You Had Me, You Lost Me, You'll Never Find Me novel Chapter 33

Watching the woman's nervous, fidgety demeanor with a cold gaze, a wave of jealousy raged inside Ashton. The sharp edge in his words was entirely undisguised.

Julian glanced at him and said smoothly, "I only came to visit Elder Wyatt today. Now that I've seen him, I should be taking my leave."

A cynical smirk tugged at Ashton's lips. "You should stay for dinner. Otherwise, it'll seem like I'm a terrible host."

Julian met his gaze dead-on. "Alright. Then I'll impose on your hospitality."

He didn't even try to be polite, completely ignoring the fact that Ashton had only made the offer out of obligation.

Ashton lifted his eyes to look at him, the chill in his gaze instantly transforming into a careless smile. Acting as if nothing was wrong, he instructed the butler to start preparing dinner.

He leaned back slightly, shoving his hands into his pockets. With a faint smirk, he reeled in his aggressive aura until only a superficial, distant politeness remained. "You're an exceptional young talent, Dr. Sterling. Things were going so well for you abroad. What made you want to come back?"

"I never planned to stay overseas," Julian replied evenly. "I came back as soon as I finished my degree."

Ashton arched a sharp brow. "Foreign cultures are quite open. Didn't you think about having a romance or two with some local beauties while you were there?"

Julian's tone remained perfectly steady. "I was always destined to return. If there was no future in it, there was no point in getting involved. But considering you run one of the biggest high-end nightclubs in the city, Mr. Wyatt, I imagine you face plenty of temptations?"

The two men stared at each other and let out twin, hollow laughs.

It was a mutual, unspoken hostility.

Sylvia ignored the silent war between the two men and simply scrolled through her phone. Penelope Caldwell had just accepted her friend request, and Sylvia was browsing through her social media feed. She stopped at a post from last December—it was a selfie Penelope had taken in a hospital, seemingly after a car accident.

No wonder she had mentioned having surgery on her stomach back then.

Just then, the butler returned and informed Ashton that Elder Wyatt needed to speak with him upstairs.

Ashton stood up. He glanced at the woman who remained completely unbothered, her slender waist and stunning curves wrapped perfectly in her fitted dress, looking entirely breathtaking. He leaned down, pressed a kiss to her cheek, and murmured, "Grandfather needs me. I'll be right back. Butler, show Dr. Sterling around."

He couldn't shake his petty jealousy, clearly terrified to leave the two of them alone.

—

Julian looked at her deeply. "Do you need my help?"

Sylvia's heart gave a strange skip. She met his gaze, not quite understanding his intention.

"What do you mean?"

Julian picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup.

"Breaking up can be simple. It only takes one person to make the decision."

His eyes were as calm and profound as deep waters. "But if you need it, I can help."

—

In Elder Wyatt's bedroom, a heavy mahogany display cabinet stood against the wall, radiating the rich scent of solid wood. It was lined with priceless antiques of unidentifiable eras.