They Fought Over Everything, but They Agreed on One Thing—Not Me Chapter 07

They Fought Over Everything, but They Agreed on One Thing—Not Me Chapter 07

Meanwhile, I lay in a hospital in Boston with my parents beside me. They had been in Boston for the past

month.

They looked at me anxiously.

“Natalie, how does your back feel? Can you still feel your hand?”

I blinked dazedly and flexed my wrist. A prickling ache ran through my fingers.

When I shifted slightly, the bone-deep pain in my lower back was gone too.

Tears spilled from my eyes as I smiled.

“Mom, Dad, I’m okay. I really am better.”

“That’s good. That’s good. Thank goodness Julian was there to help you. Otherwise, after everything that

Mercer boy put you through, who knows how many more injuries you might have ended up with?”

I looked toward the familiar man standing a short distance away, nodded, and said softly, “Thank you,

Julian.”

He glanced at me, said nothing, and walked away.

I pressed my lips together.

My mother sighed. “Don’t take it too hard. You should have seen yourself when you came back. You were so

pale that Julian’s hands wouldn’t stop shaking.”

“He’s angry with you too. You two grew up together. There’s nothing you can’t talk through.”

My mother had always believed Julian and I had stopped speaking after some kind of falling-out.

That wasn’t what had happened.

I had been nineteen and had just started college. Julian was already twenty-two.

His family went through a crisis around that time, and I met Grant.

I knew nothing about what Julian was suffering. Instead, I told him about my relationship with Grant every

single day.

Each time, his expression grew darker

Once, while I was happily describing how Grant had kissed my cheek, Julian suddenly pinned me against a

wall. Struggling to keep his breathing steady, he asked, “Natalie, do you really like him that much?”

“Do you not want me anymore?”

I hadn’t understood what he meant. I thought he was getting jealous for no reason, so I gave him a sweet

smile.

“Of course I still want you. He could never compare to you.”

Remembering it now made my head hurt.

I had been too young to recognize Julian’s feelings. At nineteen, I had been reckless enough to make such a

thoughtless, irresponsible promise.

“Don’t worry, Julian. If you never get married, then I won’t either!”

Now, as I watched him walk away, my emotions were a tangled mess.

Once my back had mostly healed, I went to find him myself.

“Julian Cole, why are you avoiding me?”

Julian’s hand paused as he opened the takeout container he had brought me, but his expression revealed

nothing.

“I’m not.”

“You’re not?” I gave an incredulous laugh.

For the past several days, he had delivered meals but always left before I could see him. He had brought me

everyday necessities and done the same thing.

He was obviously waiting for me to make the first move.

While I was still lost in thought, I suddenly heard a voice in my head.

[She’s talking to me? Why is she talking to me? Is she still angry with me?]

I stood there in stunned silence and blinked. Once I realized I was hearing Julian’s thoughts, curiosity took

over

“Julian, I’m sorry I was wrong before”

[???]

[Is she really talking to me? Did she just call me Julian? Has she lost her mind? Am I running a fever?]

I touched his forehead and then my own.

“You don’t have a fever.”

Julian stared at me as though he had seen a ghost.

I cleared my throat. “Thank you for everything you’ve done these past few days, Julian.”

He lowered his eyes.

“Yeah.”

[Is that all? Just thanks?]

“Oh.” I hesitated. “Is there anything you want? I’m a hotshot attorney now. I can even represent you in court if

you ever need me.”

Julian kept his head lowered.

“Anything.”

Anything?

What kind of answer was that?

I listened more closely to his thoughts and suddenly heard something that made my face burn.

[I want you. Would you let me have you?]

“I-I-I’m a little tired,” I blurted. “I’m going to sleep.”

He watched me for a long time, but no more thoughts came through.

I breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

It was probably for the best that he didn’t know about my ability. Being able to hear his private thoughts

wasn’t exactly fair to him.

While I was still wondering how Julian and I were supposed to act around each other from then on, Grant

came to see me.

Vivian, whom I hadn’t seen in three months, was with him.