"You’re seriously in love, bro," Azazel observed, noticing his brother’s sweet smile as he gazed at Julie.
Roman’s brow rose slightly. "Excuse ?"
Azazel’s eyes sparkled with amusent. "The way you look at her says it all, bro."
Roman’s expression turned quizzical. "Shows what?"
"You weren’t even listening," Azazel chuckled. "Your mind’s elsewhere, haha."
Roman’s brow furrowed further, prompting Azazel to add, "You’re really in love with your wife."
Roman’s response was abrupt. "I’ll be upstairs. Co with ." He walked up without looking back.
Azazel followed, puzzled. "What’s wrong with him?" he wondered aloud.
To himself, he thought, "It’s surreal – my brother’s married and in love. I’m happy for you, bro."
As they reached Roman’s study, Roman asked, "How’s the underworld?" Azazel’s curiosity got the better of him.
"Everything’s fine, but what about the three your n threw into the dungeon?"
Roman leaned back in his chair. "They did sothing unforgivable. They’ll rot there." Azazel grinned.
"The underworld’s thriving with at the helm."
Roman’s expression remained neutral. "Any threats to the city?"
Roman and Azazel had inherited a significant legacy from their parents, which they managed with care.
Their mother, Queen Magdalena Suwares, was the underworld’s ruler, and Azazel now led in her stead.
Nelson Thompson was a renowned businessman and owner of R&J Corporation, which Roman inherited from his father.
Over the past two years, Roman’s relentless work ethic had catapulted the company’s inco, propelling him to the top.
However, this success ca with a price: nurous enemies eyed him, and so even sought to claim his life.
As the eldest son, Roman was expected to carry on the family business and secure the next generation.
Yet, he had long resisted marriage due to his aversion to won.
"No, brother, everything’s fine. No one’s causing trouble – yet. But the silence before the explosion is deafening,"
Azazel said with a knowing smile, sparking a charged glance between the brothers.
As dinner ti arrived, Azazel and Roman headed to the dining room, greeted by the tantalizing aromas of the dishes.
"My mouth’s already salivating," Azazel exclaid, quickly taking his seat.
"You’ve already arrived – co, eat!" Julie said with a warm smile, placing the final dish on the table and sitting beside Azazel.
"Wow, the food is exquisite!" Azazel complinted, making Julie glow with pride.
anwhile, Roman sampled the food, his raised brow a silent testant to its quality.
’ Hmm, satisfying,’ he thought, continuing to eat without comnt.
"Bro, how did you find it?" Azazel asked, expecting a sweet complint to his sisters cooking.
Instead, Roman’s response was delayed.
After swallowing his food, Roman replied, "Terrible," without looking up from his plate.
Julie’s shoulders drooped in disappointnt, and she slowly picked up her chopsticks with a sad expression.
Azazel watched her and felt a pang of sympathy.
"Sister, don’t mind him. Maybe he’s upset about sothing, or perhaps he just lacks taste," Azazel said, trying to lighten the mood.
Though this is his first ti seeing her and he already taken a liking toward her as his brothers wife.
Julie nodded silently, her eyes fixed on her food.
Earlier, in the kitchen, Julie had insisted on cooking for Roman herself.
Julie washed carrots and veggies, her hands moving efficiently.
Carla and Rose, the maids, stood nearby, their eyes fixed on Julie’s determined face.
"Ma’am, since we’re here, why not you go and sit down? We’ll carry on from here and cook the food," Carla suggested, trying to lighten Julie’s workload.
Julie didn’t stop, her focus solely on preparing the al.
"Ma’am, please leave it. What will Master say if he sees what you’re doing? He may get things wrong, thinking we’re letting you do all the work," Rose said, her brow furrowed with concern.
Carla’s eyes sparkled with realization.
"Wait, Ma’am, are you cooking the dishes for Master? That’s why you don’t want us in," she guessed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Julie’s lips tucked to the side, and she smiled slightly. "Yes, kind of," she admitted, her voice soft.
The maids exchanged knowing glances.
They’d seen Julie’s dedication, her love for cooking, and her desire to please Roman.
Little did they know, Julie’s efforts would go unappreciated.
As Julie continued cooking, her heart poured into every dish, every garnish.
She envisioned Roman’s smile, his gratitude, and his warmth.
But reality would prove harshly different.
In reality, Julie had poured her heart into cooking the al for Roman, only to have it dismissed without acknowledgnt.
’Why bother cooking?’Julie thought, feeling frustrated.
She had poured her heart into preparing the al, only to have Roman dismiss it as ’terrible.’
As she ate, she suddenly choked on her food, " Cuff,cuff,"coughing violently.
Azazel quickly poured water into a glass and handed it to her. "Drink slowly," he urged.
Julie’s eyes t the hand holding the glass, hoping it was Roman’s.
Instead, she saw Azazel’s concerned face.
Roman didn’t even glance up, continuing to eat as if nothing had happened.
"Are you alright, sis?" Azazel asked, patting her back.
"Ahm, yeah, I’m fine," Julie replied, her voice clearing.
She glanced at Roman, but he seed oblivious, his expression neutral.
Azazel frowned slightly, wondering what was wrong with his brother.
Julie’s thoughts turned inward: "What did I expect? This is a contractual marriage, not a real one. I’m not his priority."
She reminded herself to keep expectations low, to not let her feelings get hurt again.
As she composed herself, Julie couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
She had cooked dinner with love, hoping to connect with Roman, to show him she cared.
But his response had been dismissive, hurtful.
The dining table was silent until Azazel finally broke the uncomfortable silence.
"I will head back now," he said, standing up.
Before walking away, he added, "Sis, the food is really worth ntioning – thank you so much, I really enjoyed it."
Azazel’s smile was genuine.
"Thank you," Julie replied, her expression softening slightly.
"Bro, I’ll leave," Azazel said, looking at Roman, who still hadn’t raised his head from his plate.
Azazel smiled wryly, thinking to himself, ’ ’ ’ ’What a pretender – you said the food was terrible, yet here you are, still eating.’
Roman slowly put down his chopsticks. "My greetings to Grandma," he said, his voice neutral.
Azazel nodded, knowing his brother’s words were a dismissal.
"Will do, bro. Take care, sis," he said, turning to Julie.
As Azazel left, the silence between Roman and Julie grew thicker.
Julie’s eyes drifted to Roman, who continued eating, his expression unreadable.
The tension was palpable, and Julie felt like she was walking on eggshells.
She wondered what she had done wrong, what she could do to bridge the gap between them.
After finishing his al, Roman pushed his plate away and stood up.
"I’ll be in my study," he said curtly, without looking at Julie.
Julie nodded, though he didn’t see her.
"Okay," she replied softly, feeling a pang of sadness.
As Roman walked away, Julie couldn’t help but think about their marriage, about the emptiness she felt.
She wondered if things would ever change, if they would ever find common ground.
The silence that followed Roman’s departure was deafening.
Julie sat alone, lost in her thoughts.
Julie’s mind replayed the contrast between Roman’s pre-marriage kindness and his current indifference.
She rembered how he treated her and how he care about he sotis show care towards her now why the sudden coldness.
Now, it all seed like a distant mory.
The sudden change hurt, leaving Julie feeling confused and rejected.
She wondered if she’d misread the signs, if his earlier behavior was just a facade to secure their arrangent.
The disparity between then and now stung, making Julie question her own perceptions and feelings.
Had she been blinded by how he shows her care or had Roman truly changed?
anwhile Roman’s thoughts drifted to Julie as he sat in his study.
He couldn’t understand why she bothered cooking for him, knowing he wouldn’t appreciate it.
Though she didn’t say it but he noticed the disappointnt on her face and that all he need to know that she is the one who make the dishes.
Their arrangent was practical, a ans to an end.
Yet, Julie’s efforts touched sothing within him, sothing he didn’t want to acknowledge.
Roman’s past experiences had hardened him, making him wary of emotional attachnts.
His marriage to Julie was a strategic move, securing alliances and power.
But Julie’s kindness and genuine attempts to connect with him stirred feelings he’d long suppressed.
He knows definitely what his brother says, and that deeply played it self in his mind ’you are smitten bro,’
After sitting in the garden for so ti to breath so fresh air Julie walked back to the room, her feet heavy with unspoken emotions.
Sadness show on her face, but she tried to mask it, forcing a neutral expression.
Her reasons to sit in the garden is all to breath out the Sadness, but in seems it didn’t work on single bit.
As she entered the room, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.
For a fleeting mont, her guard dropped, and the hurt showed.
She quickly composed herself, taking a deep breath.
" Why I’m feeling pain over this while in the first place there was no love," Julie said to herself oblivious to the person in the changing room.
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