Chapter 6.2: Interaction
Such was Naomi’s plan, yet as she lunged forward, Julia suddenly dodged it swiftly. With such a sudden display of agility, Naomi was caught off guard.
Therefore, her nose hit the cold floor, bleeding profusely immediately, and her hair was scattered. In that scenario, embarrassment would be an understatement for her. Before the scene could escalate further, Naomi regained her footing with an air of defiance, her voice laced with a mixture of indignation and frustration. “You just wait! This isn’t over,” she snarled. She covered her face with her arm and bag as she stormed out of the store, her fingers dialing her phone in haste.
As the call connected, Naomi’s voice trembled with emotion. “Dad! Someone has humiliated me.”
“What audacity! Who dares lay a hand on my precious daughter?” Naomi’s father’s voice thundered through the receiver, a storm of protective rage.
“I’m in Vienna City, Dad. Please come here,” Naomi implored.
Within minutes, Naomi’s father arrived, only to find Julia had already vanished, leaving behind an empty trail.
Thus, Naomi’s dad could only promise, “Naomi, don’t worry, Dad will definitely find her for you! And when that time comes, slap her a hundred times to your heart’s content.”
“Thank you, Dad,” Naomi murmured, a blend of gratitude and sorrow tugging at her expression.
Meanwhile, at the Brook villa, as soon as Jared returned to the villa, he instinctively looked towards Julia’s room upstairs.
At this moment, Shiloh entered in a wheelchair, a smile playing on his lips as he greeted, “Brother, you came back in time. Let’s eat now. I’m already hungry.”
Jared took off his blazer and hung it on the hanger. He turned to the maid and instructed her, “Go and ask Julia to come down for dinner.”
But Shiloh had answered first before the maid did, saying, “She’s out.”
Jared turned his head back to his brother and asked, “She was? When did she go out?”
“She went out shortly after you left in the morning,” Shiloh answered.
Upon hearing Shiloh’s answer, Jared’s brow furrowed instantly. “It’s been quite a while. -Hasn’t she returned yet?”
“It would be best if she never returned,” Shiloh retorted sharply. As he glanced back at his brother, he found Jared’s attention had shifted from their conversation to the door, evidently awaiting his wife’s arrival.
This subtle shift didn’t escape Shiloh’s notice, stoking his irritation further. “Brother, why are you so infatuated with her? Is her appearance that irresistible?”
Jared turned his gaze back from the doorway, his expression a mix of exasperation and incredulity. He looked pointedly at Shiloh’s leg. “Do you take me for such a shallow individual? If she truly doesn’t return, no one can cure your leg.”
“Well, I don’t think she can cure it either,” said Shiloh, brows knitted.
Just then, Julia walked in with various bags, humming a cheerful song from outside, dispelling the tense atmosphere.
Observing Julia’s entrance, Shiloh couldn’t help but think she was determined to cling to his brother like a lifeline, unwilling to let go so quickly.
On the contrary, when Jared saw Julia’s arrival, he breathed a slight sigh of relief in his heart.
“Ah, perfect timing for dinner,” Julia chimed, quickly cleansing her hands before heading straight to the dining table.
“Yesterday, we agreed to go our separate ways. This meal is ours. Why would you join us?” Shiloh interposed, blocking Julia’s fork with his own.
Julia’s retort was swift and unapologetic. “Do you believe I’m treating your leg without cost?” She brushed Shiloh’s fork aside with her own.
Undeterred, Shiloh extended his fork once more to impede Julia’s progress. “Don’t forget, you made a promise about my legs. My brother assisted you with obtaining the marriage certificate. Dining with us is unrelated.”
As the verbal duel between the two escalated, Jared decided to step in.
“Let her eat. We have more than enough food.”
Jared’s words hung in the air, quelling the tension momentarily. Still, Shiloh’s dissatisfaction lingered beneath the surface. Despite his annoyance, he begrudgingly relinquished his stance, resuming his meal with a subdued air.
Meanwhile, Julia delicately set down her utensils, retrieved her phone from her bag, and directed her gaze toward Jared. With a warm smile, she inquired, “Would you mind if I added you on Facebook?”
Jared felt an unexpected surge of delight welling within him at her request.
“Oh, come on! You claimed you weren’t interested in seducing my brother, yet your true colors surface so quickly!” Shiloh jeered, his tone laced with disdain. He turned to his brother, a plea in his eyes. “Brother, don’t give her your number. This woman has been eyeing you with ill intentions from the very start.”
Before Shiloh could conclude his cautionary words, he witnessed Jared’s nimble fingers typing his number into Julia’s phone.7
With an air of casual assurance, Jared offered, “This is my personal Facebook account. Contact me only if it’s truly necessary.”
Shiloh was taken aback by his brother’s unexpected move. Jared was known for being selective, adding only close family and friends to his contacts. If it weren’t for Jared’s
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recent statement, Shiloh might have begun doubting the authenticity of his brother’s indifference toward Julia.
“Don’t worry, I won’t message you unless it’s important,” Julia assured, her fingers dancing over her phone’s screen.
In a matter of seconds, as Jared set his phone down on the table, a notification chimed in. When he checked what it was, he saw Julia had sent him a money transfer.
“For the meal,” Julia said, with a playful glint in her eyes.
