Married to Julian Grey

Chapter 13

Adrian and I were shown to a smaller table a short distance away while Julian remained at the private table with Ivanka.

I told myself it was better this way.

It was a business lunch, after all.

Whatever relationship existed between Julian and Ivanka was none of my concern.

A waiter placed a menu in front of each of us.

Out of habit, I opened it.

My eyes fell on the prices.

For a moment, I thought I had read them incorrectly.

I looked again.

No.

I hadn't.

My heart skipped.

One meal...

Just one...

Cost more than I used to spend on groceries for weeks.

Without thinking, I looked across the room at Julian and Ivanka.

Did people actually have lunch like this every day?

"Miss Vale?"

Adrian's voice pulled me back.

I looked up.

"Is something wrong?"

I hesitated before lowering my voice.

"I... I wasn't expecting the prices."

Understanding flickered across his face.

He smiled faintly.

"Lunch is on the company."

I blinked.

"The company?"

He nodded.

"Business meals are covered by Aurelius Group."

I still looked at the menu.

"But..."

"It's already been taken care of."

I looked at him uncertainly.

"You don't have to worry about it."

For another moment, I stared at the menu before finally closing it.

Working at Headquarters really was different.

Back in Calden City, I would have spent time calculating what I could afford before deciding what to order.

Here...

Someone else had already paid for lunch before I had even walked through the door.

Adrian handed both menus back to the waiter.

"We're ready."

He placed the order with practiced ease while I sat quietly, still trying to convince myself that a lunch this expensive could really be considered an ordinary business expense.

My attention drifted back toward Julian's table.

Ivanka was laughing at something he had said.

And then I noticed something I had not expected.

Julian Grey was laughing too.

Not the polite smile I had seen him give during meetings.

Not the small expression of approval that appeared whenever someone completed a task correctly.

This was different.

It was natural.

Relaxed.

The warm glow from the chandeliers softened the sharpness of his features, making him look less like the untouchable CEO everyone feared and more like an ordinary man enjoying the company of someone he trusted.

For a moment, I simply watched him.

That surprised me.

I had noticed before that Julian was attractive. Anyone with eyes would notice. His dark hair, sharp features, and calm confidence made him impossible to ignore.

But this was not just about his appearance.

It was the way he looked with Ivanka.

Comfortable.

Familiar.

Like he didn't need to measure every word or control every expression.

Something strange tightened inside me.

I immediately looked away.

Why did that bother me?

The question annoyed me because I didn't know the answer.

Ivanka was clearly important to him. They had known each other for years. They moved around each other with an ease that suggested a history I could not understand.

I had no reason to care.

Julian Grey was my employer.

My CEO.

Nothing more.

Yet seeing him laugh with another woman created a strange discomfort I had never experienced before.

It wasn't anger.

It wasn't sadness.

At least, I didn't think it was.

It was simply an unfamiliar feeling that made no sense.

Why was I sitting here noticing the way Julian Grey smiled?

Why did I care who made him laugh?

I frowned at my own thoughts.

This was ridiculous.

I had only known him for a few days.

He was simply my employer.

That was all.

I forced myself to look away and return my attention to my meal.

But a few minutes later, before I could stop myself...

My eyes drifted back again

When I looked across the room again, Ivanka was leaning toward Julian.

Without warning, she wrapped her arms around him in a brief hug.

Julian didn't pull away.

Instead...

He smiled.

Not the polite smile I had seen him give everyone else.

A genuine one.

I immediately looked away.

Well...

That answered that.

If they weren't dating, they certainly behaved like they were.

I returned my attention to the table, pretending to focus on the conversation in front of me.

A few minutes later, our meals arrived.

As I reached for my glass, I became aware of someone watching me.

I looked across the room.

Ivanka.

The moment our eyes met, she smiled.

Not politely.

Warmly.

Almost...

Affectionately.

I quickly looked away.

Strange...

Why does she keep looking at me?

A few moments later, I noticed Ivanka say something quietly to Julian before turning toward Adrian.

She raised her hand slightly.

Adrian immediately excused himself.

"If you'll excuse me."

"Of course."

I watched him cross the restaurant.

Ivanka spoke to him for less than a minute.

She smiled throughout the conversation, but what caught my attention was Adrian's reaction.

He was always respectful.

But around Ivanka...

He seemed even more formal.

A short while later, he returned.

"Miss Vale."

"Yes?"

"Ms. Jules has invited us to join them."

My eyes widened.

"What?"

"She would like us to have lunch together."

I glanced toward their table.

Ivanka smiled and gave me a small wave.

"I don't think that's necessary."

"It would be impolite to refuse."

"I don't want to interrupt."

"You won't."

Before I could protest again, Adrian signaled a waiter.

Within moments, staff members carefully transferred our meals to Julian and Ivanka's table.

I had no choice but to follow.

As we approached, Ivanka stood with a warm smile.

"I'm glad you agreed."

I smiled politely.

"Thank you for inviting us."

"It was my pleasure."

Adrian pulled out a chair for me, and I sat down beside him.

The conversation began easily.

Ivanka was exactly what people described her to be.

Elegant.

Confident.

Charming.

The famous fashion designer who had built an empire of her own.

Yet somehow, despite her reputation, she was surprisingly easy to talk to.

Every now and then, however, I noticed her attention returning to me.

Not in a rude way.

Not with suspicion.

Almost as though she was trying to understand me.

Eventually, she turned toward me.

"So, Elena..."

"Yes?"

"Tell me about yourself."

I smiled.

"There isn't much to tell."

"I doubt that."

Her expression softened.

"Where did you grow up?"

"Silverbrook County."

"And your family?"

The question was gentle.

Not intrusive.

But it still made me pause.

"I grew up at St. Mary's Orphanage."

Something flickered across her face.

"The orphanage?"

I nodded.

"Sister Margaret raised me."

A small smile appeared on my face.

"She found me when I was a baby."

Ivanka's expression softened.

"She must have loved you very much."

"She did."

"Were things difficult?"

I thought about it.

"Sometimes."

Then I smiled.

"But not anymore."

Something warm entered her eyes.

"I'm glad."

She reached across the table and touched my hand.

The instant our fingers met, a tiny spark passed between us.

I blinked.

"Oh."

Ivanka looked surprised as well.

"Static electricity?"

I laughed softly.

"Probably."

As I was about to withdraw my hand, I noticed Julian.

For the briefest moment, his expression changed.

Something dark crossed his face before disappearing.

My heart tightened.

Had I done something wrong?

Maybe he thought I was being too familiar with someone important.

Or...

A more embarrassing thought entered my mind.

Maybe he didn't like another woman touching his girlfriend.

I slowly pulled my hand away.

Almost immediately, Julian's expression relaxed.

I looked away.

Definitely.

I had crossed some invisible line.

Ivanka, unaware of my thoughts, smiled.

"Elena."

"Yes?"

"I hope we can become friends."

The request surprised me.

Friends?

A part of me wondered if she simply wanted to keep an eye on me.

After all, I worked beside Julian every day.

Maybe this was her way of protecting her territory.

Still, I smiled.

"I'd like that."

Her smile brightened.

"I'm happy."

Before I could respond, Julian calmly set down his cup.

"How is your husband, Ivanka?"

I froze.

Husband?

For a moment, I wondered if I had heard him correctly.

Ivanka smiled softly.

"He's doing wonderfully, thank you."

Then she turned her attention back to Julian, her expression becoming warmer.

"Your brother misses you dearly, you know."

Julian looked at her.

"He does?"

She nodded.

"He hates this place. And you haven't been home in ages."

A small smile touched her lips.

"But I am glad you stayed."

I looked between them quietly.

Brother.

The word settled in my mind.

Family.

Suddenly, everything I had misunderstood began to make sense.

The way Ivanka spoke to him.

The ease between them.

The familiarity.

They weren't what I had imagined.

They were family.

A strange feeling of relief passed through me before I could stop it.

Why was I relieved?

It made no sense.