Chapter 3: Her Husband, Julian Faulkner
Early the next morning, at ten minutes to nine, outside the West Aethelburg marriage registry.
When Vivian Lowell arrived on a shared bicycle, the area outside the marriage registry was already jam-packed. A long queue had formed, and even the surrounding roads were completely gridlocked.
"Is today some kind of auspicious day?" Vivian wondered aloud. Puzzled, she parked her bike and took out her phone to call Grandma Faulkner to see where she was. Before she could dial, a figure in a bright red cheongsam—looking as radiant as a blooming flower—flew toward her.
"Vivian~" Grandma Faulkner walked briskly, her energetic strides perfectly complementing the elegant grace of her cheongsam. Upon reaching Vivian, she pulled her into a warm embrace and exclaimed, "My wonderful granddaughter-in-law!"
"Granddaughter-in-law!" Vivian almost didn’t react in time.
After her heart skipped a beat, she gently tugged at Grandma Faulkner’s sleeve. Glancing around, she asked in a low voice, "Where is Julian Faulkner? Should we go line up now?"
"What line?" Grandma Faulkner smiled radiantly. Taking Vivian’s hand, she led her straight toward the entrance of the marriage registry, bypassing the long queue. To her astonishment, Vivian saw the man standing at the very front of the line.
He was dressed in a haute couture suit, standing tall and perfectly straight. His aura was overwhelmingly commanding. Even from just his back, Vivian could practically read a warning sign that screamed, "Keep away."
Sure enough, as they stepped closer, Vivian noticed that the second person in line was standing a good three feet away from him.
That man in the first spot was Grandma Faulkner’s grandson, Julian Faulkner.
Vivian followed Grandma Faulkner to his side. The moment she caught a glimpse of his side profile, she was just as stunned as she had been during their first meeting.
He had a high nose bridge and sharply defined features. His lips were thin, and his cool, pale complexion made it seem as though he were enveloped in a faint layer of moonlight—aloof yet elegant.
Vivian had first seen Julian outside the airport, right when she had first met Grandma Faulkner.
After buying rapid-acting heart pills at a pharmacy, Vivian had been hurrying back to find Grandma Faulkner. As she rounded a corner, she had crashed headlong into Julian.
She had stumbled, clutching the medicine tightly, only to feel a steady, powerful grip on her wrist. It was Julian who had caught her and steadied her.
When she looked up, she was met with Julian’s face, looking as utterly unapproachable as a flower blooming on a high, freezing peak.
Later on, when Grandma Faulkner grabbed Vivian’s hand and tried to play matchmaker between her and Julian, Vivian had hastily refused. She had looked at Julian and declared with absolute sincerity, "Mr. Faulkner, I have no inappropriate thoughts about you whatsoever! Please rest assured!"
SMACK! Vivian never expected those words to come back and slap her in the face so quickly!
"Hello, Julian," she said, pursing her lips to squeeze out an awkward yet polite smile.
Julian merely looked up, furrowed his brows slightly, and gave a soft "Hmm." He showed no intention of continuing the conversation.
"Thank goodness," she thought. "Even if I was forced into this, we just need to maintain the facade of a married couple on the surface."
As she was thinking this, Grandma Faulkner took Vivian’s hand and placed it directly over Julian’s. Looking at their overlapping hands, Grandma Faulkner’s face filled with emotion. "This is wonderful. So wonderful.
"My grandson, who has been single for twenty-seven years, has finally gotten himself a wife! He’s no longer an unwanted, feral bachelor!"
"..." Vivian almost couldn’t hold back her laughter. But then, the sudden warmth radiating against the back of her hand made her heart flutter slightly.
Julian’s hand was very warm. In the early spring of Aethelburg, when the weather was still unseasonably chilly, that warmth felt incredibly soothing to Vivian. Moreover, his hand was quite large.
It was able to completely envelop her own, as if casting a comforting layer of warmth over her entire world. It worked even better than a hot water bottle!
Vivian wiggled her fingertips, lightly nudging the back of her hand deeper into Julian’s palm.
Instantly, she felt Julian’s hand stiffen. He clearly wanted to pull it back, but Grandma Faulkner’s firm grip held them securely in place.
Helpless, he had no choice but to leave his warm palm resting over Vivian’s hand.
"Haha, the feral grandson is scared of his grandmother," Vivian chuckled inwardly. Just then, the marriage registry opened. A female staff member walked out and approached Vivian and Julian, handing each of them a large red rosette.
"Congratulations! Our first couple of Valentine’s Day, please come in!"
"V-Valentine’s Day?" Vivian stammered, glancing back at the teeming crowd outside the marriage registry’s doors, nearly choking on her own saliva.
"Cough. I really picked a great day for this!" she thought.
Beside her, Julian seized the opportunity to slowly release her hand and took the lead in walking inside. Prompted by a meaningful glance from Grandma Faulkner, Vivian quickly followed.
The process went exceptionally smoothly. When Vivian and Julian walked out of the marriage registry, Vivian could feel the lingering scent of his men’s cologne trapped in her hair.
It was a classic cologne—grounded and understated.
Grandma Faulkner, who could hardly wait any longer, eagerly rushed over to inspect their marriage certificates the moment she saw them emerge.
"Oh my! These photos turned out beautifully. You two are such a perfect match! Though, you’re sitting a bit too far apart. Whenever I see other young couples getting married, they always look like they want to be glued together!" Grandma Faulkner noted with a hint of disappointment.
Saying that, she promptly tucked Julian’s copy of the marriage certificate into her own bag. "Today is Valentine’s Day! Vivian, Julian said he wants to cook a meal just for you!
"When you go grocery shopping with him later, just pick out whatever you like! I’ll head home first and wait for you two. I won’t intrude on your private time together!"
"Grandma," Julian said, instinctively trying to decline. "The company..."
"What company?" Grandma Faulkner’s expression suddenly hardened, and she spoke in a stern tone. "I’ve already requested a leave of absence for you! Today is your big wedding day. You’d better keep Vivian good company!"
Seeing his grandmother’s unyielding stance, Julian fell silent. He turned back to Vivian, his gaze still impassive, as polite as if he were dealing with a client. "Let’s go. Get in the car; we’re heading to the supermarket."
Half an hour later, at the West Aethelburg Supermarket.
Vivian placed a zucchini into her shopping basket and turned to glance at Julian, who was currently picking out beef in the meat section.
His fingers were long and slender, like those of a pianist on TV. He picked up a cut of beef, inspected it closely, and then said to the person on the other end of his phone, "Yes. Once the contract is drafted, email it to me."
"..."
"He truly embodies the domineering CEO aura," Vivian mused. "Even while grocery shopping with his wife, his mind is fully occupied with business."
She had originally wanted to ask Julian what he liked to eat. But given the circumstances, she simply turned back and grabbed two carrots for the basket, planning to use them as a side dish for the steak.
As she picked up the carrots, Vivian cast a glance over her shoulder. From the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed two people trying on necklaces in a nearby luxury boutique.
Shelly Lowell and Mason Grant.
Mason stood behind Shelly, fastening a jewel-encrusted necklace around her neck. He even meticulously adjusted it to make sure the gemstone rested in the perfect spot.
From Vivian’s angle, Mason’s arms were practically wrapped around Shelly’s neck. A bashful blush flashed across Shelly’s face as she looked up at him.
Mason seemed momentarily mesmerized before snapping back to reality and flashing Shelly a sickeningly sweet smile.
Vivian instantly broke out in goosebumps.
"That scumbag and that homewrecker sure didn’t waste any time putting on a show of their mutual affection," she scoffed inwardly.
Fortunately, she hadn’t harbored any real feelings for Mason to begin with. Seeing them now didn’t cause even the slightest ripple in her heart. Looking at them as though they were complete strangers, she prepared to turn and walk away.
It was getting late. She had bought plenty of nutritious ingredients and was looking forward to cooking a delicious meal for Grandma Faulkner.
Just as she was about to turn around, Vivian felt a powerful presence approaching from behind. Then, his cool, crisp voice drifted into her ear. "What are you looking at? You seem so absorbed."
Startled, Vivian immediately whipped her head around, only to see Julian looking in the exact same direction she had just been staring!