An hour later, Juliana’s figure appeared in the airport terminal.
She only carried a handbag, as if she were just stepping out for a brief errand.
Auden Hughes was surprised to see her outfit.
"Are you coming back tonight?"
Juliana replied indifferently, "The apartnt in Kenton has everything."
Auden smiled and said, "Great, then I don’t even need to book a hotel."
Juliana looked at him calmly, "The Shaw Family has already arranged accommodations for you."
Auden felt slightly awkward under her gaze and pretended to be helpless, "Just joking, can’t you lighten up a bit?"
Juliana ignored him and followed the flight attendant to board the plane.
The business class on this flight was exceptionally quiet, with only the two of them as passengers.
After Juliana sat down by the window, she put on her headphones to listen to music, clearly not wanting to communicate with him.
Auden, understanding the situation, sat in a seat slightly behind her.
He was also very tall, but unlike the stately figure of Elias Langley, he had a more slender build.
The composed aura that belonged to a scholar and entrepreneur, however, was very attention-grabbing.
Shortly after takeoff, a beautiful flight attendant approached with a smile, using the opportunity of asking if he needed a drink to discreetly slip a note with her phone number close to him.
Auden was slightly taken aback, then a wry smile appeared on his lips. He looked towards Juliana, and said to the flight attendant in a gentle but clear voice, "Doing this will upset my girlfriend."
The smile on the flight attendant’s face imdiately froze. She apologized awkwardly and quickly left.
Auden then got up and sat in the empty seat next to Juliana.
Juliana thought he needed sothing, so she took off her headphones and looked at him.
"Thanks for just now." Auden pointed in the direction where the flight attendant left, "I used you as a shield."
Juliana put her headphones back on, a hint of sarcasm in her tone that was hard to detect.
"No problem, I’m used to being soone else’s shield."
After saying that, she closed her eyes again.
Auden watched her for a while, then suddenly put away his joking deanor, leaned slightly closer, and said seriously, "Juliana, if things don’t work out with Elias Langley, be with ."
Juliana’s eyes flew open, turning to look at him,
Auden t her gaze with an unprecedented seriousness in his tone.
"You don’t need to worry about my engagent with Florence Sinclair. If the Hughes Family knows I’m marrying you, they would agree a thousand tis over."
Juliana was silent for a mont, then suddenly started laughing...
After the plane landed, they headed straight to the hospital.
The Shaw Family parents were already waiting at their daughter’s hospital room door.
Because prior arrangents had been discussed with the hospital, Auden imdiately donned a white coat and entered the ward to conduct a clinical assessnt of Sumr Shaw’s condition.
The Shaw Family parents waited outside the ward, expressing imnse gratitude to Juliana, but the more they did, the more guilt Juliana felt.
At that mont, a figure suddenly rushed over and grabbed her arm.
She turned back in pain and t a pair of cloudy, excited eyes.
It was Leona Sheridan!
Her hair was disheveled, and her hospital gown was crumpled, a stark contrast to the dignified chairwoman she once was.
"Juliana! It’s you, it’s all your fault, you ruined everything I had! How dare you co to see , watch what I’ll do to you..."
"What are you all standing there for? Quickly restrain your boss’s ex-wife, don’t let her hurt anyone again."
Leona’s words were interrupted by the arrival of Ms. Linton.
Several n who looked like bodyguards hurried up to restrain Leona and escort her away.
Ms. Linton stepped forward to apologize, and upon seeing Juliana, her eyes were full of surprise.
"When did you co back? Why didn’t you tell ?"
Juliana smiled faintly, "It was sothing urgent, a last-minute decision to return."
This was Sumr Shaw’s ward, and Ms. Linton could guess roughly what it was about.
"What happened to Lenora Sheridan?" Juliana asked, looking at the nail marks on her arm.
Ms. Linton sighed.
"The divorce from Victor Langley hit her hard. She thought Jared Langley and the Sheridan Family would support her, but neither side cared. She lost it and went mad, babbling every day that she’s the chairwoman, attacking anyone who looks a bit like you. If it weren’t for Victor Langley trying to save face for Jared Langley, he wouldn’t bother with her. You see, in the end, it’s who has to deal with the ss."
Juliana noticed Ms. Linton was dressed head-to-toe in Dior and smiled lightly, "Ms. Linton has quite a responsibility now."
Ms. Linton, avoiding the bodyguards who followed, pulled her aside and whispered, "You have no idea how fiercely Adrian and Jared Langley are battling in the company. Victor Langley is already exhausted. Our wedding is being arranged. Once he marries , I’ll take his money and the company; it’s my retribution for a scumbag."
Juliana remained noncommittal about her ambitions, staying silent for a mont before saying, "Leave so room when dealing with matters. So ’enemies’ may just be temporary. Instead of turning the table, consider how to stay firmly seated at it, because all you want is to replace the dealer."
Ms. Linton was slightly taken aback, "Do you an..."
Juliana lowered her gaze, "You and Jared Langley didn’t have any conflict initially. A stepmother should have the capacity of a stepmother, so it won’t be criticized."
Ms. Linton fell into thought.
Just then, the bodyguard who had taken Leona to the treatnt room returned to report, "Ms. Linton, the doctor is looking for you."
Ms. Linton imdiately patted Juliana’s hand, "If you have ti tomorrow, co to Celestial Vista for a al, Adrian misses you."
After saying that, she quickly walked towards the doctor’s office.
Coincidentally, Auden finished his examination and ca out just in ti to hear this.
Sumr Shaw’s condition was not too bad, but so data wouldn’t be ready until the next day, so it was not yet possible to say if a dical plane could be arranged to take her to Kingsford.
After declining the Shaw Family parents’ generous dinner invitation, Auden suggested to Juliana, "We’ve wrapped up business for now. I know a great seaside restaurant with good food and views. Care to join ?"
Juliana looked at her unusually silent phone.
Elias Langley had known about her departure for a long ti, yet he hadn’t reached out.
Perhaps he also thought it was best for them to be apart for a few days.
So, she nodded slightly.
However, when they reached the seaside, she realized he had booked not a restaurant, but a yacht.
Juliana stopped, standing at the dock, refusing to move further.
Auden, acting naturally, said, "I’ve set up the table, and the gourt al is ready. Won’t you join ?"
Juliana remained silent.
Auden raised an eyebrow, "All of Sumr Shaw’s test data is expected around dinner ti. Don’t you want to know my assessnt results right away?"
Juliana gave him a cold glance, "Threatening , you’re quite capable now."
After saying that, she boarded the yacht.
Auden had gone to great lengths for this dinner, not only renting the yacht but also preparing a sumptuous feast.
Yet none of this could lt Juliana’s cold deanor.
She ate quietly, responding indifferently to all of his topics, at most tasting the dishes he recomnded with courteous detachnt throughout.
Ultimately, the dinner ended in an atmosphere that bordered on stagnant.
As the test results had not yet arrived, Juliana got up and left the table, walking to the side of the ship to look up at the sky.
Auden picked up two glasses of wine and walked towards her, "I rember in high school we talked about secretly renting a boat on graduation day to watch the stars all night on the river, but... it never happened."
The mory briefly brought a smile to Juliana’s face, but it quickly faded.
"So, what’s the purpose of inviting on a yacht to watch stars?"
At her worldly wise remark, Auden was at a loss for words, and without further delay, he put down the wine and took out a jewelry box.
Inside was a valuable necklace.
"Juliana, we’ve known each other for so long. Long enough that I’ve seen your proud monts, and witnessed all your pain. I don’t care if you’re currently with the wrong person, but I want to be the one to spend the rest of your life with."
Juliana turned her head away to avoid his intense gaze, "You don’t have to do this."
However, Auden approached her, pinning her against the ship’s railing.
"Two choices, either put this on, or... jump from here."
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