You Had Me, You Lost Me, You'll Never Find Me novel Chapter 125

Julian's response was a masterclass in composure, perfectly polite yet concealing a razor-sharp warning.

Ashton watched them walk out, the faint smirk on his lips slowly bleeding away.

-

Julian led Sylvia outside and they settled into the back seat of his car. Julian took off his glasses and rubbed his temples, looking drained.

Sylvia watched him with deep concern. "Are you alright? I have some yogurt in my bag, do you want a little?"

Julian smiled through his exhaustion. "No need. I'll be fine once I get some rest."

He looked incredibly overworked, dark shadows bruising the skin under his eyes. Sylvia's heart ached for him. "You've been slammed with work lately, haven't you? You really didn't need to come to this tonight."

Julian's smile turned gentle. "Don't worry, I'm fine. I went tonight to make a clear statement. Whether he has moved on or not, what happens between you and me is none of his business anymore."

Sylvia wrestled with immense guilt, agonizing over whether to confess that Ashton was actively blackmailing her. But when she finally scraped together the courage to speak, she looked over to find Julian already fast asleep, his head resting against the cold window.

She swallowed her words back down.

She decided she would tell him tomorrow.

Julian was already buried under the pressure of taking over the hospital, and she desperately wanted to spare him from dealing with her messy problems.

Unfortunately, the next morning brought no opportunities. Julian was fielding back-to-back phone calls while driving her to work, leaving Sylvia with zero chance to bring it up.

She spent the day shooting a commercial for maternity products. Just as they wrapped, a text from Ashton popped onto her screen.

[WY]: Come out for dinner when you're done.

Ellie Ward handed over her phone, and the message was the first thing Sylvia saw.

Right below it was an earlier text from Julian, explaining that he was tied up with a dinner meeting and wouldn't be able to pick her up. He told her to head back with Ellie if she finished early.

He had zero patience today, getting straight to the point before he even started the engine. "Did you make it clear to him?"

Sylvia stared at her lap, refusing to meet his eyes. "Give me a little more time..."

Ashton's sharp, handsome features hardened. He let out a dark scoff, completely unsurprised by her stalling tactics.

"How much time? A year? Ten years? A century? I'm giving you time, but don't treat me like an idiot."

Her heart hammered in her chest. She grabbed her phone, desperate to send Julian a warning text. She had wanted to tell him in person, but now she just needed to get the truth out.

Before she could finish typing, Ashton caught her furiously tapping the screen. A wave of intense jealousy spiked in his chest. He snatched the phone right out of her hands and powered it off. "Flirting?"

Furious that he kept invading her privacy without a shred of permission, Sylvia snapped. "Are you crazy? Who I text is absolutely none of your business!"

Ashton sneered, his tone dripping with toxic mockery. "Acting so eager, upset that I held back on you?"