Chapter 2
591 Words
"Don't move," I coaxed him softly, the warm pads of my fingers brushing against his palm.
As if struck by an immobilizing spell, he suddenly froze.
Lowering my eyes, I calmly continued the acupuncture. To be honest, I preferred the way he looked when he was arrogant and unrestrained.
After the treatment, I prescribed him some herbal medicine. He immediately started complaining that it was too bitter and refused to drink it. With a subtle shift in my gaze, I deliberately added an extra bitter herb to his prescription. When it was time for him to take his medicine, I stood right beside him, supervising until the bowl was empty. The bitterness made him frown deeply, his jawline tense and sharp. I sat silently to the side, looking at him but seeing someone else entirely.
Once his migraines began to ease, Julian started visiting my holistic clinic frequently. Watching him stand there like a guardian statue, I finally couldn't help but ask, "Do you have a lot of free time lately, Mr. Blackwell?"
With a smirk playing on his lips, he crossed his arms and tilted his chin up. "The herbal scent in here clears my head," he replied.
That doesn't answer my question at all, I grumbled internally.
He made himself at home, grabbing a medical book from the table and flipping through it. However, his striking features and physique were so outstanding that I couldn't help stealing glances at him from the corner of my eye.
Catching my gaze, he raised an eyebrow and smiled. "If you want to look, just look. I don't charge."
I found him incredibly strange; his attitude towards me was inexplicably erratic, fluctuating between warm and cold. Shaking my head, I jabbed back, "Don't be so full of yourself."
He let out a deep, chest-rumbling laugh. His eyes shone so brightly that my heart skipped a beat.
That afternoon, a patient came in unexpectedly. While I was taking his pulse, he suddenly reached out and stroked the back of my hand. A wave of disgust washed over me. I frowned at him, but he ignored my warning look and pushed further. I felt nauseous. The scene felt terrifyingly familiar, like a vividly clear memory surfacing from my past.
I grabbed my pen, ready to stab his hand, but someone stopped me. A hand reached out and shoved away the filthy fingers touching me. Sudden tears pricked my eyes, fueled by an inexplicable feeling of being wronged. Looking up, unshed tears blurred my vision as my gaze locked onto Julian's face.
His expression was dark and menacing. He grabbed the harasser's hand and twisted it backward with such force that the veins on his pale arms bulged. A scream of pain shattered the quiet of the clinic. Dazed, I wiped my tears and caught Julian's arm. "Don't hurt him too badly," I pleaded.
Clenching his jaw, Julian took a few heavy breaths, his expression remaining cold and fierce. "Get lost, and don't ever let me see you again," he snarled.
Terrified out of his wits, the man scrambled away.
Julian turned to look at me, his face still flushed with unbridled anger. I stared at him, stunned. It was the first time anyone had ever been this furious on my behalf, standing up for me like this. Lowering my gaze, my fingers absentmindedly twisted the hem of my shirt into a wrinkled mess.
If I were honest with myself, I actually liked Julian a little bit—and it wasn't just because of his face.
- Writer
