CHAPTER 017
OLIVIA’S POV
The sound of Julian’s car horn startled me awake from my short sleep. Blinking a few times, I quickly sat up, realizing I had been resting my head against the car window the entire ride. I wiped the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand, making sure there was no embarrassing trail of drool.
But that wasn’t the shocking part.
As fully opened my eyes and took in the sight before me, my mouth nearly dropped. This… was Julian’s house?
No, scratch that–this was a freaking estate.
The car rolled past towering iron gates that opened automatically, welcoming us into a pristine, high–security neighborhood. The road leading in was lined with perfectly trimmed trees, and the warm glow of classic–style street lamps gave the place an elegant touch.
“Is this your estate?” I asked, my voice still heavy with grogginess.
A small smirk played on Julian’s lips as he casually replied, “Kind of.”
Kind of? That wasn’t an answer.
We finally came to a stop, and before I could process everything, a man dressed in a suit–yes, an actual butler–looking servant–approached and opened the car door for me. Another did the same for Julian. I hesitated before stepping out, my eyes darting
around in disbelief.
There were luxury cars lined up in the driveway, each one looking more expensive than the last. My mind immediately drifted to the car Julian had been driving all this time- a simple, decent ride, nothing extravagant. Why the hell was he using that when he had these high–end beauties just sitting here?
I turned my gaze to Julian, who was already making his way up the grand set of stairs. leading to the entrance. Quickening my steps, I leaned in and whispered, “You have some explaining to do.”
Julian let out a low chuckle but didn’t respond.
The moment we stepped inside, my breath hitched.
The place screamed luxury.
From the massive, gold–framed paintings on the walls to the high ceilings with. intricate carvings, everything was Successfully unlocked! gant. The furniture alone looked like something out of a billionaire’s catalog–an expensive Italian sofa set, a glass coffee table with golden edges, and a crystal chandelier hanging proudly above the dining area,
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I was convinced that this place could give Adrian’s mansion a run for its money
“Welcome to my place,” Julian said casually as if we had just entered some basic apartment.
I turned to him with a raised brow. “You never told me you had such good taste… let alone that you were rich.”
Julian covered his mouth, stifling a laugh. “Technically, it’s my family’s wealth, so I’m really not that rich.”
That didn’t make sense. He lived here. He clearly had all of this at his disposal.
“Still, this is amazing,” I said, my gaze still wandering around.
As we moved further inside, a few maids approached Julian, bowing their heads slightly as they greeted him. Then, another woman, who I assumed was the head maid, arrived with a first–aid box in hand.
We sat in the living room, and Julian slowly took–off his shirt.
I swallowed hard.
Julian wasn’t just fit–his body looked like it was sculpted. Defined abs, broad shoulders, toned arms. The dim lighting from the chandelier only emphasized the sharp lines of his muscles.
quickly shook my head, forcing my eyes to focus on the wound instead. The gash on his arm looked deep, the dried blood making it seem worse.
One of the maids brought over a bottle of whiskey, and without hesitation, the head maid poured the alcohol directly onto Julian’s injury.
Julian let out a low groan, his jaw tightening as he exhaled sharply.
I flinched at the sight. That must’ve burned like hell.
After cleaning the wound, the maid carefully sewed the gash with a medical needle. I found myself gripping the edge of my seat, watching each precise movement.
Once she was done, another maid came forward with a fresh shirt. Julian put it on but left it unbuttoned, his toned chest still slightly visible.
He cracked his neck before standing up. “Now that I’m done with that, let me show you to your room.”
I followed him down a long hallway until we stopped in front of a door.
“Okay, this is where you’ll be staying,” Julian said, pushing the door open.
The room was spacious bigger than I expected. The furniture was elegant but had a comfortable feel to it. However, there was a thin layer of dust on some surfaces, as if it hadn’t been used in a while.
“Ignore the little dust. No one has used this room for a while. It belonged to my sister,” Julian said.
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I turned to him, surprised. “You have a sister?”
He gave a small nod. “It’s a long story. I’ll send the maids up to clean and bring you some clothes.”
I simply nodded in response.
There was so much I didn’t know about Julian.
All this time, I thought I knew him well–he was a good friend, after all. Yet, here I was, standing in his massive estate, realizing just how little I actually knew about his life.
“Alright, I need to go talk to security to make sure everything is tight. I’ll be back in a bit.” He gave me a small nod before closing the door behind him.
I sat on the bed, staring at the ceiling trying to digest what happened earlier today, why does bad luck always find its way to me, hopefully, it doesn’t spread to Julian
***
ADRIAN’S POV
The sound of ice clinking against my whiskey glass was the only noise in the room as I stood by the poolside, staring at my own reflection in the water.
I swirled the glass in my hand before taking a slow sip.
Behind me, Dan and his men stood in a stiff line, their heads bowed, the tension thick
in the air.
1 I turned, slowly walking toward Dan. He kept his gaze lowered, avoiding my eyes.
Without warning, I grabbed his chin and forced him to look up at me. Then, I slapped
him.
Hard.
Dan flinched but remained still, his breathing heavy.
“You had one job,” I said, my voice eerily calm. “Just keep track of her location.”
Dan swallowed hard. “We’re sorry, boss. Some guy came out of nowhere and ruined everything.”
His words made my blood boil.
I gritted my teeth, then, in one swift move, grabbed the whiskey bottle and smashed it against the ground.
Shards of glass scattered across the floor.
“One guy?” My voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “One guy beat all four of you? Why the hell am I paying you then?” I said with rage in my voice.
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