Chapter 48: Let Me Hear You Call Me Husband

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Let Me Hear You Call Me Husband

Back at the suite, Keith Sterling glanced at his phone and grinned. "Oh boy, my brother’s finally here! Well, Sierra, I’m heading back to my room. I won’t disturb you two!"

Sienna was puzzled. "Who said you were bothering us?"

Keith puffed out his chest proudly. "I know you don’t mind, Sierra, but I know how to read a room. I have no intention of being a third wheel!"

Sienna was speechless.

Keith leaned in conspiratorially, a knowing smile on his face. "And I’m sure my brother doesn’t want me to be a third wheel, either."

Sienna was speechless.

Keith was surprisingly quick, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Sienna sighed helplessly and touched her forehead. She walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, which offered a panoramic view of the resort’s beautiful scenery below.

She had to admit, the scenery at the resort was truly spectacular. ℴ

After admiring the view for a moment, Sienna’s gaze drifted back into the room. When she saw the single bed, her eyelid twitched.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

Julian Forrester was back.

The man was already impossibly handsome, but the sight of him in a white shirt was something else entirely. Broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist above a pair of long, well-defined legs. An innate air of refined elegance radiated from him.

He casually raised a hand and loosened his tie.

From his well-defined knuckles to the slight bob of his Adam’s apple, every inch of him was utterly captivating.

Noticing Sienna staring at him, Julian raised an eyebrow. His voice was laced with amusement. "Why are you staring at me like that, Sierra?"

Hearing him use that name, Sienna’s earlobes flushed red. Her eyes widened in embarrassment. "Don’t call me that."

He pulled off his tie completely. "Fine," he said nonchalantly. "Then what was Sienna staring at?"

Sienna peeked at him from under her long, thick lashes, which fluttered slightly. She cleared her throat, a little awkwardly. "Um... about the video of Wyatt Everett... thank you."

At her words, Julian’s gaze turned instantly sharp and cold.

He had watched the surveillance video after finding it.

Seeing Sienna shield Wyatt Everett from the falling chandelier, seeing her bleed so much... his heart had seized. He wished he could have taken her place and suffered it all himself.

’That useless Wyatt Everett... what right did he have to let her get so badly hurt? What had he ever done to deserve her protection?’

Julian strode over to her and reached out to touch her back. The tenderness and pain in his eyes were nearly overflowing. "Did it hurt badly?"

Sienna froze. It took her a few seconds to realize his fingers were tracing the very spot where shards from the chandelier had pierced her back as she carried Wyatt.

Meeting his dark, gentle gaze, Sienna’s heart gave a little squeeze.

She shook her head gently. "It doesn’t hurt anymore. Not at all. There isn’t even a scar now."

The man lowered his gaze to her, his long lashes half-shrouding the dark, murderous emotions swirling in their depths.

He pulled a small, exquisite filigree wooden box from his pocket. Opening the lid, he revealed a beautiful and unique bracelet inside.

Two jade stones, shaped like love peas, were strung onto a delicate silver chain.

The color of the jade was extraordinary—a translucent red that gave off a soft, warm luster under the light.

Julian took her hand. With an expression of profound tenderness, he fastened the Red Jade Bracelet around her fair, slender wrist.

"What’s this?" Sienna blinked, her expression quizzical.

’Why is he suddenly giving me a bracelet?’

"I thought it would look good on you, so I bought it," Julian replied casually, as if it were just a simple gift he’d picked up on a whim.

In truth, he had specially taken the bracelet to a temple to have it blessed.

He wasn’t a superstitious man, but he couldn’t bear the thought of her getting hurt or being in danger again.

This blessed bracelet, with its red jade mixed with his own blood, was meant to bring her good fortune and ward off calamities. If disaster were ever to strike, it would be transferred to him instead.

Sienna, completely oblivious, just shook her wrist, thinking the bracelet was rather pretty.

’Thinking back, I suffered a great deal after the Everett Family took me in. I once received an anonymous text from someone offering to help me escape them.’

’Unfortunately, I was too desperate for kinship back then—so utterly blind that I couldn’t see The Everett for who they truly were, and I refused the offer.’

’Later on, I had a vague feeling that someone was helping me from the shadows, shielding me from a great deal of hardship.’

’I never knew who my mysterious benefactor was.’

’If I ever find out who it was, I have to thank them properly. I’ll even give them a medal!’

Julian—the great benefactor himself—asked unhurriedly, "I heard from Keith that Wyatt Everett begged for your forgiveness. What do you plan to do?"

Sienna considered this. Besides Wyatt, the rest of the Everett Family should also know by now that Shannon’s lie had been exposed.

How would they react? Would they blame Shannon, or would they forgive her and continue to dote on her like the apple of their eye?

Sienna didn’t care about any of it.

And as for Wyatt, she had no intention of forgiving him either.

Sienna broke into a dazzling smile, the corners of her bright eyes tilting upward. "I’ve already cut ties with the Everett Family. They’re not my family anymore. So, I’m not going to concern myself with anything to do with The Everett. Let them sort it out themselves."

Seeing her look of serene acceptance, Julian felt a bittersweet pang of tenderness. He couldn’t resist reaching out to stroke her hair.

’How many times must she have been disappointed,’ he thought, ’to be able to let go so completely.’

But that was alright.

From now on, he would be her family.

Sienna’s eyes darted playfully as she smiled again. "Still, about that video of Wyatt... I really do have to thank you."

Julian replied, "It was nothing. No thanks are necessary."

Sienna pouted. ’Nothing? He makes it sound so easy, but Keith just told me it took Julian days to find that footage.’

"I still want to thank you," she insisted. "That video couldn’t have been easy to find."

Julian chuckled at her words, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "Since Sienna insists on thanking me... then how about you call me ’hubby’ and let me hear it?"

Sienna froze.

What?

’Call him hubby?’

Sienna’s cheeks flushed instantly, so hot she felt like steam was about to pour from her ears. "What are you talking about!"

The man watched her, unperturbed. A lazy, sensual smirk played on his lips. "What’s wrong? Weren’t you the one who wanted to thank me?"

Sienna was speechless.

A husky, teasing laugh rumbled in his throat. "Come on," he coaxed, his voice dropping to a low, seductive murmur. "Let me hear you call me ’hubby’."

Sienna’s ears began to burn. She glared at him, her cheeks puffed out. "I never said I’d thank you like *that*! Besides, why should I call you..."

She was too embarrassed to say the word.

Julian tilted his head, his expression a picture of lazy innocence. "You’re my wife. So call me..."

With every word he spoke, Sienna’s eyes grew wider.