That morning, the signals had been restored when they woke up. After dressing up, Jin called the security to rescue them from the glass house. He escorted her back to her room. They were both quiet, each one lost in their own thoughts.
Before she went to her room, she thanked him and he just nodded at her. The look on his face was serious, somewhat dark and humorless, and she had no idea what was going on in his mind. He looked different from the man she slept with last night. He looked cold and reserved now when he had been so unguarded last night.
As soon as she got inside her room, she checked her phone for messages or missed calls. There was none. She decided to call Adrienne.
“Is Jared okay?”
“Yeah. How about you? Everything okay? Is the weather better there?”
“Yeah. I’m coming home,” she replied.
“Okay, no worries. Everything is under control here. We’re doing fine. Jared is doing fine,” Adrienne assured her.
“Thank you, Yen. Sometimes, I wish I didn’t have to work these long hours. But I’m a single mom and I have to work doubly hard for Jared’s future.”
“Don’t feel guilty about it, Ian,” Adrienne said to her. “You’re a superwoman. Not many women can do what you do, being a father and a mother for your kid at the same time.”
“I will do anything for Jared,” Julianne said firmly. “He deserves the best. I grew up having the best things in life. I want my child to lack for nothing.”
“You’re doing a good job, Ian. We all think so,” Adrienne said. “Anyway, I need to go. I’m cooking. Justin is craving for some stroganoff.”
“Don’t you have at least two cooks?” Julianne teased.
“We do. But you know, I’m the cook that Justin liked best. So, I have to finish this before he comes home from his meeting.”
“Okay, go. I’ll see you later.”
After taking a long bath, Julianne dressed in a long-sleeved turtleneck sweater. She was thankful that she brought it because she needed to cover a great deal of skin around her neck and shoulder area. They were full of kiss marks—courtesy of Jin Starck!
Then she took a concealer and foundation to cover the bruise near her lip—the one that Patrick gave her.
A few minutes after, she heard a knock on her door. It was room service. Jin had sent breakfast for her.
After eating, she packed all her bags, ready to go. The weather was calmer now and the storm had passed.
The roads were clearer and she called Justin’s driver to pick her up. The sooner she got out of this place, the sooner she could clear her head. She still could not wrap her head around the fact that she had slept with Jin Starck—again.
She decided to go down to the reception to settle her bill. She waited while they checked out her room. The lady at the reception looked confused when she looked at her screen. Then she picked up the phone to talk to her manager. After a minute she turned to her and said, “You’re clear, Miss Sanders.”
“What? I haven’t paid yet.”
“Well, there is no bill,” she said. “The room that you stayed in was not supposed to be rented out. So, we can’t bill it from the system.”
“What do you mean it’s not supposed to be rented out?”
“I’m saying that room personally belongs to Mister Starck. And you are his guest. So, we can’t bill you. You can take it up with him, if you wish.”
“Alright,” Julianne said, shaking her head slightly.
“We hope you enjoyed your stay with us,” she smiled at her brightly.
She took her bag and walked to the front entrance to wait for her driver. She would find a way to thank Jin later.
As she waited for her car, Jin suddenly appeared beside her. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a black hooded jacket. His hair still looked damp from the shower.
Without a word, he took the bag she was carrying in her hand.
“Wait, what are you doing?” she asked.
A green Ferrari stopped in front of them. Instead of replying, Jin handed her bag to the valet and then he opened the car’s passenger door.
“Get in,” he said.
“No. I have my own ride, thank you very much.”
“Yeah, you do. Me,” he said. “Get in.”
“No. I’m waiting for my driver to come.”
“And he’s not coming. I told Adrienne that since I’m here as well, and on the way to their house, I could drive you home instead. She agreed,” he explained. Then he motioned for her to get into the car. “So, will you get in by yourself or will you need me to carry you?”
Julianne groaned as she got inside the car. When Jin started driving, she looked out the window and refused to look at him.
Adrienne!
She had no doubt that Adrienne was ecstatic when Jin offered to drive her home. After all, they’re like one family.
Well, how was Adrienne to know that the nephew-in-law that she so adored was actually related to her, not just by affinity, but by blood?
This is screwed up!
She felt Jin touch her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze.
“Relax, Arabella. I don’t bite,” he said. “Well… except in bed.”
She glared at him and to her surprise he just laughed. He pulled her hand towards his lips and gave it a gentle kiss.
“You smell good,” he whispered. “Like last night.”
“Jin…” She snatched her hand away from him. “Can we just…”
“What? Forget what happened last night?” he asked, cutting her off. He raised a brow at her.
“Yeah?”
“You’re crazy if you think I will forget what happened between us last night, ma belle,” he said.
“But didn’t we agree this morning that no one can know about this? And that it can’t happen again? For the sake of our families?”
He raised a brow at her for a brief moment and then he looked straight ahead on the road.
“Yeah, I heard you saying that. But I do not remember agreeing, ma belle,” he said.
“Jin Starck!” she raised her voice as she glared at him.
He chuckled, “See? Just now, I think you’re the fiercest and most beautiful creature on earth,” he said. “No. Sorry. I can’t promise what you ask of me.”
She sighed in frustration. “This is so screwed up.”
“Why?”
“You’re Adrienne’s brother! I’m Justin’s cousin! You’re a hotel magnate. I’m a nobody. You’re supposed to be engaged to some hotel heiress! I am raising a son on my own. This is very complicated,” she groaned. “And you… you’re a… monster! You have a heart of stone, if you have a heart at all! You have no regard for other people’s emotions, especially women. You don’t do relationships. Everything is temporary with you. What we did last night, was just a one-night stand. Nothing more. We have no future. I know you that much.” She paused to take a breath. Then she continued, “It’s better to stop this now… before we end up hurting each other. Before we end up hurting Justin and Adrienne.
“Adrienne loves you very much! She’s been through a lot with her previous family. She waited so long to have a family like yours. And Justin will kill for Adrienne, you know that. But my brother and my cousins will kill for me too.” She shook her head. “You’ve decided to marry Vanessa Bernard to fulfill your promise to your parents. Choose another playmate, Jin. If you love your sister that much… if you respect Justin at all… please. Not me.” She bit her lower lip to help hold back the tears from rolling down her cheeks.
He was quiet all throughout her monologue. He was looking ahead on the road and Julianne wasn’t even sure if he had already tuned her out, or if anything she said went through his head at all.
“I think last night is another secret we should bury with us. Along with our past.”
He still didn’t say anything, but she noticed his grip on the steering wheel tighten. His brows were drawn together and the look on his face was sullen.
“Jin…” she whispered.
He didn’t reply.
“Jin…” she said a little louder.
Finally, he took a deep breath. But instead of replying to her request, he said, “Rest for a while, Arabella. It’s a long drive home.”
That’s it? Did any of the words I say even get through to him?
She sighed and then she leaned back on her seat. She decided to let it go. She said her piece. He was a smart man who already had his future drawn out. He knew what was best for all of them. He loved his sister very much. He knew the right thing to do—for the sake of everybody.
To avoid further arguments, she closed her eyes and pretended to sleep. After a while, she was no longer pretending. The next thing she knew, Jin was tapping her cheek lightly. When she sat up on her seat, he was looking ahead, avoiding her eyes.
“We’re here,” he informed her.
They have reached the Adams’s Mansion. Jin went out of the car and opened the passenger door for her.
“Thanks,” she murmured.
He nodded. “Go ahead,” he said. “Obviously, we can’t walk up there side by side and look like we enjoyed that car ride together.”
“Jin…”
“Go, ma belle,” he said in a firm but gentle tone. “I’ll come up shortly.” He took her bag from the trunk. She held out her hand to get her bag. He shook his head. “I’ll hand this over to your maid.”
“I can carry my own bag,” she argued.
“I know,” he said evenly. “I just don’t want you to.”
“Jin!”
“Go, ma belle! I’m sure Jared missed you!”
“Mommy!” She heard her son call out to her. She turned towards the direction of his voice.
Jared was descending the front steps. He was wearing a pair of jeans and a black hooded shirt. He ran to Julianne and she caught him in her arms.
“I missed you!” he said. “You said you were going to be quick! You didn’t come home for two days!”
“I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I was working and then there was a horrible storm. The roads were terrible,” she explained.
“I wish you didn’t have to work all the time,” he said, pouting. “How come Aunt Adrienne doesn’t work at all? She’s always here with us?”
“Because…” she started but she trailed off, not quite knowing how to explain to a six-year-old the concept of single parenthood.
“Because Uncle Justin has to work for the family, kiddo,” Jin interrupted behind them. “Your mom has to do what Uncle Justin and Aunt Adrienne do all at the same time.”
“Uncle Jin!” Jared beamed, finally noticing Jin’s presence behind them.
Jared released Julianne and threw himself in Jin’s arms. Jin caught him, lifting him off his feet.
“You get heavier each day, sweetheart!” Jin said.
Seeing them together was giving Julianne a headache. They looked so much like each other, it was a wonder no one ever mentioned their uncanny resemblance. It was an even bigger mystery why Jin didn’t even ask her who Jared’s father was.
“Are you going to stay here?” Jared asked.
“Ummm… I might,” Jin replied.
“Really? Will you sleep in my room again? Like the last time?”
The last time? What the hell?
Julianne stared at Jin in disbelief. He glanced her way briefly and she took that moment to raise a questioning brow at him.
What was Jared talking about?
Instead of explaining, Jin turned to Jared and chuckled. He tickled him and said, “I thought we agreed that was going to be our secret.”
Jared’s eyes widened. “Oh no! Will that get you into trouble, Uncle Jin?”
“I think so,” Jin replied. “But I’ll deal with it later. Come! You promised to show me some drawings when I came back, remember?”
“Yes! I drew so many things! I used the pens you gave me,” Jared said excitedly. “Come on, I’ll show you!” Jin put him down on his feet. Jared took his hand and started pulling him towards the house. He turned to Julianne and said, “Later, Mom!”
“Jin!” Julianne hissed at Jin as Jared started dragging him away.
Jin turned to her and said, “Later, Mom!” mimicking Jared, and effectively avoiding her inquisitions.
What the hell was that about?
Julianne watched them walk up the steps and disappeared into the house. She could hear her son’s excited voice and Jin’s laughter. They look so much alike. And until now, Julianne didn’t realize how close they were.
When did Jin Starck sleep in my son’s bedroom? More importantly… why?
She went up the steps and entered the house. She was met by Viktor, the butler.
“Good day, Miss Julianne. Happy to have you back,” he greeted.
“Thanks, Viktor,” Julianne said. “Everything well while I was gone?”
“Yes. While you were gone,” Viktor replied.
“And now?”
Viktor shrugged.
“What is it, Viktor?”
“It’s not my place to say. But… Mister Justin and Mister Jac has a… er… important guest in the tea room now.”
Julianne studied Viktor’s face. He looked uncertain and she got even more curious.
“Who?”
Viktor was hesitant to reply.
“Who?” she repeated.
Finally, Viktor took a deep breath and replied, “Your father.”
And just like that, Julianne’s heart started beating fast before it dropped to her feet, and she felt another urge to faint.