogant declaration, I felt no panic.

On the contrary, I found it absurd—even deeply infuriating.

She didn't love Julian at all.

In her eyes, Julian wasn't a flesh-and-blood man who needed to be loved and respected.

He was merely a trophy symbolizing Manhattan's ultimate power and status, something to show off to her socialite circle.

Her obsession with Julian stemmed only from pathological possessiveness and resentment.

Thinking of Julian fighting alone in Wall Street's cold, calculating environment, now having to deal with harassment from such a selfish woman, a wave of intense heartache washed over me.

He was so good.

He'd given me the purest devotion. He'd bent down in public to tie my shoelaces. He'd postponed hundred-million-dollar acquisitions just to take me to Disney.

He deserved to be treasured wholeheartedly by someone, not calculated against like prey by people like Niamh.

Looking at Niamh, my expression unconsciously carried a trace of pity.

That pity completely stung Niamh's proud nerves.

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her voice turned shrill. "What's with that look?!"

"Why are you acting so noble?" Niamh laughed coldly, eyes venomous as they swept over me. "Dare you say you're not with him for Hall Group's money and status? Without him, you couldn't even pay next month's rent! You're just a gold-digger selling your body for resources. What right do you have to pity me?"

Watching her lose her composure, I found it utterly laughable.

Her mind was full of transactional exchanges, so she assumed the whole world was as dirty as she was.

I didn't even bother explaining my feelings for Julian to her, because someone like her simply couldn't understand.

"Think whatever you want." My tone was indifferent as I moved to walk past her.

"Stop!" Niamh called out coldly from behind, voice carrying a confident threat. "Violet, I know what you're afraid of. You don't dare go public because you fear people at school talking behind your back, fear losing your pathetic concertmaster position."

I stopped walking.

"If I expose you and Julian tomorrow, let the whole school know you're a kept woman." Niamh's voice coiled around me like a snake. "Guess how your jealous classmates will gossip about you? Will your mentor Owen still keep a scandal-ridden commoner girl in the orchestra?"

She thought she'd found my weak spot.

A few hours ago, this threat might have truly thrown me into panic.

But now, hearing her threat, I felt strangely calm.

What Julian had told me in the car had given me impenetrable armor.

He'd said going public was my choice, and he was willing to support me. If he wasn't afraid, what did I have to fear?

I turned around, looked at Niamh's face—so confident of victory—and spoke calmly. "Go ahead."

Niamh froze.

"Expose us however you want." I looked into her eyes, voice without fluctuation. "If you think that'll break us up, by all means try."

Without acknowledging Niamh's stunned expression, I turned and strode back to the dorm.

Pushing open the dorm door, warm air rushed to meet me.

Lily was walking out of the kitchenette carrying two steaming cups of coffee.

Seeing my pale face as I entered, she immediately set down the cups and hurried over.

"What happened? Did Julian upset you?" She stared at me anxiously.

I shook my head, set the snack bag on the table, and removed my coat. "Not him. I ran into Niamh downstairs."

I sat on the bed and told Lily everything that had happened on the path, word for word.

After listening, Lily exploded with profanity.

"Holy shit! Does that crazy bitch have delusions?!" Lily paced furiously in our cramped dorm, nearly spilling her coffee. "Who does she think she is? Take Julian from you? Does she think this is medieval times, fighting over territory? And threatening to expose you! Violet, you should've thrown coffee in her plastic surgery face!"

Watching Lily curse and defend me so fiercely, the impulse in my heart grew clearer, settling into firm determination.

I couldn't hide behind Julian anymore.

Niamh's provocation made me fully understand—constant retreat wouldn't bring peace, only embolden vicious people to push further.

More importantly, I didn't want Julian to be looked down upon by people like Niamh because of my cowardice.

He was the man I loved. I had to stand up and defend him.

"Lily." I took a deep breath, interrupting her tirade.

Lily stopped pacing and looked at me questioningly.

"I've decided." I looked straight into her eyes, speaking each word clearly. "I'm going public with Julian."

Lily froze.

A few seconds later, her eyes lit up and she lunged forward, wrapping me in a bear hug.

"That's more like it! My girl has finally grown up!" Lily patted my back excitedly. "Let those snobs see—you're not just the orchestra's concertmaster, you're the future lady of Hall Group! That'll kill Niamh, that bitch!"

I pulled back from Lily's embrace, took out my phone, and dialed Julian directly.

He answered after one ring.

"What's wrong? Missing me already?" Julian's low voice came through with a smile. The background was quiet except for the faint sound of tires on pavement—he must still be driving back.

Hearing his steady voice, my racing heart gradually calmed.

"Julian." I gripped the phone, voice clear and firm. "Let's go public."

Dead silence fell on the other end.

I could clearly hear his slightly heavier breathing.

After a few seconds, Julian spoke.

His voice held undisguised joy and emotion, but immediately, that joy was replaced by sharp concern.

"What happened?" His voice dropped, carrying an edge that couldn't be ignored. "Why the sudden change? Did someone say something to you?"

He knew me too well. He knew I'd been hesitating in the car earlier. My sudden proposal to go public immediately alerted him that something was wrong.

"Did Niamh find you?" He guessed the source accurately.

"It's not because of her." I hastened to explain, not wanting him to worry or think I was being pressured. "Julian, I figured it out myself. I don't want you hiding on back streets like some shameful secret anymore. I want to stand openly beside you."

"Violet." Julian sighed, voice gentle enough to melt but carrying stubborn insistence. "I'm glad you said that. But I told you—going public is your choice. I don't want you making this decision because you're worried about me or reacting to someone's provocation."

He paused, tone full of understanding. "You don't need to suffer for my sake. I can wait."