Chapter 754:

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

The sight of it pulled up a mess of half-buried memories. Katherine had no desire to step inside. But Julian didn’t leave room for discussion.

“You can leave,” he said flatly, “but only if Colten comes to pick you up himself.”

Katherine glanced at him, catching a strange, competitive glint in his eyes. Jillian was finally asleep in her arms, her cheeks still damp from crying. One sudden sound might wake her all over again.

Katherine exhaled slowly and reached for the door handle. Julian tossed a small packet her way.

“The seat’s a mess because of you. Wipe it down.”

She lowered her eyes. Blood, sweat, and a few drops of milk stained the upholstery.

Balancing Jillian with one arm, she began dabbing the seat clean with the other.

Julian glanced over.

“Make sure the smell’s gone before you get out. My girlfriend’s coming with me later, and I don’t want her to misunderstand anything.”

Katherine froze. She recalled vague headlines about his rumored engagement to Eleanor.

𝗪𝖾e𝗄lу r𝖾𝗹𝖾𝗮sеѕ оn 𝗀а𝗅𝗇𝘰𝘷𝖾𝘭𝘴.с𝗼m

Without another word, she stopped wiping, dropped the tissues, and said evenly,

“Then I’ll replace the car entirely.”

“Suit yourself.”

Julian turned and started walking toward the villa. But by the time he reached the front steps, he realized he hadn’t heard a single footstep behind him.

He turned around just as a faint cry from the baby reached his ears.

A jolt of unease hit him hard. He rushed back to the car, only to find Katherine collapsed in the seat, her face pale and lifeless.

Julian swept Katherine into his arms without hesitation.

The sudden movement jolted Katherine from her dizzy, exhausted stupor. She clutched her daughter protectively against her chest, her body tensing with alarm.

Julian carried both mother and child together, his steps urgent as he rushed toward the villa’s bedroom.

When he finally tore away Katherine’s bloodstained coat, the sight that greeted him made his breath catch. The wound gaped far deeper than he had anticipated.

Katherine, overwhelmed first by shock and then by the searing pain, had succumbed to unconsciousness from sheer agony.

Julian’s hands moved with practiced efficiency as he wiped the perspiration from her skin, then retrieved his first aid kit to address the cut.

The instant the iodine made contact with her torn flesh, her eyelids fluttered violently. Her hand shot out, pushing his away with surprising force.

“Julian…” The sound escaped her lips like a wounded plea, caught somewhere between a sob and a whispered protest.

Julian’s gaze locked onto her face for several heartbeats before his grip softened.

“I’ll be more careful,” he murmured, his voice gentler than before.

Katherine’s eyes drifted half-open, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings with growing panic.

“My baby.” Urgency crept into her weakened voice. “Julian, where did you put my baby?”

Julian’s mouth formed a tight line.

“She’s right beside me. She hasn’t made a sound.”

Katherine refused to trust his words. He felt nothing for her, so why would he spare any concern for her child?

Watching her struggle to rise despite her weakness, Julian lifted the infant for her inspection.

.

.

.