Chapter 50 Scratching
Julia rose to her feet immediately, withdrawing her hand from the man’s large palm, and regarded Jared in astonishment.
“I told you I won’t engage in any inappropriate actions. You’re just going to sleep here,” Jared clarified.
His motive behind this was to test whether sharing a bed with someone could help alleviate his insomnia. He had been seeking an opportunity to verify this hypothesis, and since the last time he had spent the night with Julia, his insomnia had worsened considerably. He feared that this would have detrimental effects on his health if it persisted.
As these thoughts swirled in Jared’s mind, Julia took a few steps back, each retreat accompanied by a growing sense of unease.
Jared felt a pang of displeasure at Julia’s behavior. Was he so fearsome, a predator she needed to escape?
“It seems like you’ve misunderstood something. I genuinely don’t have any romantic intentions toward you,” Julia began, observing the swift change in Jared’s demeanor.
“What do you mean? You said earlier that you fell for me at first sight.”
“In truth, I greatly admire you, but it’s simply admiration. And even that admiration dissipates quickly. So currently, I have no emotions toward you whatsoever. As a person who values my promises, I’m sticking to my word – I won’t develop feelings for you,” Julia explained.
She believed that Jared’s recent actions were tests, giving her an ultimatum. If she dared to cross certain boundaries, he would not hesitate to expel her from the Brooks Family, shattering her plans entirely.
Inwardly, Julia congratulated herself on her swift thinking. Thankfully, she had responded promptly; otherwise, it could have been game over for her plans.
However, Jared’s face grew darker at that moment. “You claim you don’t have feelings for me? Then what about this recording?”
“I was deliberately being sarcastic, intentionally provoking your mother and Cameron,” Julia interjected, halting Jared’s line of thought.
Jared’s expression turned uglier with every passing second. “So, at this hour, you’ve come into my room to touch my shirt?”
“You might find it hard to believe, but I’m uncomfortable sleeping in my pajamas. Your shirt’s fabric is very soft, so I thought I’d borrow a couple of pieces,” Julia replied, ensuring her delivery was as convincing as possible.
Jared continued to scrutinize her, yet he couldn’t discern any traces of deception on her face, leaving him increasingly vexed.
“Cough, cough,” Julia cleared her throat, “I feel a bit embarrassed to keep asking you now. I’ll head back and sleep.”
With that, Julia ceased to acknowledge Jared and exited the room.
As the door closed behind her with a resounding thud, the room fell silent, the stillness so profound that one could almost hear a pin drop.
5:50
Chapter 50 Scratching
Jared remained seated on the bed, assuming the same posture he had maintained throughout their exchange. He couldn’t discern how much time had passed before he slowly rose to his feet. Observing her surroundings briefly, the girl departed, leaving him with his own devices.
He let out a long, drawn–out sigh.
Jared’s expression remained unchanged, despite the emotional rollercoaster he had just experienced. At that moment, he comprehended the depth of his concern for Julia, realizing that his feelings were even more profound than he had initially thought.
He took a cold shower to dispel his anger, though impatience still clung to him like a stubborn shadow. Over time, his agitation grew, intensifying with each passing moment.
Lying in bed, he tossed and turned well into the late hours of the night, sleep eluding him.
Around 1 o’clock in the morning, Jared pushed back the covers and sat up.
After several deep breaths, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and rose. With a lingering sense of turmoil, he exited his room and strode down the hallway toward Julia’s quarters. Without hesitation, he turned the knob and pushed the door open.
Julia, who had been sleeping peacefully, snapped awake at the sound of footsteps behind her. She stared warily at the intruder, her senses on high alert.
Who could it berts, continuing to scratch.
“Stay still!” The words were accompanied by Jared’s firm grip on Julia’s playful hand!
15:50 ? Aside from the Jared brothers, there was no one else in the household.
The villa’s security measures were top–notch, and breaking in would require a considerable effort, even for her.
It was unlikely to be Shiloh. He had consumed the medicine she had specially prepared and was likely in his room, snoozing contentedly.
So it could only be Jared.
As Julia silently mulled over the possibilities, Jared had already approached her bedside. He pulled back the covers and smoothly slid into the bed.
Julia blinked, utterly perplexed by the situation.
Drawing on her prior experience of sharing a bed with Jared, she knew just from the sound of his footsteps that it was him.
However, she couldn’t quite fathom his motives. Had Jared really roused from sleep in the dead of night to come to share her bed?
Before she could even turn her head to face him, the man reached out and firmly grasped her shoulder, drawing her into his solid chest. His arm encircled her, securing her snugly as he had done before.
Julia found herself utterly dumbfounded.
As she contemplated resisting his embrace, she was greeted by the rhythm of his long, steady breathing.
Had he truly come to her room simply to sleep beside her?
Julia strained to listen to his breathing, using her past experience to ascertain that he wasn’t feigning slumber – he was genuinely asleep.
In the ensuing stillness, she cautiously shifted within his hold, pivoting until she faced him. She
15:50
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gazed up, finding his cold countenance illuminated by the faint light.
Was he sleepwalking?
That was Julia’s hypothesis.
Gently, she extracted one hand from his embrace and tugged at his arm.
His limb felt as unyielding as stone.
Exhaling a sigh, she abandoned her attempt. Just as last time, it seemed futile to strive for freedom. However, his intrusion had disrupted her drowsiness.
At that moment, a clever idea dawned on her.
If she couldn’t achieve her goal through force, perhaps a softer approach would prove effective. Julia’s lips curved into a mischievous smile as she focused her gaze on the man’s neck, her eyes forming crescents. She extended the hand that she had withdrawn earlier and began to gently
scratch his neck.
No response?
Was he immune to itchiness?
Julia’s attention shifted to the area where the man’s ear met his jawline.
She wasn’t buying it.
Her fingers reached out and deliberately scratched the sensitive spot beneath his ear, her motions deliberate and unwavering.
In Jared’s dream, he found himself imagining a playful cat using its furry claws to tickle his armpit.
The man’s brows twitched slightly, and he began to stir.
Observing that her actions had finally garnered a reaction, Julia’s interest was piqued further, and
she persisted in her effoChapter 51 Supernatural Powers
After subconsciously stopping Julia’s hand from exploring further, Jared kept sleeping in that same position.
Julia tried to pull her hand back, but the guy’s grip got tighter every time. Stuck, she eventually got pretty worn out from the struggle.
Letting out a big yawn, Julia shut her eyes, and before she knew it, she was knocked out.
The following day, Jared woke up early. Glancing at his side, he saw Julia cozied up in his arms. A smug grin then spread across his face.
‘I knew it,‘ he thought. I just need her by my side, and I’ll sleep like a champ.‘
Meanwhile, Shiloh rolled out of his room in his wheelchair when he saw Julia’s door ajar. Curious, he attempted to peek in, but Jared suddenly came out.
“B–Bro…” he called, dumbfounded. “Why are you-”
Jared glared at him, shushing him mid–sentence.
“No, bro, seriously. What were you doing in Julia’s room?!” Shiloh went on but in a hushed voice this time.
“Couldn’t sleep,” Jared replied like it was no big deal.
But in the back of his head, he decided to keep coming every night.
‘Couldn’t sleep?‘ Shiloh inwardly asked, immediately catching something fishy in his brother’s response. ‘And what does that have to do with crashing in Julia’s room?”
Before Shiloh could dig in with more questions, Joseph walked in.
“Boss, there’s a situation goin‘ down in the company’s marketing department,” he anxiously reported.
“I see,” Jared emotionlessly answered before changing clothes and heading out.
Not long after Jared took off, Julia woke up. She glanced to the side, only to find Jared was gone. If it weren’t for the creases on the sheets, she might’ve believed last night was just some crazy dream.
Out of nowhere, her stomach let out a loud growl. ‘Talk about perfect timing”
After a quick shower, Julia went downstairs to the dining table, with Shiloh giving her odd looks. ‘This guy… Is he up to somethin‘? Did he find out I put something in his meds last night? Finding it impossible, Julia shook off that idea. To her, even a renowned doctor might not sniff out her stunt. So if Shiloh, a regular guy, somehow pieced it together, her reputation as the divine doctor could be toast.
“Why are you looking at me like that, Shiloh? Is there dirt on my face?” Julia quipped, unable to hold back.
Finally, after keepin‘ it in check for who knows how long, Shiloh cut to the chase. “Did you sleep with my brother last night?”
Julia shot him a quizzical look. “Funny, I was ‘bout to ask you the same thing. Does your brother sleepwalk?“
