Julian stood frozen for a moment, stunned. The very idea of someone—of her—pursuing him had never even crossed his mind. He had spent so much time questioning his own feelings, caught in quiet contemplation, wondering if what he felt for her was real or just another fleeting illusion.
But now, as he looked into her eyes, the hesitation dissolved like mist in the morning sun. Clarity settled in its place, and with it, a new resolve.
He exhaled, his gaze steady as he took a step closer. No more teasing. No more second-guessing.
“This time, I won’t joke around,” he said, his voice lower, firmer. “Sophia, I’ve come to like you—not all at once, not in some grand, overwhelming way, but little by little, with every moment I’ve spent getting to know you. And I want more. I need to know more.”
His fingers grazed her wrist before wrapping around it, his touch firm yet careful.
“But let’s be real,” he continued, his eyes unwavering. “You don’t stand alone. Behind you is an empire—one that could crush me if it wanted to. Maybe everything I’ve done in these past months is just a casual effort to you, nothing more than a small gesture in your world.”
He let the words hang between them for a beat before his lips quirked into a confident smirk, his grip on her wrist tightening slightly—not to hold her back, but to ground the moment.
“So how about this?” His voice dropped, laced with something deeper, something that carried weight. “Help me build an empire. You and me, side by side. If your family needs proof, we’ll give it to them. Not just words, not just promises—real power, real success.”
His thumb brushed against her skin, a silent vow in his touch.
“Let’s create something that no one—not even your family—can deny.”
It wasn’t just a plea. It was a declaration. A challenge.
And for the first time, Julian wasn’t waiting for fate to decide.
He was claiming his own future.
A rush of something unfamiliar bloomed in Sophia’s chest—light, fluttering, almost weightless. It was as if butterflies had taken flight inside her, as if the air itself shimmered with something unspoken. Not greed. Not ambition. Not ulterior motives disguised as affection.
Julian had voiced exactly what she had seen in his eyes.
He didn’t want her wealth. He wasn’t chasing her family’s power.
He was pursuing her. Sophia.
And for the first time in her life, someone wanted her—not the name she carried, not the empire behind her, just her.
Her breath hitched, and before she could steady herself, her knees buckled beneath her.
Julian moved fast, catching her before she could even stumble, his grip strong, instinctive. “Sophia—what happened?”
She blinked up at him, her heart hammering against her ribs. Then, slowly, a smile broke across her lips, wide and real, filled with something dangerously close to bliss.
“Nothing,” she murmured.
Before he could press further, she leaned in, pressing herself against his chest, burying herself in the solid warmth of him.
For once, she didn’t think.
She didn’t calculate, didn’t weigh the consequences, didn’t follow the carefully laid-out script she had spent years perfecting.
For the first time… her mind didn’t lead.
Her heart did.
A Place of Memory and New Beginnings
At Sophia’s usual spot in the garden, the evening air was laced with the soft scent of flowers, a quiet contrast to the world of power and ambition she was used to navigating. The dim lights lining the pathway flickered gently, casting a warm glow over the secluded space.
Julian leaned back against the bench, his gaze tracing the curve of the fountain nearby before settling on her. “I first saw you here,” he mused. “Why this place? Why do you always come back?”
Sophia’s fingers grazed the petals of a blooming flower beside her, her touch delicate, as if she were handling something fragile. Her smile was faint but held something deeper—something distant.
“This was where my father used to bring me,” she said softly. “When I was little, he’d take me out here and let me pick flowers. I remember how he’d pretend to know all their meanings, even though I knew he was just making things up to make me laugh.” She chuckled, the sound bittersweet.
Julian watched her closely, sensing the weight behind her words.
“But,” she continued, her voice quieter now, “he got busier as I grew up. It became easier for him to send gifts than to spend time with me. And I guess… as a way to test myself, I started forcing my mind to focus only on happy memories.” She exhaled, forcing a smile. “This garden was one of them.”
She paused, her fingers still resting against the flower. Then, almost as an afterthought, she added, “But now, I think I love this place even more.”
Her eyes met Julian’s, a hint of something unspoken lingering between them.
Julian’s expression remained unreadable for a moment, but there was a shift—something in the way his posture relaxed, the way his gaze softened just slightly.
After a beat of silence, Julian shifted the conversation. “I have the funds now, and I want to start something. You’ve always been surrounded by business—your family, the hotel, the empire you grew up in. If you were me, what would you pursue?”
Sophia raised a brow, surprised by his question. “You? Asking me for business advice?”
He smirked. “I’d be an idiot not to.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “Alright, let’s see… First, real estate. You already have connections because of the hotel expansion, and the market is strong. Invest in high-end commercial spaces or luxury residential properties—establish yourself in the field.”
Julian nodded, thoughtful. “That makes sense. And the second?”
“Agriculture,” she said without hesitation. “Not just farming—high-end organic food production. The demand is growing, and if done right, it’s a long-term investment with stability.”
Julian considered it, impressed. “I didn’t expect that one.”
She smirked. “That’s because you think too much like a businessman. I think about sustainability.”
He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “And the third?”
Sophia hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “Something that would put your name on the map—an exclusive luxury brand. A hospitality line, resorts, even a high-end private club. You have the presence for it, and people love exclusivity. Use that to your advantage.”
Julian leaned back, letting her words sink in. He had expected vague ideas, but this—this was a plan.
And it wasn’t just business.
It was her seeing a future for him.
“Not bad,” he murmured, watching her intently. “So, when do we make our first move?”
Sophia laughed. “You’re really taking my advice?”
Julian smirked. “I asked, didn’t I?”
She shook her head, amused. “Alright then. Let’s build something.”
And for the first time, it didn’t feel like ambition or strategy.
It felt like the beginning of something greater. Something theirs.