The Comments Called Me the Villain, Then He Asked Why I Stopped Kissing Him Chapter 07

The Comments Called Me the Villain, Then He Asked Why I Stopped Kissing Him Chapter 07

The art director filled me in later – the Ferrari had 

already been towed for repairs. 

Apparently, Julian had found out about the crash almost immediately. He’d called me over and over, texted nonstop, and left the dinner to come find me. 

But I’d put my phone on silent to focus on the report. 

Every call, every text – I never saw a single one. The 

drive home was dead quiet. 

The second we walked through the door, Julian tried to say my name – or tried to. What came out was slurred 

and soft. “Baby.” 

I turned, and he pulled me into him before I could 

react. 

His arms locked around my waist – too tight, almost desperate – chin dropping onto my shoulder. I felt every breath he took, warm against my ear. 

“Baby. Vivienne.” His voice cracked. “You don’t want me anymore. Everyone at that table – someone called them. Everyone except me.” 

In all the years I’d known him – college, the 

engagement, everything – I could count on one hand the times Julian had let his guard down like this. That cold, controlled voice had gone raw. 

“That’s not true,” I whispered. 

“Don’t sit that close to Simon.” 

“I was just studying…” 

“That financial report – I wrote it.” Julian’s words 

blurred together, thick with alcohol. “I can teach you. 

Better than him.” 

“The crash – you must’ve been so scared. When you’re scared, I’m supposed to be there.” 

“So why was it Simon…” 

The comments flashed behind my eyes. I swallowed. “Because I can’t depend on you for everything.” 

Audrey was already in the picture. The day Julian stopped being mine to lean on was coming whether I 

liked it or not. 

“Baby – almost forgot. Good–night kiss.” 

“Skip it. It was never supposed to be an obligation 

anyway…” 

He kissed me before I could finish. 

My knees buckled against him. Julian lifted me 

effortless, like I weighed nothing – and carried me to the bed. His voice dropped into something low and 

hypnotic. 

“Vivienne. Don’t cling to Simon. Don’t smile at him.” 

Clothes hit the floor–torn, tossed, forgotten. His hands found my waist and something in him snapped. 

I bit down on my swollen lip, shaking, falling apart under him. 

He pressed deeper, his mouth grazing my ear. 

“Baby – you haven’t called for me in so long. Say my name and I’ll be gentle.” 

“Julian… daddy… husband…” 

“Good girl. I didn’t catch that – say it again.” 

“Liar… you’re such a liar.” 

[Julian playing the sad puppy act so he can get laid… 

respect the hustle honestly.] 

[Peak Capricorn behavior. Earth signs will pull you in 

with that sad–boy energy and then absolutely DEVOUR 

you.] 

[Wait, does the ML actually have feelings?? He’s acting 

like a kicked puppy over the side character lmao.] 

[That’s not love, that’s just ego. She’s still technically his girl. Any guy would be pissed if his girlfriend was 

cozying up to another man.] 

Days of tension, frustration, need – all of it burned itself out in a single night. 

Julian drew my bath afterward, waited until I was done. 

He barely slept before he was up again, making 

breakfast. 

He woke me gently – I was still half–gone- and spoon–fed me himself. 

“If you want to learn, don’t go to Simon. I’ll bring you to the office myself. You can shadow me.” 

I was too wrecked to argue. My head bobbed in something that looked like a yes, and Julian took it as 

one. 

By the time I was fully conscious, I was sitting in the Hayes Enterprises conference room with Julian beside 

me. 

Audrey sat across the table – fitted blazer, perfect posture, sitting pin–straight. 

Julian hit her with three questions about the new 

project. 

I was still trying to understand what he’d asked. Audrey had already broken each one down and 

sketched out a solution framework. 

Word around the office was that she’d started at the 

bottom, but her mind had turned heads at every level of 

management. 

I’d been sitting still too long and my attention started 

to drift. Under the table, I hooked my leg over Julian’s. 

Once in a while wouldn’t hurt anyone. 

Julian glanced down at my notepad – and found a 

portrait of his side profile instead of notes. 

“What?” I shrugged, not even sorry. “You look really 

good today. Had to document it.” 

[I CAN’T with this girl. The FL is over there solving 

actual business problems, practically reading the ML’s 

mind, and the side character is… drawing his FACE???] 

[Nothing exposes a person like a side–by–side. The 

ML’s gotta be realizing who his real match is now. 

Brains vs. crayons. Come on.] 

[She can’t even keep up with Simon, and he basically 

speaks in Excel. Julian operates on a whole other 

wavelength – she’s never gonna reach him.] 

Was I really nothing beyond a pretty face? 

I was sinking into that thought when Julian’s voice 

found me, quiet enough that only I could hear. “It’s a 

beautiful drawing. Your handwriting, too.”