You Had Me, You Lost Me, You'll Never Find Me novel Chapter 81

Coupled with Sylvia's recent disappearance from the public eye, the speculation only intensified.

The comment sections were flooded:

"Serves her right! Her innocent image was completely fake. It makes me sick to think I ever supported her!"

"Is her face really ruined? Can she even recover?"

"This is the best news ever. Does anyone know which hospital she's at?"

...

Julian Sterling had known that Sylvia was caught in a brutal public relations storm. However, she had seemed to have her own plans and didn't appear to need his help. Out of respect for her boundaries, he hadn't interfered.

He had been away attending a five-day medical conference. Immersed in seminars and networking, Julian hadn't paid much attention to the entertainment headlines.

He had texted Sylvia a few times, but she never replied. Whenever he tried calling, her phone went straight to voicemail.

Skipping the afternoon coffee mixer and the evening banquet, Julian gave his presentation and immediately booked a flight back to Boston.

He even brought back a gift for her. But when he opened the door, the apartment was pitch black. Assuming she wasn't home, he was about to turn on the lights when he heard a strange, muffled thud. Following the sound, he found Sylvia agonizingly banging her head against the wall, trying to numb some unseen torment.

In Julian's eyes, Sylvia had never been weak. She was the kind of fiercely independent woman who always had a plan, no matter the crisis.

But at that moment, the woman he saw was overwhelmingly fragile and isolated, as if her very soul had been drained away.

The darkness enveloped her, and she seemed to fade into it.

Julian couldn't quite describe what he felt in that instant.

Anger, guilt, remorse, heartache...

Perhaps all of the above.

Driven by pure instinct, he gently cupped her head and pulled her against his chest.

Harriet remained unconvinced. "If you want to find someone you love, you have to put yourself out there! Do you think the perfect woman is just going to fall from the sky? I don't care where you are tomorrow, you are going to meet her. I already promised Dean Vance."

Julian's voice dropped an octave. "Mom, I'm twenty-eight years old. I think I have the mental capacity to decide whether I want to go on a blind date. Or do you prefer me to be a man-child who blindly follows your every command?"

...

The conversation ended in a bitter stalemate.

Julian didn't let the argument linger in his mind. He stayed up that night, calling his father, Robert Sterling, to leverage his extensive network. He managed to consult a reliable public relations team about the vicious online smear campaign targeting Sylvia.

By the time Sylvia woke up, Julian had already made breakfast and kept it warm. Seeing her awake, he offered a gentle smile. "Morning. Go wash up, then come get something to eat."

Julian was a man of impeccable taste. He loved cooking, arranging flowers, reading in his spare time, and keeping his home spotless.

His emotional core was incredibly stable. He rarely lost his temper, always navigating life with rational grace.