Free Web NovelChapter 187: Two days too long
"So, how was it?" Marco asked.
"It was quite a show," Emily said excitedly. "You should have seen her, Marco. She completely broke them. Old man Windsor didn’t even know what hit him, and Victoria was left in absolute tears."
Marco let out a low whistle, a slow smirk spreading across his face as he navigated through the heavy city traffic. He glanced at Lyvana through the rearview mirror.
"Sounds like everything went exactly according to plan then," he said smoothly.
"Even better than I expected," Lyvana replied, leaning her head back against the seat. A cold, satisfied smile touched her lips as she looked out the window. "They bought every single word of it."
That was when she realized Marco was not driving in the direction of her grandmother’s house.
"Where are we going?"
"Julian’s orders, Ma’am. He said the moment you were done with the Windsors, I was to bring you straight to him. He’s waiting."
Lyvana’s eyes widened excitedly. "Is he back?"
"He landed a few minutes ago," Marco replied, stepping on the gas as the traffic ahead cleared. "He called me just when you exited the building."
Emily let out a soft laugh from the passenger seat, shaking her head. "Well, look at that. The big boss couldn’t even wait a second longer to see you."
Lyvana felt her heart give a sudden, eager flutter.
An hour later, the city slowly faded behind them.
Tall buildings gave way to quieter roads lined with trees and rolling hills. The traffic disappeared completely the farther they drove.
Lyvana glanced out the window curiously.
A few minutes later, the cars reached the base of a steep hill.
Marco’s SUV continued forward toward the winding uphill road, but the second vehicle behind them suddenly slowed to a stop.
Lyvana noticed immediately.
Victor stepped out briefly, speaking into an earpiece before the car turned away and took another route around the hill.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
"Why is Victor leaving?"
"Security protocol," Marco replied simply. "They will be guarding the perimeter."
The higher they climbed, the quieter everything became.
Dense trees surrounded the narrow road, blocking most of the outside view. Expensive security cameras were hidden carefully between the stone walls and heavy gates lining the hillside.
Emily looked impressed.
"Okay," she muttered softly, glancing around. "This looks amazing."
Lyvana nodded. "It does."
Then finally, the road curved one last time.
And Lyvana saw it.
A massive modern estate sat at the very top of the hill, overlooking the entire city below. Floor-to-ceiling glass windows reflected the golden afternoon sunlight, while a black luxury car was parked neatly near the entrance.
Marco slowly pulled the car to a stop.
Before he could even turn off the engine, the front doors of the estate opened.
And Julian stepped outside.
The moment Lyvana saw him, every thought in her head disappeared.
Julian stood at the top of the stairs in a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled up, one hand in his pocket as the wind moved lightly through his hair.
His eyes locked onto hers immediately.
And just like that, Lyvana was already moving. She hurried across the driveway toward him.
Julian barely had time to brace himself before she threw herself straight into his arms.
He caught her and lifted her effortlessly.
Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck while her legs locked around his waist without hesitation.
Julian let out a low laugh, the force of her nearly pushing him back a step.
He kissed her hair, holding her securely against him.
Lyvana buried her face against his shoulder, breathing him in like she needed to make sure he was really here.
"You took too long," she muttered.
Julian’s hands slid firmly around her waist, holding her even closer.
"Forgive me, my love," he said softly. "I should have reached out sooner."
"It’s been two whole days."
A slow smile appeared on his face at the quiet complaint.
"It felt longer to me," he admitted with a soft chuckle.
Behind them, Emily leaned against the car with a dramatic sigh.
"This is sickeningly romantic," she complained.
Marco gave a small smile.
Julian pulled back just enough to look at her properly, his gaze moving slowly across her face as though checking for injuries. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"You okay?" he asked softly.
Lyvana nodded immediately.
But Julian still frowned slightly.
"You look tired. I heard you’ve been busy cleaning up disasters," he said. "You’re absolutely brilliant."
Lyvana smiled softly.
"I missed you."
His hand slid gently against the back of her neck.
"I know," he said quietly. "I missed you too."
Without loosening his hold on her, Julian carried her up the wide stone steps and into the house.
The moment the doors opened, Lyvana stared in amazement.
The interior was breathtaking.
Warm golden light spilled from massive crystal chandeliers overhead, reflecting softly against polished marble floors.
The open living area stretched across the entire front side of the mansion, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlooked the city below.
A sleek black piano sat near the far wall beside a sunken lounge filled with cream-colored furniture and dark wood accents. Everything looked elegant, expensive, and impossibly quiet.
Emily stepped in just behind them, slowing as her eyes swept over the elegant interior.
Before she could even take it all in, Ethan appeared from the back hallway. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
The moment she saw him, her face lit up instantly.
Without hesitation, she rushed straight toward him, immediately abandoning Lyvana and Julian to their own little world.
Meanwhile, Julian gently lowered Lyvana onto her feet near the center of the living room. But he still didn’t let her go completely. His hands remained firmly around her waist as he looked down at her with that quiet intensity that always made her heart race.
Before Lyvana could even say a word, Julian tilted her chin upward and kissed her.
The kiss was deep, slow, and breathless.
Every bit of tension from the Windsor meeting melted away instantly.
Meanwhile, far away from this cozy reunion, Catalina Windsor was discovering just how cruel reality could be.
Inside the local precinct, the holding cell looked like the very last place someone like her was ever meant to end up.
