Chapter 117: Chapter 117: Rose
Vivian Lowell’s hand trembled the moment she heard Julian Faulkner’s voice.
She nearly dropped her phone, which clattered softly against the desk.
Julian Faulkner’s voice, laced with a hint of concern, came from the doorway again.
"Vivian Lowell, what’s wrong?"
"..."
Vivian Lowell tried to calm herself. At the same time, Eleanor Rhodes’s worried voice came through the phone. "Vivian, what’s wrong? Did you fall?"
Vivian picked up her phone and gave a small cough to cover her embarrassment. "No, it wasn’t that," she told Eleanor. "Tanya, Julian Faulkner is here to see me."
"I..."
Vivian was about to say she’d call Eleanor back later.
But Eleanor had already gotten the hint. She giggled and said, "Oh, so your husband’s there! Haha, in that case, I won’t get in the way of your quality time."
"Go for it, Vivian!"
’Go for it?’
’Go for what...?’
Vivian couldn’t help but grumble internally. Just then, she heard a soft knock at the door again.
"Vivian Lowell?"
He was still a bit worried about her.
Vivian didn’t hesitate any longer. Her mind buzzing with questions, she walked over and opened the door for Julian.
"I’m here."
The moment Vivian saw Julian, she took a small step back.
She didn’t know why.
In that instant, she saw the gentle expression on his face, but all she could think about was his high-profile announcement about their marriage online.
It really made her feel...
A little embarrassed.
"Mm."
Julian seemed perfectly calm. He must have noticed her conflicted and awkward state because he said, "About what happened online—I just wanted to help you."
"It wouldn’t have been good for you if public opinion kept turning against you like that."
"Besides, what the Lowell Family did was too much. Have you figured out how to handle it? I can have Vance Wyatt..."
Vivian nodded. She looked up, meeting his worried gaze, and smiled. "I have a way to handle it. Thank you, Julian."
"Mm."
Julian didn’t press the issue. Perhaps afraid she was overthinking things, he added, "Nothing has changed between us. It’s still the same as before."
’Still the same as before?’
’Does he mean our contract?’
Vivian nodded. "I know," she said. "Don’t worry, Julian. I don’t have any ulterior motives. This is all just a temporary arrangement."
"A temporary arrangement, you say?"
Julian murmured the words to himself before finally turning to leave.
Phew.
Vivian let out a sigh of relief as she watched him go.
To be honest.
She still wasn’t mentally prepared for her marriage to Julian to be made public so suddenly.
’At least... if we’re destined to get divorced, what’s the point of announcing it now? There’s no real benefit, is there?’
Vivian lowered her head, her thoughts turning back to the matter with the Lowell Family.
In any case, it was time.
Just as Vivian sat back down at her desk, ready to get back to work, there was another soft knock on the door.
Vivian looked up instinctively.
A flicker of anticipation sparked within her. She thought it might be Julian, returning because he had something else to say.
"It’s me."
But the voice belonged to the receptionist.
"..."
Vivian collected herself and said, "Come in."
As soon as she spoke.
The moment the receptionist pushed the door open, Vivian froze.
Before her was an entire sea of roses.
At some point, the outer office had been filled with roses and ribbons. The receptionist herself was holding an enormous bouquet.
It was so big that it completely blocked her face.
Vivian could see.
Her petite receptionist was struggling to hold such a massive bouquet.
As the scent of roses washed over her, Vivian hesitated before asking, "What’s the occasion? Why send me such a huge bouquet?"
"And what’s going on outside?"
The receptionist struggled toward Vivian’s desk. HUFF, PUFF. She set the bouquet down, caught her breath, and then broke into a radiant smile. "Boss, congratulations on getting married!"
"I’m so surprised! I always thought you and President Faulkner looked like a couple, but sometimes you two didn’t seem all that close!"
"I’ve been secretly shipping you two for so long, hoping you’d get together. I never imagined things would move this fast—you’re already married!"
"Oh my gosh, Boss, you’re my hero! You’re amazing! You even managed to land a man like President Faulkner!"
"..."
’Shipping me and Julian?’
Vivian blinked. But seeing the star-struck look on the receptionist’s face, she knew the girl wasn’t lying.
’Um...’
’Fine... so she ships me and Julian.’
’If the receptionist thinks that, does it mean Julian and I actually have good chemistry?’
’Sparks flying?’
Vivian fell silent. She couldn’t let her mind wander down that path any further, not with the receptionist looking at her so expectantly.
"Alright."
Vivian quickly changed the subject. Gesturing to the sea of roses, she asked, "Did you all do this?"
’It’s been less than an hour since Julian announced our relationship, right?’
’When did my company’s receptionist get so efficient?’
’She’s almost on par with Vance Wyatt.’
However.
The receptionist shook her head. "It wasn’t us. It was President Faulkner. Um... he said you like roses, Boss."
"Now that your relationship is public, I guess he did this to make you happy, right?"
"I think all girls like romance, don’t they?"
Vivian was speechless.
’All of this... was from Julian?’
’Everything he does really is impeccable.’
"I... see."
Vivian couldn’t quite put her finger on what she was feeling. Happiness, perhaps? Or... a little nervous?
She didn’t know how to respond.
"Huh?"
The receptionist seemed taken aback by Vivian’s surprisingly lukewarm reaction. Seeing that her boss didn’t look particularly pleased, she decided not to say anything more.
"Well... I’ll get back to work then, Boss?"
"Yes, go ahead."
Vivian nodded. Not wanting the receptionist to worry, she offered her a small smile.
The office fell silent.
Vivian returned to her computer and, after a moment’s hesitation, opened X.
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