Roman and Julienne's heart desire
Chapter 82: His Favorite Color Is Her Blush

Chapter 82: His Favorite Color Is Her Blush

The stock is dropping again," Lewis said, worry tightening his throat as he stared at the screen.

"What?" Cassandra spun around from the mirror, eyes narrowing.

Lewis didn’t answer immediately. His jaw clenched as he looked at his phone, and then it buzzed violently in his hand. A call. His eyes widened when he saw the name.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath, then swiped to answer.

"Mr. Jenkins, what are we seeing? The stocks are dropping again. Didn’t this just happen last month?" The shareholder’s voice blared out—tight, furious, and quivering with panic.

Lewis shut his eyes for a second. "Yes... I saw it."

"That’s all you have to say?" the man snapped. "You saw it? Mr. Lewis, this is our money you’re playing with!"

Lewis inhaled sharply through his nose to stop himself from barking back. His head was pounding already. "Yes, and I’m going to come up with a solution. Don’t worry."

"Don’t worry?" the man hissed. "I hope that solution comes before the company goes under." Then the line went dead.

Another call came in instantly. Lewis groaned, barely keeping himself from flinging the phone across the room.

"I’ll have to go now," he murmured, almost to himself. He answered the second call, dragging his palm down his face. "Hello—"

"Lewis!" The voice on the other end roared so loudly that he flinched and yanked the phone away from his ear.

"The hell is going on? The stock is dropping again and again! Did you even see how much it dropped in just ten minutes?! If this continues till the end of the week, we’ll be destroyed!"

"Mr. Carrol... I know," Lewis said through gritted teeth.

He held the phone with both hands now, as if trying to keep the pressure from leaking out of his body.

"We’re going to find a solution—soon. Please—just give me some time."

"You better, Lewis. You better fix this mess before it gets worse," Mr. Carrol snapped and hung up without letting Lewis say another word.

Lewis dropped the phone on the table with a thud and sank back into the couch, his head falling against the backrest as if gravity had finally won.

He didn’t move for a second. His breathing was shallow, his chest rising and falling like someone who’d just run a mile.

Cassandra rushed to him, no longer posing in front of her mirror.

Her robe fluttered slightly as she hurried, but he was already slumped by the time she got to his side.

"Oh my God, Lewis! Are you alright?" she asked, voice laced with worry.

"I’m fine, Cassandra. Don’t panic," Lewis replied, waving a limp hand. "It’s just... it’s too much. It’s weighing on me."

His eyes remained on the ceiling as though he was searching for answers up there.

Cassandra frowned and knelt down beside him. Her expression hardened. "What now? What are we going to do?"

Lewis didn’t answer immediately. He sat up, slowly, like an old man, then leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

"It all started... since that girl met that CEO. Everything changed," he muttered, his voice low but firm.

"I’m telling you, Cassandra, I’m sure it’s him. Who else would keep coming at us like this?"

"Yes! Yes, it’s that man," Cassandra hissed, venom dripping from her tone.

"But why would he do this unless that little witch asked him to? Why would a man like that even look our way?"

Lewis glanced sideways at her. Her eyes were burning with hatred now.

"If she’s involved in this," Cassandra continued, standing up and pacing, "then it won’t stop. It’ll only get worse."

Lewis rubbed his forehead. "But if she was involved... wouldn’t it have continued last month? The stock stabilized after a while."

"Maybe they stopped to give us false hope," Cassandra said, still pacing like a lioness in a cage.

"Maybe they wanted to see how we’d react."

Lewis sighed. "I’ll make sure I stand alone. I won’t depend on anyone. If this company is going down, it won’t be while I’m still alive."

He stood slowly, his shoulders drooped, then looked at her.

"But I don’t know where to even start," he whispered.

Upstairs, the master bedroom was quiet—almost too quiet.

Roman gently opened the door and stepped inside, expecting to see Julie sitting on the bed or by the window. But the room was empty.

"Julie," he called softly, his voice laced with warmth.

He moved closer to the bathroom and tapped lightly on the door.

"Ehm," came her soft voice from inside, a muffled sound that brought a faint smile to his lips.

"I’ll wait, sweetheart," Roman said, backing away gently. He walked over to the couch and sat down, stretching out his legs a little.

The clock ticked quietly in the background.

His fingers interlaced over his stomach as he tilted his head back and exhaled slowly.

The calm in the room was a stark contrast to the chaos erupting outside.

The door creaked.

Julie stepped out, her bathrobe clinging to her softly, damp hair falling across one shoulder.

Roman looked up.

She froze.

Her eyes flicked to him, then away.

Her fingers clenched the robe tighter around her collarbone.

"Y-You’re still here?" her voice came out quieter than usual, barely a whisper.

Roman stayed seated, elbows resting on his thighs, eyes calmly watching her.

"I live here," he said.

Julie didn’t reply. Her gaze dropped to the floor.

Her cheeks, already warm from the bath, turned a deeper pink. A soft red bloomed across her face, creeping toward her ears.

"I thought you’d... wait outside," she muttered, still not looking at him.

"I thought I was waiting respectfully," Roman said, one corner of his mouth lifting.

Julie’s hands fidgeted with the robe’s sash. "You’re staring."

"You’re blushing."

"I’m not," she said, turning her back quickly.

"You are," he said, a short laugh escaping him. "It’s my favorite color on you."

Julie pressed one palm to her cheek, trying to cool it.

"Roman, stop looking."

"I’m not doing anything."

"You’re doing everything."

He leaned back on the couch, grinning. "Should I close my eyes?"

Julie turned sharply toward the dressing room. "No. I’ll be gone before you open them."

And just like that, she rushed inside, the robe swishing behind her, the door shutting in a soft but hasty click.

Roman chuckled under his breath.

"Pink cheeks, soft stammers, won’t hold eye contact... adorable," he murmured to himself as he stood up.

Without another word, he walked to the bathroom, already pulling his shirt off.

"I’ll be quick," he called.

No response.

Inside the dressing room, Julie stood in front of the mirror, fanning her face with both hands.

"Why is my heart like this?" she whispered.

She opened a drawer, grabbed her pyjamas—the soft pale pink one—and slipped into it. The fabric felt cool against her still-warm skin.

Her cheeks still held a faint red as she brushed through her hair. She stared at her reflection.

"Why can’t I be normal around him?"

She stepped out minutes later, now composed, and climbed into the bed quietly.

Pulling the blanket up to her chest, she curled to the side, her back facing the room.

Ten minutes passed.

The bathroom door opened.

Roman stepped out, towel in hand, hair damp. He spotted her instantly.

"Already in bed?" he said, voice lower now.

No answer.

He dropped the towel on the chair and moved around the bed.

"Sleeping beauty," he teased, gently tugging the blanket down from her shoulder.

Julie peeked at him through half-closed eyes.

"I wasn’t sleeping," she murmured. _{freew\ebno\vel..(c)om}

Roman slid in beside her, his arm reaching under her head, the other wrapping around her waist as he pulled her into his chest.

Her body tensed slightly, but then relaxed with a breath.

"You’re still warm," he whispered into her hair.

Julie’s fingers curled gently against Roman’s chest. Her voice came out small.

"...Can I ask something?"

Roman raised one brow slightly. "Since when do you need permission?"

She paused. "If we didn’t meet the way we did... would you have still fallen for me?"

Roman didn’t even blink. "Yes."

Julie blinked up at him. "You answered too fast."

"I didn’t need to think about it."

"You’re not even pretending to consider."

Roman’s fingers brushed her arm. "Because the answer wouldn’t change. I would’ve fallen anyway. Anywhere. Any version of you."

Julie turned her face halfway into his chest. "That’s too sweet. I don’t trust it."

He smirked. "You think I’m lying?"

"I think you’re dangerous when you talk like this."

"I think you’re even more dangerous when you look away with that little pink on your cheeks."

Julie’s hand shot up to cover her face. "It’s the blanket! It’s warm!"

Roman laughed under his breath, shaking his head. "Alright, t

hen tell me this—what would you have noticed first about me?"

Hearing his question Julie’s eyes widen under her palms as she remember the first time she open her eyes and saw him.

But deeply inside her heart she knows the first thing that take her attention is the day she saw him half naked.

His muscles where really something that make gulped her own saliva.

Slowly taking her hand from her face jukie said " Your build up body," she whispered.

Roman burst in laughter " hahaha,"

"Julie seriously look at this thing that is so shy but inwardly ~~," Roman crawled as he winked at her and Julie was quick to look down not daring to look at him in the eye.

Julie exhaled, deeply.

And Roman’s hand that is already circled around her waist pulled her in tighter.

"Sleepy?" He asked.

"Sort of... but I don’t want to close my eyes yet."

"Why?"

"Because it’s quiet. You’re here. I feel safe."

Roman learn in closer and his lips landed on her forehead.

"Then stay in it."

"I am."

The room went silent until Julie speak.

"Did you ever have a crush before me?"

"One."

"Who?"

"Julienne Wilson. She had a habit of wearing her sadness like armor." Roman said with a small smile.

Julie hid her smile.

"Shut up."

"I’m serious."

"You’re dramatic."

"You’re being loved."

A beat.

"I know."

He kissed her brow.

"Now sleep."

"Only if you don’t let go." Julie said

And Roman was happy to reply with "Never."