Meanwhile, after receiving Valerie’s response, Julian stopped by his old place and then rode back on his motorcycle. He had bought it recently after much consideration, and it had hurt his bank account more than he liked to admit. As he passed the M&Y Group building, he noticed employees leaving for the day while Valerie was still working.
Back at the apartment, less than a five minute drive from the office, Julian stood in the kitchen, wondering what to make.
After making a feast and leaving the dishes in the kitchen, he settled into the living room and turned on the TV.
The sound of the door unlocking reached him, and he rose from the couch.
With a playful tone, he said, "Welcome back, wife."
Valerie froze mid-motion as she took off her blazer. She looked up at him and said, “No. Just… no.”
Julian stepped closer and gently took her purse and blazer from her. “I think ‘baby’ doesn’t sound that special. So, Vivi, Riri, Val?”
“Just call me Valerie,” she replied firmly.
“No. You’re my wife now. We are supposed to have a special bond, and nicknames help people grow closer. If I just call you Valerie all the time, it sounds as if I'm like everyone else. What about you call me Lian?”
Valerie stepped back, shaking her head. “Okay, Julian. Val is enough. Don’t come up with something more.”
Seeing her walk up the stairs, Julian called after her, “I’ll set up the table.”
“Mmm,” she murmured in response.
Sitting down at the table, Valerie took in the feast before her. Then her gaze moved to Julian sitting beside her. Eyes full of judgment.
“It’s the day of our marriage,” Julian said quickly, as if reading her thoughts. “We should celebrate.”
As they began to eat, Valerie brought up an important topic. “My grandmother still doesn’t know about this. We’ll be going to the family dinner at the end of the month. We need to convince her that we’re deeply in love. I’m not very comfortable with physical touch, so we’ll have to work on that over the next two weeks, so we look like the perfect couple of her dreams.”
“I have no problem, Mrs. Miller—” Julian said confidently. “I mean our grandmother is going to believe it. She seemed very easygoing when I met her. I’m sure we’ll get along . By the way, how do you want to work on your discomfort?”
He reached out, gently covering Valerie’s hand with his on the table. Seeing that she didn’t pull away, he held it in his.
“What about the rings?” he asked. “Should we look at some designs to decide?”
“Lukas will buy a suitable pair. By the way, send him all your measurements so that when we have to go to events in the future, he can contact the designer in advance for the outfits.”
Julian gently rubbed her ring finger and replied with less enthusiasm than before. “Oh. Okay. You have work tomorrow. Go to sleep early. I’ll take care of the dishes.”
Valerie noticed the change in him but did not understand what caused it. “The housekeeper comes every morning. Don’t bother. I still have some work to finish. Good night.”
She turned and entered her office near the entrance.
At 6:30 the next morning, Julian quietly changed into sportswear and headed downstairs.
Valerie had worked late the night before. He vaguely remembered hearing the door of the room next to his open while he was half asleep.
He passed through the kitchen, finished the pre-workout meal he had prepared the night before, then filled his reusable bottle with water.
The apartment had a room converted into a decent workout space, so he did not have to go all the way down to the building’s gym. As he pushed the door open and set a timer on his phone, he heard movement inside.
Looking up, he saw Valerie who was supposed to be asleep. She was on the exercise bike, sitting upright and pedaling slowly, headphones on, completely unaware of him.
He did not disturb her. He moved to the treadmill instead and, from time to time, stole glances at her. After finishing his run, he headed to the small fridge in the corner and took out a water bottle.
When Valerie stepped off the bike, breathing heavily, she reached up to remove her headphones. She stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass window, staring out at the greenery beyond it.
Julian approached and was about to tap her on the shoulder. She reacted instantly, grabbing his hand and swinging her elbow. It stopped a split second away from nearly breaking his nose.
When she recognized him, she let go at once.
“Sorry,” she said. “I forgot you live here.”
Julian brushed it off, his gaze lingering on her high ponytail and clothes so different from her usual domineering business look. “My mistake. I surprised you.” He held out the bottle. “I brought you water. Or do you not drink it cold like I do? I can get you a glass from the kitchen.”
She took the bottle from him and drank a few sips. “This works.”
Then she added, “I won’t bother your workout. I usually leave at eight.”
When she reached the door, she paused. “Do you want coffee? I can make one for you too. I’m making drip coffee. Breakfast should already be on the table.”
Julian nodded, a bright smile spreading across his face. “Yes, thank you. I won’t take much time.”
Later that day, while messaging the personal assistant with his measurements, Julian asked if he would be the one choosing the rings.
The reply came quickly.
“Yes. I’ll make sure to choose a suitable pair. If Mr. Gill has any suggestions, you can let me know.”
Julian typed back, asking if he could share photos of the designs and whether Valerie had a preferred style.
“Ms. Valerie usually prefers minimal pieces that still feel special,” Lukas replied. “She is not particularly fond of diamonds. Gold is her go-to.”
“Please share some of Valerie’s favorite jewelry. You can go ahead and order what you think she’ll like. Mine should be simple as well.”
That evening, Julian went for a drive around the city before heading to the mall. The money had been wired to his account the day before, and it was time to spend some of it. He needed to buy necessities and one very important thing.
After spending a long time choosing a meeting gift for Mrs. Miller for the family reunion, he entered a store he rarely shopped at due to the high prices. He picked out a few shirts and a pair of leather shoes. When he reached the tie section, he found himself stuck.
Eventually, he selected a few ties he liked, tried them on, took selfies, and sent them to Valerie with a message:
Which one is best to wear when meeting Grandma?
This time, Valerie was not in a meeting. She was resting in her private room connected to her office, eyes closed, leaning back on the couch. Her brows were furrowed, and she covered her eyes with the back of her hand, even in the dim light.
Her phone suddenly lit up, the notification sound breaking the silence. She opened the photos, her lips curving subtly as she looked at his poses. After a moment, she sent a voice message in response.