Chapter 81: Her Maomao
When Vivian Lowell woke up, she felt a tickle on her cheek.
She was still groggy and a little uncomfortable. Thinking it was the rabbit-fur-collared down jacket she’d left by the bed, she reached out to push it away.
But as she pushed, Vivian Lowell’s hand met something hard.
’And... warm?’
’What is this?’
Vivian Lowell found it strange. She felt it again and discovered it was very smooth, with a subtle texture. It almost felt like... muscle?
Just as Vivian Lowell was growing more confused, a sigh drifted down from above her head—low, steady, and a little husky.
"Don’t."
He sounded like he was holding something back as he added, "Stop fidgeting. Be still."
The moment she realized what was happening, Vivian Lowell’s mind short-circuited.
Her eyes flew open.
She discovered she was in Julian Faulkner’s arms!
!?
’What’s going on?’
Vivian Lowell struggled, and her eyes fell upon the Faulkner villa right in front of them.
’We’re back?’
"You’re awake?"
Noticing her stirring, Julian Faulkner spoke with a tone of earnest apology. "I didn’t mean to wake you. I must not have been gentle enough."
"We’re at the front door. Let me carry you inside to rest?"
??
The sight of Julian Faulkner’s neck, his collarbones, and his Adam’s apple instantly cleared the fog from Vivian Lowell’s mind.
She murmured, "I said I didn’t want to sleep in the car... so you decided to carry me home just like this?"
"Mm."
Julian Faulkner answered with disarming honesty. "You’re a light sleeper. Waking you suddenly would give you a headache, so I figured this was the best way."
"..."
’This was not a good way. Not good at all.’
’How could he... how could he just princess-carry me!’
’And without me even knowing!’
With her heart pounding in her chest, Vivian Lowell squirmed in Julian Faulkner’s arms. "Um... since I’m awake, you can put me down now."
"I’m kind of heavy! I’m worried your arms will get tired!"
Vivian Lowell managed to come up with a noble-sounding excuse.
Julian Faulkner seemed to see right through her excuse. He gave a soft chuckle but didn’t say anything, simply setting Vivian Lowell down.
He gently set Vivian Lowell on her feet.
The solid ground beneath her was a relief. Vivian Lowell straightened her scarf, then glanced at Julian Faulkner, a little embarrassed.
’He’s waiting for me to compose myself.’
She noticed some fluff from her scarf had gotten onto his suit, right near his collar. The placement, no matter how she looked at it, felt incredibly intimate.
"Um... Julian."
Vivian Lowell pointed to her own collar to show him. "You’ve got a strand of my hair on you. Er, I mean, a fiber from my fluffy scarf!"
’What am I even saying?!’
Vivian Lowell was so embarrassed she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. Or maybe just use her toes to carve out a three-bedroom apartment on the spot so she could hide in it!
Julian Faulkner had clearly noticed her slip-up.
A faint smile flickered across his face. He glanced down at his collar and asked, feigning confusion, "Where?"
Vivian Lowell shot Julian a glare.
’I can tell he saw it. He definitely saw that little speck on his collar but is pretending he didn’t, just to tease me!’
"Right here!"
Peeved, Vivian Lowell gritted her teeth, plucked the fiber from his collar, and waved it in his face.
At this, the smile on Julian Faulkner’s face deepened.
Vivian Lowell, thoroughly unamused, turned to go inside. Just then, Ms. Shaw, having heard the commotion, came and opened the front door.
"I heard your voices and knew the Young Master and Madam were back."
Ms. Shaw was polite and respectful, saying with a warm smile, "The Young Master and Madam are so affectionate. It’s quite late. Would you like a late-night snack? I can prepare something."
"No, thank you."
Vivian Lowell shook her head, feeling a little self-conscious. "Thank you, Ms. Shaw. We... we’ve already eaten."
"Mm."
Ms. Shaw acknowledged and stepped aside, allowing Vivian Lowell and Julian Faulkner to enter the house.
That night, exhausted from the long day, Vivian simply washed up and went straight to bed. She was so tired that she slept soundly.
When her six o’clock alarm went off the next morning, Vivian Lowell didn’t feel the least bit tired.
Her mind was already on going to the police station.
’No matter what, the pet hospital was the fruit of my and Eleanor Rhodes’s hard work. I can’t let these people destroy it. The situation with that vile dog owner has to be thoroughly investigated.’
Over breakfast, Vivian asked Julian about the lawyer.
"Did you find one? Are we... going to sue her?"
Vivian took a quick bite of toast and a gulp of milk, eating hastily.
"Slow down."
Julian looked at her with a helpless expression. "Getting a lawyer to sue her is one part of the plan," he explained. "People like that are unscrupulous when it comes to money. The threat of jail time might make them panic."
"We can use that to our advantage and see if we can threaten her."
A threat.
Vivian understood immediately.
’A person like that, with a guilty conscience, might panic under threat and spill the beans about who’s really behind this.’
’Julian’s idea was brilliant.’
"Okay, then let’s threaten her!"
Vivian nodded with determination. Just as the two of them were getting ready to leave, Rachel Faulkner started coming down the stairs.
"Julian. Vivian. You’re heading out this early?"