Chapter 44
Juliana fought desperately. "Let go of me! You dare touch me and see what happens!"
"Let's see, then."
The man's rationality, already strained by his mother's manipulation and this woman's resistance, finally snapped.
The rustle of fabric, a woman's muffled cry, and a man's ragged breathing wove together into chaos in the spacious room.
Just then—several tentative knocks sounded at the door, jarringly out of place. Then came Damian's timid voice.
"Daddy? Mommy? Are you in there? I heard loud noises..."
Lucas froze.
Juliana stopped struggling too. It was Dami...
Lucas's chest heaved several times. He rolled off Juliana, walked to the door, and opened it just a crack instead of swinging it wide.
"Dami? It's so late. Why aren't you asleep?"
Damian's little head poked through the gap, his bright eyes first looking at his father, then peering past him into the room. He immediately spotted Juliana sitting on the large bed, frantically trying to smooth down her disheveled hair and wrinkled clothes.
"Mommy... your face is so red. Are you sick? Did Daddy bully you again?"
Lucas's expression didn't change as he shifted to the side, his tall frame perfectly blocking his son's view.
"No. Mommy was being a bit disobedient. Daddy was convincing her."
Those words made Juliana's face burn hot enough to burst into flames. Convincing? That was his idea of 'convincing' someone?
Damian tilted his little head, asking in a tone of sudden understanding, "Convincing? Like when you discipline me?"
Lucas looked at his son's innocent, earnest little face and paused for a moment. The tight line of his mouth actually curved into the faintest hint of a smile.
"Right."
Not only did he confirm it, he leisurely added another line. "Sometimes, there's spanking involved too."
"..."
Juliana felt like steam was coming out of her head. That bastard! What nonsense was he feeding their child!
She leaped off the bed and rushed to the door in a few quick strides. She grabbed Damian's small hand without even glancing at Lucas.
"Dami, didn't you want Mommy to sleep with you? Come on, let's go read your favorite 'A Brief History of Time' right now."
She practically fled.
Lucas watched the two figures—one large, one small—beat a hasty retreat, leaning against the doorframe. The oppressive frustration churning in his chest inexplicably eased a bit.
Juliana brought Damian back to his room. The whole way, she didn't say a word, though the heat in her face refused to subside.
"Mommy." He called out softly.
Juliana's hands paused while tucking in his blanket. She forced out a smile. "Hmm?"
"Do you not like Daddy? When he was 'convincing' you just now, you looked really unhappy."
He'd picked up on those two words perfectly, making Juliana's cheeks burn all over again. How was she supposed to explain to a child that what his father did wasn't 'convincing'—it was harassment?
"Things between adults are complicated." Juliana avoided the topic. "You don't need to think about it so much."
Damian's small face grew serious. "But they all say that mommies and daddies have to get married and live together. Will you two get married?"
Married? To that bastard?
Just imagining it made Juliana's scalp tingle.
Seeing her silence, Damian thought she was still mad at his dad and tactfully didn't press further. "Mommy, will you read me 'A Brief History of Time'?"
"Okay." Juliana breathed a sigh of relief.
After coaxing Damian to sleep, her phone on the nightstand started buzzing. Juliana took it out to the balcony before answering.
"Hello, Josh."
"Julie," Joshua's warm voice came through the phone. "I went by your place today to see Matty. How come neither you nor the kid were there?"
Juliana's heart tightened. She instinctively glanced back toward the room.
"Matty... the school has activities. He's boarding there." She made up an excuse, keeping her voice low. "As for me... I'm temporarily staying at a friend's place. I have some things to deal with."
"I see." A trace of barely detectable concern colored Joshua's tone. "Are you free to meet? There are some matters regarding the foundation your grandfather left that I'd like to discuss with you in person."
"Of course." Juliana immediately agreed. "I'm free tomorrow afternoon."
"Great. I'll contact you tomorrow then."
After hanging up, Juliana stood on the balcony for a while, letting the cold air cool her down before that feverish feeling finally subsided. She turned to go back inside, only to discover that Damian, who should have been asleep, was standing right there on the balcony.
"Mommy," the boy began with a bombshell, "was that your boyfriend on the phone just now?"
Juliana froze. "What boyfriend?"
"I heard! Your voice when you talked to him was even gentler than when you talk to me! And you agreed to meet him!"
"This is bad, this is bad—Daddy has competition! He's going to lose!"
Juliana couldn't help but laugh at his over-the-top reaction, her earlier frustration dissipating considerably. She walked over and pinched his cheek. "Stop being silly. Go to sleep."
But Damian wasn't having it. When Juliana wasn't paying attention, he slipped out of bed in a flash and went running toward the door.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to tip Daddy off! I can't just stand by and watch some other man steal you away!"
Juliana didn't know whether to laugh or cry. In the blink of an eye, the little rascal had already vanished.
In the study, Lucas had just finished a cold shower. Wearing only a loosely tied bathrobe, he was reviewing an urgent document.
The study door burst open.
"Daddy! If you don't move fast, Mommy's going to be stolen by someone else!"
Lucas's hand stopped mid-page turn.
"Just now, some guy called Mommy!" Damian reported his intelligence in full detail. "Mommy called him 'Josh,' and they made plans to meet tomorrow afternoon!"
That Joshua again.
Lucas's eyes instantly turned cold.