Chapter 42
"How did you... how did you know I like chocolate..." Damian's eyes filled with tears that he stubbornly refused to let fall.
"I guessed." Juliana smiled, reaching out to wipe his eyes, but he dodged away.
Damian quickly scrubbed his face with the back of his hand, took the box, and clutched it tightly to his chest. "Thank you, Mommy." He didn't want anyone to see him cry.
Watching her son's retreating figure, Juliana's heart ached with tenderness.
Lucas stood to the side, taking it all in. He'd never known that a simple cake could provoke such a reaction from Damian.
His gaze shifted to Juliana. She was watching his son with a gentle smile, her profile soft in the sunlight. Then he noticed her hands as she organized her medical kit. There was a small blister on the pad of her index finger.
Lucas's brow instantly creased into a knot.
"Who told you to do this?"
Juliana looked at him, bewildered. "I need someone's permission to make something?"
"You're a patient! Have you forgotten your priorities? Your hands are for holding a scalpel, not messing around in the kitchen!"
Juliana laughed in disbelief at his unreasonable scolding. "Mr. Sharp, first, I'm much better now. Second, even if I am a patient, I have the right to decide what I do. Third, this isn't how you show concern for someone—this is just picking a fight."
She turned away, done with the conversation.
Lucas found himself speechless, an inexplicable frustration building in his chest. He could only follow her inside with a dark expression.
By the time Juliana returned from the kitchen with a plate, Damian had already opened the box and was carefully scraping chocolate frosting from the edges with his finger, eating it with obvious delight.
Juliana handed him the plate, then turned to face Lucas, who stood nearby.
"Mr. Sharp, can we talk?"
Lucas lifted his chin, indicating she should speak.
"Dami's at that age where he's growing fast. Shouldn't the house be stocked with snacks for kids? Milk, yogurt, juice, cookies... there's none of that here."
The kitchen was as sterile as a showroom.
Lucas's expression darkened.
Juliana didn't notice and continued. "He's at an age where he craves snacks. Always eating those nutritionless energy bars isn't good for him. As his father, you should pay more attention to his dietary health."
"Are you telling me how to do my job?"
Juliana froze, only then realizing her words might have wounded this man's fragile ego. She opened her mouth to explain that wasn't her intention, but Lucas had already turned and strode out of the living room.
The next afternoon, when Juliana walked into the living room, she found Damian sitting cross-legged on the carpet, hugging a huge snack bucket. He was tearing open a jelly cup and slurping it down. Around him lay scattered bags of chips, chocolate bars, and cookie wrappers.
Juliana walked over, somewhat surprised. "Dami, where did all these snacks come from?"
Damian looked up. "Daddy bought them! This morning the driver brought over several huge boxes!"
Something stirred softly in Juliana's chest. That man who'd said "Are you telling me how to do my job?" had turned around and bought his child a mountain of snacks. He really was... stubborn in the most endearing way.
That evening, when Lucas came home from the office, he'd just finished changing his shoes in the foyer when Juliana approached him.
"Mr. Sharp."
"Thank you for buying those snacks for Dami."
Her sincerity was genuine.
Lucas's expression stiffened. He hadn't expected her to specifically thank him for such a small thing. He tugged at his tie, his gaze sliding elsewhere, his tone gruff.
"I just didn't want the Sharp family heir looking like some refugee who'd never seen snacks before."
Juliana watched this display of stubbornness masking kindness and couldn't help but smile. "Either way, what you did today was more like a real father than I—an 'outsider'—could ever be."
Lucas shifted uncomfortably. He gave a cold snort and, unable to save face, tossed out "Mind your own business" before heading straight upstairs.
Neither of them noticed Ashley standing in the shadows, wearing a dark silk nightgown. She'd watched that brief, harmonious exchange downstairs with perfect clarity.
This Juliana—not only had she cured Ashley's illness and moved into the Sharp estate, but now even Lucas and her precious grandson were taking her side!
No. She needed to come up with a plan. A way to make this woman disappear from the Sharp family forever.
After Lucas went upstairs, Juliana stood in the living room for a moment before returning to her guest room. She admitted that, in that instant, her impression of Lucas had softened slightly.
But only slightly. She was very clear about her relationship with this man—they were business partners. Nothing more.
Late that night, after finishing up an email with overseas medical colleagues, Juliana was about to rest when someone knocked on her door.
"Ms. Wells, Mrs. Sharp requests your presence." It was the butler's voice from outside.
At this hour?
Juliana felt puzzled but threw on a cardigan and stepped out.
Ashley was half-reclined on her bed, looking thoroughly unwell.
"Where's Lucas?"
"Mr. Lucas should still be in the study," the butler replied respectfully.
"Go get him."
The butler left quietly. Now only Juliana and Ashley remained in the room.
"Juliana, come here." Ashley beckoned with her hand.
Juliana approached, but before she could speak, Ashley grabbed her hand.
"The Sharp family's future lady of the house can only be Bee."
Juliana calmly withdrew her hand. "That's a family matter. It has nothing to do with me."
"Nothing to do with you?" Ashley sneered. "You moved into our house, sweet-talked my grandson, and now even Lucas is losing his mind over you. You dare say you don't have ulterior motives?"
Just as she finished speaking, Lucas pushed the door open. Seeing Juliana there, his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"Mom, you wanted to see me?"
Ashley immediately switched to an expression of extreme frailty, coughing violently. "Lucas, come here."
Lucas walked to the bedside.
"I agreed to let you bring her back here to recover, so shouldn't you agree to do something for me?"
"What is it?"
"Marry Bee." Ashley fixed her son with an unwavering stare. "Next month. Have the wedding. My health... I'm afraid I don't have much time left. I just want to see you settle down before I go, see the Sharp family have a proper lady of the house. That way when I'm gone, I can face your father."
Her words, framed as a request, were more like emotional blackmail—and she was doing it right in front of Juliana.