Roman and Julienne's heart desire-Chapter 99: I Feel Different

"I feel blessed just by your mere presence beside me," Roman said quietly, his voice deep and warm as he settled into the sofa next to Julie.

The glow of the soft lamp overhead bathed them in golden light, casting a peaceful stillness across the living room.

Julie turned her head slightly, studying his profile.

There was a softness in his eyes, a gentleness she hadn’t expected to find in someone so feared, so powerful.

"And I feel... different," she said, letting her voice trail off deliberately, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Roman’s brows lifted slightly, and he angled his head to meet her gaze, intrigued.

A calm smile curved on his lips, but his attention sharpened.

"How different?" he asked, tone patient, his voice like velvet brushed against her skin.

Julie tilted her head, her lips curling as she drew out her response with theatrical flair. "Hmm... I feel..."

She let the silence stretch.

Roman leaned in unconsciously, his eyes widening just a fraction, as if waiting for something important—something intimate.

His shoulders inched closer to her, and the anticipation in his eyes made Julie burst into laughter, unable to keep up the act.

"I feel the same with you here," she finally said, her laughter softening into something more tender.

Her eyes sparkled with emotion as she looked at him—eyes that had once feared the world, now glowing with warmth.

Roman blinked, then exhaled a soft breath through his nose, chuckling. "Hmm. Okay... yeah," he said slowly, nodding once as though committing her words to memory.

Then, without warning, he reached out and scooped her into his arms.

"Roman!" Julie gasped, her hands flying to his shoulders as she found herself seated squarely in his lap.

"We’re in the open," she whispered, her voice half-scolding, half-dazzled.

Her heart beat a little faster at the closeness, at the feel of his strong arms around her.

"In the living room. What are you trying to do?"

Roman leaned closer, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear, his breath warm and deliberate.

"I want to feel you nearer," he whispered, each word a soft caress. "Closer than this."

His voice sent a shiver down her spine.

Julie’s face went crimson, heat blooming across her cheeks and even reaching the tips of her ears. Her breath caught.

Before she could react, Roman tilted his head, and without hesitation, his lips parted—then his teeth gently caught the soft lobe of her ear between them.

Julie froze. Her eyes flew wide, and a sharp gasp escaped her.

He bit her.

Her body jerked in surprise.

"Roman!" she exclaimed, staring at him, one hand flying up to touch her ear. "You bit me!"

Roman looked entirely unrepentant, a devilish smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"You make it hard not to," he said, his voice husky with affection.

Julie stared at him with wide, disbelieving eyes, but her expression softened quickly.

A giggle slipped out before she could stop it.

"Oh my God," she whispered, half laughing, half breathless. "You’re unbelievable."

"You love it," he said, kissing the spot gently now, replacing the bite with tenderness.

" it tasted salty," Roman murmured, his voice low and teasing, before he leaned in and winked at her with maddening confidence.

Julie’s head whipped around, her eyes widening as she quickly turned her gaze to the television instead.

Her cheeks flushed a deep pink, and she didn’t dare look at him again.

Roman saw the way her shoulders stiffened and the blush crept all the way to the tips of her ears.

His lips curved into a satisfied smile.

"Wait," he drawled, mimicking the same playful tone she had used moments ago, "you said we’re in the open... in the living room. So, you mean... had we been in the bedroom—"

He let the sentence dangle, deliberately unfinished, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he watched her.

Julie slowly turned her head toward him, eyes narrowed in warning—but she was caught. Caught in that smirk. Caught in that gaze.

Caught in the way his dark eyes burned into hers, heated and intense, full of a teasing affection that made her heart flutter despite herself.

She couldn’t look away.

For a few still seconds, they simply stared at each other—locked in an unspoken understanding that vibrated with emotion and something far deeper.

Something fragile. Something powerful.

Julie’s breath caught as her body responded before her mind could catch up.

And slowly—almost shyly—she lowered her gaze, letting her eyes slip away as heat surged beneath her skin.

A small, helpless smile tugged at her lips.

But just then, something on the television caught her attention.

The faint volume of the news broadcast filtered through the room, and as her eyes found the screen again, the smile on her face faded.

Her eyes widened.

The headline glared back at her in bold, urgent red letters:

"BREAKING NEWS: LEWIS JENKINS COLLAPSES AFTER FIVE MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS WITHDRAW INVESTMENTS FROM COMPANY."

Julie sat frozen, the words echoing through her head.

Her heart began to pound in her chest, and the color drained from her face.

In an instant, the warmth of the moment evaporated, replaced by a cold rush of panic and confusion.

Her breath hitched. Her eyes reddened. She blinked quickly as tears welled, and then—without a word—she stood from Roman’s lap and bolted upstairs.

Roman blinked in surprise, his arms suddenly empty. His brows furrowed in confusion.

"What happened?" he muttered under his breath, rising to his feet as his gaze darted to the TV.

When he saw the headline, his jaw tightened.

His face darkened—but curiously, a faint, amused smirk lingered on his lips.

He said nothing, but the glint in his eyes spoke volumes.

Without delay, he followed after her.

Upstairs, Julie sat curled on the couch in the room, her arms wrapped around herself, tears streaking silently down her cheeks.

Her hands were balled into fists in her lap, her shoulders trembling with restrained emotion.

They’re in a bad situation, she thought, her heart aching despite everything.

Should I go check on them?

The thought flickered—but was instantly challenged by another voice in her mind. No, it whispered sharply.

Have you forgotten how he slapped you? How they treated you like you were never their child? Like you didn’t matter?

Julie’s lips quivered. The voice continued, harsher now, reminding her of every humiliation, every cold word, every moment of abandonment.

"You said it yourself," she whispered brokenly. "They’re no longer my family."

Her voice cracked.

"They kicked me out. I don’t belong to them anymore."

The tears came harder now, her chest heaving with silent sobs.

"You’re no longer a family member, Julie," she said aloud to the empty room, repeating it as though trying to convince herself.

But it hurt. It still hurt.

And yet, she didn’t take the words back

The door handle turned slowly with a faint click.

Julie’s heart leapt.

She quickly raised her hands to wipe her tears away, dragging her fingers under her eyes, trying her best to erase any sign of what had just happened.

But even as she forced a smile onto her face, the gloss of tears still clung to her lashes, and the redness around her eyes betrayed her efforts.

Roman stepped inside and closed the door softly behind him.

He didn’t speak immediately.

Instead, he stood by the door for a long, quiet moment, just watching her.

Julie could feel his gaze—heavy, searching, warm.

It wrapped around her like a blanket, but also made her feel exposed.

She lowered her eyes, her hands resting in her lap, as a self-conscious shyness crept into her chest.

She felt small beneath that gaze, not because he made her feel weak—but because she didn’t want him to see her like this.

Not broken. Not crying. Not pulled back into the pain she thought she had left behind.

"What’s wrong?" Roman asked at last, his voice soft, concerned, and incredibly gentle as he began to walk toward her.

Julie lifted her face and forced the smile again—small, trembling. "Nothing," she whispered, tilting her head slightly, trying to sound light, as though nothing had shifted inside her heart in the last few minutes.

But Roman wasn’t fooled.

He lowered himself onto the couch beside her, close enough that their knees touched.

He reached for her hand, lifting it into his warm palm.

"If it were truly nothing," he said, his voice low and full of compassion, "you wouldn’t be crying, my love."

Julie’s lashes fluttered as she looked down at their joined hands.

His thumb moved slowly over the back of her hand in quiet reassurance.

That small motion, so simple yet so full of care, made her eyes sting all over again.

She knew he was right.

She knew it wasn’t nothing.

And more than that, she knew the lie she had told him had already begun to crumble beneath her guilt.

"It’s... it’s not the truth," she said finally, her voice cracking under the weight of the admission.

Roman turned slightly to face her fully, but he didn’t pressure her.

His grip on her hand never changed. His silence was patient, a quiet invitation.

Julie took a shaky breath.

"Then will you tell me?" Roman asked softly.

She nodded slowly, then looked up at him through damp lashes. "I’ll tell you something important, Roman. But... you might not like it," she said, her voice trembling. "Please... please don’t be angry with me, okay?"

Her eyes filled again, the tears rising faster now, too fast for her to hold back.