The Comments Called Me the Villain, Then He Asked Why I Stopped Kissing Him Chapter 04

The Comments Called Me the Villain, Then He Asked Why I Stopped Kissing Him Chapter 04

Julian looked at me, and his voice dropped — cool, clipped. “It’s late. Can we skip the games tonight? I’ve got an early morning and a packed day tomorrow.”

Water still clung to his skin — sliding over the ridges of his abs, tracing the sharp V of his hips, disappearing below his waistband. I swallowed hard and forced my gaze away. “Sleep in the study tonight. I won’t keep you up.”

Julian stared at me. The comments went feral.

[Whoever body-snatched the side character, PUT HER BACK. I paid real money for this app, and I’m not leaving until someone’s legs stop working.]

[Tsk, ngl, I kinda wanna see where she takes this bunny onesie thing.]

[You two are down bad and it shows. Go watch the ML and FL if you want romance — THEY’RE the real ship. This is a hostage situation. And the ML is probably throwing a party right now.]

Julian nodded once. “Okay.” He turned and walked into the study — still in the bunny onesie, without even bothering to change — like he was afraid I’d change my mind if he stayed one second longer.

A sour knot twisted behind my ribs. I shook it off and opened the business management textbook I’d bought that week. If I was going to save the company — and myself — I had to learn fast enough to rewrite the ending.

Julian didn’t last long.

He drifted through the kitchen — peeling an orange, slicing an apple — with the little bunny tail on his onesie swaying every time he moved. It was unbearable.

He glanced over, and those dark eyes gleamed. “I’m done with work.” I kept my eyes on the textbook. “Cool. Go get some sleep, then.”

He didn’t move. He just stood there until the silence got heavy.

I was about to look up when Julian stumbled — over what, I had no idea — and landed squarely on top of me. His chest burned through the fabric, pressed flush against mine — every inch of him solid and heavy. His cool, collected eyes had gone dark. “Sorry.”

His onesie had come undone in the fall, baring a strip of flushed skin. My hand moved before I could stop it, fingers trailing up his chest. “Daddy… are you this warm everywhere?” My elbow knocked the open textbook off the couch. The thud snapped me back to reality like cold water down my spine.

“Button up — you’ll freeze.” I pulled his onesie closed with shaking hands, buttoned it up, and practically ran for the bedroom. “Goodnight.” Behind me, Julian sat rigid, jaw locked, watching me disappear down the hall. Then I heard the bathroom door slam shut.

[That “daddy” absolutely WRECKED the ML’s composure lmaooo and gee, I WONDER why he ran to the bathroom.]

[The tension between them is INSANE — also, am I crazy or did the ML totally fake that fall??]

[The ML must be brainwashed if he’s running toward THAT. Anyway, the FL is about to show up — can we PLEASE get to the real plot?]

[Finally, we’re getting the main storyline!! Does that mean the side character’s about to get written out?]

[Vivienne is gorgeous and dumb as rocks. Her parents spent YEARS training Simon to protect her, and she kicked him out like he was the enemy. She kept all the actual snakes on the board. Of course she got eaten alive.] My head started spinning again.

But one name hooked itself in my mind — Simon Grant. The cannon-fodder second male lead the comments kept mentioning.

He was the golden boy my parents never shut up about. He was their star protege. And for exactly that reason, I’d resented him my entire life.

So the first thing I did after they died was let the board talk me into firing him.

Had I made the wrong call? The question kept me up all night.

The next morning, I unblocked Simon and typed out a message before I could lose my nerve. [Can we meet today?]

Simon replied within seconds. [1 p.m.]

That was classic Simon. The man texted like a machine.

My parents had never liked Julian. They hadn’t when they were alive. They never had.

“Vivienne, that Hayes boy runs circles around everyone. If he ever decides to use you, you won’t see it coming.”

They’d tried a hundred times to set me up with Simon instead.

And every time, Simon gave the same clipped answer, like he was filing a work order. “Understood. I’ll do whatever the chairman asks.”

I used to throw absolute tantrums, kicking and whining. “Mom! Dad! I don’t know if Julian will ruin my life, but Simon will definitely bore me to death!”

But looking back now — if I’d just listened and married Simon like they wanted — sure, it would’ve been the most boring marriage on earth. At least I’d still be alive at the end of it.

…

“Who are you texting?” Julian’s voice cut through the quiet.

“A friend.” I flipped the phone facedown on the table, guilt prickling for no good reason. “Why aren’t you at work yet?”

“Waiting for you.” I waved him off. “You’re slammed enough as it is. I’ll stay home — I don’t want to get in your way.”

Julian crossed the room in three steps — tailored suit, polished shoes, all of it weapon-grade intimidation. He planted his hands on either side of me, crowded between my knees, and leaned in until his shadow swallowed the light.

“Since when is Simon your friend?”

How did he know — I hadn’t even said Simon’s name.

“Vivienne.” His voice went quiet, dangerously quiet. “Do you regret picking me?”