Chapter 48 Weird
Julian had not sent a message ahead of time or tried to warn Adeline in any way. Instead, he had simply shown up outside Carter Global Holdings like it was the most normal thing in the world. He leaned casually against a blue sports car parked just across from the building entrance, his sunglasses shielding his eyes from the afternoon sun, his posture relaxed in a way that looked almost effortless.
He had already called her once to let her know he was there, his tone brief and direct as he told her he was waiting outside and that she needed to come down. There had been no room for questions in the way he said it, but of course, Adeline had still asked anyway.
Upstairs in her office, Adeline had stared at her phone for a few seconds after the call ended, her brows furrowed in clear confusion. She had not been expecting to hear from him at all today, not after the way things had been left between them. After their conversation two nights ago, neither of them had reached out again, and she had made a decision not to be the first to break that silence.
She had already done her part by apologizing, and as far as she was concerned, that was enough. She was not about to start chasing after him or giving him any reason to think she was desperate to keep their connection alive.
So when he called her out of nowhere, telling her he was outside and that she needed to meet him, it had caught her off guard in a way she did not like. She had asked him where they were going, her tone guarded and slightly annoyed, but he had only responded with a simple answer. It was a surprise, he had said, and she should hurry up. That had only made her frown deepen, because if there was one thing she did not like, it was being told what to do without being given a reason. Still, there had been no point in pushing further. He clearly was not going to tell her anything over the phone.
After ending the call, she sat there for a moment, tapping her fingers lightly against her desk as she considered her options. She could ignore him, stay in her office, and pretend she was too busy to indulge whatever he had planned, but something about that felt unnecessary. As much as she wanted to act like his sudden appearance meant nothing to her, there was a small part of her that was curious, and even more than that, she did not want to give him the satisfaction of thinking she was avoiding him.
So after a few seconds of silent thought, she stood up from her chair, straightened her blazer, and grabbed her phone before heading out. As she made her way through the building, her steps were steady, her expression composed, but her mind was far from calm. She kept wondering what he could possibly have planned, and more importantly, why he had not bothered to tell her anything in advance.
When she stepped outside the building, the warm air hit her immediately, along with the usual sounds of the city moving around her. The guards by the entrance greeted her politely, but she only gave them a vague nod in response, her attention already focused ahead. It didn’t take her long to spot him.
Julian stood out easily, not just because of the car he was leaning against but because of the way he looked. He was dressed nothing like he usually did when he was around her. Instead of his usual suits and appearance, he was wearing a pair of fitted shorts, a simple casual shirt, and sneakers. The look was relaxed, almost careless, and it was so different from what she was used to seeing in broad daylight that she had to pause for a brief second just to take it in.
As if sensing her presence, Julian lifted his hand and pulled off his sunglasses, revealing his eyes as he looked directly at her. A slow smile spread across his face, easy and confident, and for a moment, Adeline felt like she had stepped into a scene that did not quite belong in her life. It reminded her of something she had seen in movies before, the kind of moment where everything felt light and simple, where the man waited outside for the woman with a plan already in place, ready to take her somewhere unexpected.
The thought made her feel both amused and slightly unsettled at the same time.
Still, she walked toward him, her heels clicking softly against the pavement as she closed the distance between them. She kept her expression controlled, but there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes that she did not bother to hide completely.
Julian pushed himself off the car as she approached, meeting her halfway instead of waiting for her to come all the way to him. Up close, his smile didn’t fade. If anything, it became more noticeable, more deliberate, and before she could say anything, he reached out and pulled her slightly closer.
The movement was quick and natural, and before she could react properly, his lips were already on hers.
The kiss was brief but firm, enough to catch her completely off guard. For a split second, she froze, her mind struggling to catch up with what was happening, but by the time she could process it, he was already pulling back.
Julian didn’t look apologetic or unsure. Instead, he looked entirely pleased with himself, his smile still in place as he looked down at her.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said, his tone light and casual, as if nothing unusual had just happened.
Adeline blinked once, her lips parting slightly in surprise as she stared at him. She was not someone who got easily flustered, and she definitely was not someone who lost her composure over something as simple as a kiss, but this had come out of nowhere. The suddenness of it, combined with the way he was acting, made it harder for her to respond immediately.
Still, she recovered quickly, her expression settling back into something more controlled, even if the confusion in her eyes remained.
Julian didn’t give her much time to react. He stepped slightly to the side, gesturing toward the car as he moved to open the passenger door for her. The action was smooth, practiced, and oddly formal compared to the casual way he was dressed.
“After you,” he said.
Adeline hesitated for just a second, her gaze moving from him to the car and back again, as if she were trying to piece together what exactly was happening. This was not how Julian usually behaved, and the shift was enough to throw her off balance more than she wanted to admit.
Still, she didn’t argue. Instead, she stepped forward and allowed him to guide her toward the passenger seat. As she got into the car, she kept her eyes on him, watching as he closed the door gently before walking around to the driver’s side.
Once he got in and shut the door, the space inside the car felt smaller and more contained, and the silence that settled between them felt heavier than it should have been.
Adeline turned slightly in her seat, her brows drawn together as she looked at him properly now. “What in the world is happening?” she asked, her voice carrying a mix of confusion and mild irritation. “Where are we going, and why are you dressed like that?”
Julian didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached up and adjusted the rearview mirror slightly before glancing at her again, that same easy smile still on his face.
“And why are you being weird?” she added, her tone sharper now as she crossed her arms lightly.
Julian let out a small chuckle at that, the sound low and unbothered, like he found her reaction more amusing than anything else. He leaned back in his seat slightly, one hand resting loosely on the steering wheel as he looked at her.
“You should get used to it,” he said calmly.
Adeline’s frown deepened. “Get used to what?” she asked.
Julian’s gaze held hers for a moment longer before he spoke again, his voice carrying a hint of something that felt almost playful. “To this,” he said simply. “Because from now on, I plan on becoming a man who is hopelessly in love with the woman of his dreams.”
The words stayed in the air between them, and for a brief second, Adeline didn’t respond. She just stared at him, trying to decide whether he was serious, joking, or playing some kind of game she hadn’t caught onto yet.