Chapter 106: Queen of the Amazons
On the bed, Vivian Lowell watched Julian Faulkner return with the box and gave him a sweet smile.
"Julian, are you hot?"
As Vivian spoke, her gaze drifted involuntarily to the back of Julian’s ears. Her intention was obvious.
She had just overheard Ms. Shaw and Julian talking. Recalling their intimate moment from just a few minutes ago, Vivian felt a sudden surge of smugness.
’I feel just like the Queen of the Amazons from *Journey to the West* trying to seduce that stoic monk,’ she thought.
’You claim to be free of worldly desires, yet you keep your eyes shut tight. If you dared to look at me, I refuse to believe your gaze would remain so blank. If you dared to look at me, I refuse to believe your gaze would remain so blank.’
As this line came to mind, the smile at the corners of Vivian’s lips deepened.
Just as she expected.
Julian Faulkner, who was walking toward her, suddenly faltered.
He stooped down, placed the box to one side, and just as Vivian was playing out a scene from one of the cliché "CEO novels" she’d read—imagining Julian would lunge forward and pin her to the bed—
—and then look down at her and say in a deep voice, "Woman, you’re playing with fire,"... Julian turned and walked away.
???
Vivian watched Julian’s retreating back, then glanced quizzically at the vanity mirror beside her.
’Something’s not right!’
’I haven’t even taken my makeup off yet!’
’I look cute and a little alluring right now. How could Julian see me and not be the least bit tempted?’
’He’s even more heartless than that stoic monk!’
’Am I not as beautiful as the Queen of the Amazons?’
Just as Vivian was about to fall into a spiral of self-doubt, Julian returned.
Vivian saw that he was carrying something in his hand.
’Huh?’
’Is that... liniment?’
Vivian couldn’t see it clearly at first, but as he drew closer, she caught the scent of liniment—the kind for bruises and sprains.
Now, Vivian understood.
’So, Julian didn’t turn and leave just now because his ’gaze was blank.’ He left because he was worried about my ankle—the one I twisted earlier—and went to get liniment for it?’
"Do you want to do it, or should I help you?"
Julian squatted down beside Vivian, helped her take off her high heels, and looked up at her.
Vivian glanced at Julian’s hands.
’They look so warm. They’re bigger than mine, and stronger, too.’
Since there was "free labor" available, Vivian certainly didn’t want to do it herself. She smiled at Julian and said, "You, of course~"
"President Faulkner, remember to be gentle... HISS! Julian, why are you using so much force!"
Vivian had been teasing Julian all evening.
Now, it was his turn to get his "revenge."
He poured the liniment into his palm, rubbed his hands together to warm it, then covered Vivian’s entire ankle with one hand, gripping it firmly and starting to rub.
Vivian cried out in pain and tried to pull her ankle back, but Julian’s strength was simply too much for her to resist. After a few struggles, he only gripped her tighter.
"Don’t move."
Julian’s voice was deep as he continued, "If you keep struggling, I can’t guarantee it won’t hurt more. Be good. It’ll be over soon. I’ll try... to be gentle."
??
Vivian stared at Julian in astonishment.
If she weren’t so sure that Julian was a perfect gentleman who never made dirty jokes, that last suggestive phrase would have sent her mind straight into the gutter!
Vivian fell silent, quietly watching Julian.
This time, she was the one looking down.
What she could see most clearly was the bridge of Julian’s nose.
It was very high, and with his head bowed, the angle of his nose was even more defined. And his eyelashes... they were long and drooped downward, making one want to...
...kiss him.
As the thought popped into her head, Vivian shut her eyes.
’No, that’s too indecent.’
She had always considered herself to have strong self-control, so why was it that around Julian, she kept having these sordid thoughts?
Vivian sighed.
Just then, Julian looked up, giving Vivian a somewhat puzzled glance.
"..."
Feeling slightly awkward, Vivian began spouting nonsense with a straight face. "Julian, I was just thinking... I never realized how capable you are."
"To think that a president would even know how to apply liniment for someone."
Julian was silent for a moment. He glanced at Vivian, seemingly aware she was talking nonsense, and simply nodded. "Mm."
"I think this is something any person of normal intelligence should be able to do."
Vivian stopped talking and shot Julian a glare.
After the liniment was applied, Vivian started to feel drowsy. She dozed off for a bit, and when she woke up, Julian was no longer in the room.
’Did he go back to finishing his work?’
Just as she was wondering, Julian walked in through the doorway carrying a basin of water. It was warm and steaming.
!?
’I was wrong?’
Vivian was a little surprised. The basin was placed in front of her, and Julian said matter-of-factly, "You’re injured, so you shouldn’t move around too much."
"I brought your towel. You can wash up first."
After saying that, Julian left again.
Vivian looked at the basin of water and her own pink towel, then blinked.
’Looks like Julian isn’t a total blockhead when it comes to romance after all!’
After quickly washing up, Vivian got back into bed to sleep. She was truly tired today, but she was also grateful for how Julian had taken care of her.
’I’ll allow you to not sleep on the edge of the bed tonight. What if you fall off? A distinguished president, falling out of bed while sleeping. Tsk, tsk, how embarrassing.’
Muttering to herself, Vivian moved the pillow next to her—Julian’s pillow—a little closer to the center of the bed.
「At that moment.」
Standing at the bedroom door, the certain someone who was about to take the basin of water away paused when he heard Vivian’s words. The expression on his face froze.
’What on earth goes through Vivian’s head all day?’
Julian sighed.
’Since Vivian is getting ready to sleep, I’ll just wait until she’s sound asleep before going in to get the basin,’ he thought.
「A peaceful night passed.」
The next morning, when Vivian woke up, the sky was just beginning to lighten with the dawn.
She turned her head to look at the person lying beside her.
Julian was still asleep.
She had no idea how late he’d worked last night. Since today was a rare day off, he was actually sleeping in a little.
Vivian watched the sunlight fall on Julian’s face, making his lean cheeks look exceptionally fair, and she couldn’t resist poking him with her finger.
Ugh.
There wasn’t much flesh on Julian’s cheeks.
Her poke met only skin and bone. It wasn’t a very satisfying feeling, not like a baby’s face, which would be chubby with baby fat and very elastic.
Vivian disappointedly pulled her hand back. Just as she was about to get up, Julian, lying beside her, suddenly asked in a low voice, "What is it? Another mosquito on my face?"