Lipstick and Hidden Fangs
Clinging to Julian D’Aurelius’s arm, Bianca De Dominicis happily leaned against him and enjoyed the movent of the car as it rolled through Woodland’s sunlit streets.
The city glimred after rain.
Light slid across towers of glass.
The streets still held puddles bright as silver mirrors.
Inside the backseat, however, the atmosphere felt softer.
Closer.
Stillness followed.
Even Julian found himself enjoying the warmth pressing against his arm, the softness of Bianca’s body against him.
What man didn’t enjoy being embraced by a beautiful woman?
He was still pretending to look out the window, as if scenery held his full attention.
It did not.
Bianca lifted her chin, red eyes gleaming.
"I heard Woodland has the most beautiful camp nights outside the city," she said almost casually. "Moonlit lakes. Fireflies. Pine forests."
She leaned in.
"Can we go there after the eting?"
Julian turned, mildly skeptical.
"A camp night?"
"With ."
"That sounds suspicious already."
Bianca laughed.
"I’ll even let you roast marshmallows."
Julian smiled despite himself.
Then he said quietly,
"I’d love to stay... but I have to go back quickly. I have urgent work in Valemont. Maybe next ti."
Bianca’s playful expression dimd for half a breath.
"Maybe next ti..." she repeated.
Julian noticed.
And gave her hand a small squeeze.
"Don’t look at like I abandoned you on our honeymoon."
That made her smile again.
Julian chuckled bitterly.
He was still keeping an eye on the auction here.
And he was determined to seize this opportunity.
The Tyrant System’s little sches were bound to fail if he relied on it.
He would carve this victory himself.
Bianca suddenly tilted her head.
"Alright then."
She pointed delicately to her cheek.
"Give a kiss as compensation."
Julian stared.
"Compensation?"
"For emotional damages."
She looked perfectly serious.
Dangerously serious.
Bianca pointed again to her cheek with a playful smile.
Julian looked at her face, coughed awkwardly, and hesitated.
This female rogue... up to her tricks again.
"You’re extorting ."
"I call it negotiation."
"Hurry up, or you’ll be breaking the law, you know?"
She patted Julian’s leg to urge him.
Julian blinked.
"Breaking what law?"
Bianca looked offended.
"Going against a woman’s wishes. Isn’t that illegal?"
He stared.
Then both burst into laughter in the car.
Even the driver’s mouth twitched.
Julian finally leaned closer.
But just as he did—
Bianca moved faster.
Laughing, Bianca suddenly wrapped her arms around Julian’s neck and planted a kiss on his cheek.
Soft.
Quick.
Warm.
And absolutely deliberate.
Leaving a lipstick mark on Julian, Bianca giggled.
"No wiping it off."
Julian touched his cheek.
Traitorous crimson.
"How can I et people if I don’t wipe it off?"
He looked scandalized.
Bianca shrugged.
"Let them know you’re claid."
Julian chuckled bitterly and started wiping it off with his hand.
She slapped his wrist away.
"No."
The driver in front glanced through the rearview mirror.
A pang of jealousy stabbed his chest.
Sigh.
I was handso when I was young too.
How co I never had such a beautiful woman throw herself at ?
He muttered under his breath.
"Life is unfair."
Julian heard him.
"Driver, focus on road tragedy, not emotional tragedy."
Even Bianca laughed harder.
The car slowed.
Starlight Tower ca into view.
Its gold-and-black facade glead like polished armor.
And waiting at the entrance—
was Thalia.
When the car arrived at the hotel, Thalia was already waiting at the entrance.
Bianca’s smile beca businesslike.
Julian’s beca strained.
Seeing such a large mass of flesh from afar, Julian cursed inwardly.
[Damn, this is a thousand-pound lady, she’s astonishingly breathtaking.]
Bianca nearly bit her lip bloody trying not to laugh.
[I rember she has three thousand boy toys... sigh, this freeloading isn’t easy.]
Her shoulders trembled.
[With her size, she likes to play with steel wool, being her boy toy for a million a month is well-deserved.]
Bianca looked down fast before she exploded.
Listening to Julian’s inner complaints, she tried hard not to laugh aloud.
They stepped out.
The air outside was warm.
Perfud.
Dangerously expensive.
Thalia waddled forward with alarming enthusiasm.
"President Bianca, it’s been a long journey, and this is?"
She extended her hand.
Her beady little eyes were darting all over Julian as though she possessed X-ray vision.
Julian felt his skin crawl.
She even swallowed a little.
This handso guy was way more attractive than Lucas.
Bianca noticed.
And instantly felt territorial fire rise.
"This is my boyfriend Julian D’Aurelius," Bianca said coolly.
"Also head of the D’Aurelius Group. He holds forty-five percent of our e-comrce platform."
She emphasized boyfriend.
Twice in tone if not in word.
Noticing Thalia’s gaze, Bianca felt a surge of anger.
This woman... her failing company was asking for trouble.
"Oh..." Thalia purred.
"So it’s the young master of the D’Aurelius family from Valemont. I’ve always heard he was handso, and seeing is believing."
She extended her hand toward Julian.
With intent.
Too much intent.
Julian did not take it.
He awkwardly smiled.
"Sorry, President Thalia, I just went to the bathroom and didn’t wash my hands. Shaking hands would be disrespectful to you."
Silence.
Wind moved.
Bianca almost died.
Because that was sohow even ruder.
A trace of resentnt flashed in Thalia’s eyes.
Using that as an excuse?
Was he looking down on her?
She hated it when n looked down on her.
She smiled.
But it had teeth now.
"So cautious, Young Master Julian."
Julian smiled back.
"Very hygienic."
Inside, he scread.
(Please don’t touch .)
Thalia’s thoughts turned darker.
If any of her boy toys gave her the wrong look, she taught them lessons with a rich lady’s happy ball.
And if so n weren’t her toys—
she found ways to make them submit anyway.
Her eyes lingered on Julian.
Possessive.
Calculating.
Even if so n weren’t her boy toys, if they dared look at her like that—
She would find a way to make them submit to her.
Julian had beco her target.
This man...
she was determined to have him today.
She suddenly stepped closer.
Very close.
Too close.
Julian instinctively leaned back half a step.
Bianca noticed.
And almost smiled.
Good.
At least he recoiled from other won.
Thalia said sweetly,
"Co. Let us discuss business upstairs."
Julian looked at Bianca.
Bianca looked at him.
Both smiling.
Both ard.
And neither trusted what waited beyond those golden doors.
As they entered Starlight Tower, Julian’s instincts whispered.
Trap.
Ga board.
Enemy nearby.
And from a hidden suite above—
Lucas was watching.
Smiling.
Waiting.
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