chapter 5

Julian kept quiet then, prompting Susan to leave with a scoff.

“Susie.” Panicked, Julian grabbed a hold of her arm.

“What?” Susan struggled to get free from his grasp again.

“Did you discover something?” Julian was anxious.

He had finally realized that perhaps Susan had not been so cold to him recently just because of what his mother had done previously.

There was a flash of sorrow in Susan’s eyes. “If I hadn’t found out myself, would you have kept lying to me about you two being so-called high school friends?”

“Susie, I…”

Susan cut him off. “Julian, you asked me to trust you and I did, but after everything, this is how you return my trust? Have you really forgotten what happened with Isabelle? We made a promise back then to never lie to each other!”

Susan’s calm composure created a stark contrast to Julian’s panicked state of mind. “Susie, I had my reasons…”

“Go on, continue making up stories,” Susan snorted. “Do you think I’m a fool? That I’ll keep believing your lies? Julian, you’ve thoroughly depleted all my trust in you!”

‘You’ve thoroughly depleted all my trust in you!’

It felt like a massive hammer had just rammed into Julian’s heart. He suddenly felt parched.

“Susie, I really had a reason.”

“Sure, tell me. Let me listen to you lie your way out.” Sarcasm dripped from Susan’s tone, but she was still hopeful deep down in her heart. She refused to believe that Julian would turn his back on their love, but he had lied and met Willa personally. She needed an explanation for what had happened.

Julian pressed his lips together but did not speak for a long time. He had his reasons, of course, but could he tell Susie? The Errol Virus was going to be cured soon. If he let Susie know that she carried such a menacing virus in her, she would just be one more worried person.

According to Willa, it would take another year until the virus was fully removed. Although she was confident about it, a person who actually had the virus would always be more anxious.

Was he going to let Susie live in worry for a whole year?

It was enough that he had to withstand this worry alone!

“Susie, I didn’t want to lie to you.” Julian started speaking in a low tone. “Willa isn’t my high school friend, but think about it. We’ve never crossed paths, so how could something happen between the two of us?”

“Who knows? It might have been love at first sight!” Susan mocked him.

“What are you thinking?” Julian defended himself helplessly. “Susie, I did keep some things from you, but don’t you trust my love for you after so long? Susan, I love you. You’re all there is in my heart. Even the smallest corner in my heart would not be able to contain another woman.”

Susan pressed her lips together. “You keep lying to me time and again. Is this your love for me?”

“Susie, no matter what I’ve kept from you, I swear, not an inkling of my love for you is fake. Everything that I’ve done has been for you,” Julian said seriously.

As she was staring at him, disappointment pooled in Susan’s eyes. Julian was still unwilling to speak the truth despite this confrontation.

He had said that everything he did was for her, but had he ever thought whether she liked being lied to?

“I’m tired.” Susan pressed her lips together and left to go to her room.

As he watched her retreating back that was elongated by the moonlight, Julian thought that she looked unusually dejected. He was at a loss. Was everything he did wrong?

He had hidden the fact that Susan had the Errol Virus in order for her to live without worry, but was Susan truly happy now?

Julian did not know what was the right thing to do.

His thoughts overlapped like tidal waves as he stood by the window, staying there until the sun rose.

The next day, the troop that had come from Skyking City would be catching a flight back.

Susan and Julian would be taking them to the airport.

As soon as they reached the hotel’s exit, a delighted voice spoke.

“Jacob.” A blonde woman with delicate features ran over to them in delight.

She paid no mind to anyone else as she planted herself in front of Jacob. “Jacob, it’s me! Blanchett!”

She scooted in to give him a hug, ready to kiss his cheek.

While everyone was still shocked and even Jacob himself was dazed, Anna moved swiftly and covered Jacob’s cheek with her hand.

Smack! Blanchett’s kiss landed on Anna’s hand.

“Who are you?” Blanchett was astonished.

“I should be asking that question!” Anna stared at Blanchett in challenge.

She had courted Jacob for so long and had not even gotten to hold his hand, yet this woman who had popped out of nowhere was going to kiss him? It was preposterous.

“I’m Blanchett Dixon,” Blanchett huffed.

“Blanchett what? Never heard of you.” Anna planted herself in front of Jacob. “This is uncouth. Do you know that people of the opposite sex should at least keep some distance? What are you trying to do to my Jacob?”

Blanchett was eloquent, but Anna’s deluge of accusations still stunned her.

She thought about it for some time and asked, “Your Jacob? I know that you guys emphasize the concept of family so… you must be Jacob’s sister!”

As Blanchett spoke, she had a bright grin on her face. “Hello, I’m Jacob’s admirer. I hope that we will become a family in the future.”

Speechless, Anna grumbled in her mind, ‘You’re Jacob’s sister! I don’t mind if your entire family becomes his sisters!’

Noticing that Anna was about to erupt, Susan quickly went over and pulled her back before she said, “You might have misunderstood. Anna and Jacob aren’t related. I’m his younger sister.”

“Sis, why are you telling her so much? Make her leave!” Anna growled.

Blanchett, who was astounded, pointed at Susan. “You’re Jacob’s younger sister.”

She then pointed to Anna. “You called her sis.”

Then, Blanchett spread her hands. “But she’s not related to Jacob? You guys are complicated.”

The entire group was speechless.

Anna took in a few gulps of air, but they did nothing to repress her rage. She was about to explode when Jacob looked at Blanchett with a frown and asked, “Who are you?”

Shock and disappointment instantly emerged on Blanchett’s face.