Chapter 334: house party IV

Chapter 334: Chapter 334: house party IV

Julian turned back toward the entrance.

A few more people arrived.

The house slowly became louder.

More students gathered around the bar.

Someone turned the music up.

Julian continued watching the room.

Then he paused.

"Oh."

Damian glanced at him.

"What?"

Julian smiled.

"There."

He nodded toward the entrance.

Damian followed his gaze.

Catherine Lovell had just entered.

She was with two girls from Political Governance.

Platinum-blonde hair.

Blue-gray eyes.

Beautiful.

Elegant.

Confident.

She looked completely at ease in the room.

Catherine didn’t notice them.

She was already talking to one of the girls beside her as they moved farther into the house.

Damian watched her for a moment.

He knew Catherine.

They had been classmates and coursemates since university started.

She was the daughter of a Duke.

Fourth-year Political Governance.

Intelligent.

Socially confident.

Beautiful.

And she already liked him.

Julian leaned closer.

"See?"

Damian looked at him.

Julian nodded toward Catherine.

"Very, very close."

Damian studied her.

She was beautiful.

There was no denying that.

For a moment, he could understand exactly why Julian had pointed her out.

She fit.

Almost perfectly.

Then Damian shook his head.

"No."

Julian frowned.

"Why?"

"She likes me."

Julian stared at him.

"Yes."

"So?"

"I don’t want to lead her on."

Julian looked genuinely confused.

"Then don’t."

Damian looked at him.

Julian shrugged.

"Date her."

Damian said nothing.

"Get to know her."

Still nothing.

"If you like her, make her your girlfriend."

Damian glanced toward Catherine again.

She was laughing with her friends now.

He could imagine it.

Dating her.

Spending time with her.

Getting to know her.

There was nothing wrong with Catherine.

She was beautiful.

Smart.

Well-born.

Confident.

Probably someone he could have a good relationship with.

But—

"Pass."

Julian stared at him.

"Just like that?"

Damian nodded.

"Just like that."

Adrian laughed.

"You really aren’t interested."

Damian shook his head.

"No."

Julian sighed.

"Fine."

He turned back toward the room.

"Okay."

His eyes moved across the crowd again.

"Let’s look again."

Damian took another drink.

A few minutes passed.

More people arrived.

The room became busier.

Julian kept scanning the crowd.

Then he spotted another familiar face.

"There."

Damian followed his gaze.

A girl from second-year Political Governance had entered with a group of friends.

She was attractive.

Dark hair.

Tall.

Elegant.

Julian looked at Damian.

Damian watched her for a moment.

"Pretty."

Julian waited.

Damian shook his head.

"No."

Julian groaned.

"You’re impossible."

"I told you."

"You’re the one who wanted to prove there were other women."

"I know."

"And you’re rejecting all of them."

"They’re not Vivienne."

Julian looked at him.

Damian immediately realized what he had said.

Silence.

Adrian started laughing.

Damian glared at him.

"Don’t."

Adrian lifted his glass.

"I didn’t say anything."

Julian was grinning.

"Exactly."

Damian looked away.

Then the front door opened again.

Julian glanced toward it.

His expression changed.

"Oh."

Adrian followed his gaze.

Anthony Ashford had arrived.

He wasn’t alone.

Several third-year Political Governance students came in with him.

And among them was Evelyn Sinclair.

She was talking to two first-year girls beside her, looking perfectly comfortable as she entered with Anthony’s group.

Julian looked at Damian.

"Actually..."

Damian glanced at him.

Julian lifted his chin toward Evelyn.

"How about her?"

Damian followed his gaze.

"Evelyn Sinclair?"

Julian nodded.

"Yes."

Damian looked at Evelyn.

"She’s beautiful."

"Daughter of Count Sinclair."

"First-year."

"She’s smart."

"Good at polo."

"Good family."

"Good connections."

Julian looked pleased.

"And she already likes someone."

Damian glanced at him.

"Anthony."

Julian nodded.

"Exactly."

Damian looked toward Anthony.

Anthony was talking to one of his friends.

Evelyn remained close to him.

It was obvious enough.

She liked him.

Everyone who paid attention knew it.

"And Anthony obviously doesn’t see her that way."

Adrian added quietly,

"He treats her more like a younger sister."

Damian nodded.

He knew that.

He had seen it himself.

Julian looked back toward Evelyn.

"So?"

Damian gave him a look.

"So what?"

"So why not?"

Damian stared at him.

Julian laughed.

"You’re Lord Damian Blackwood."

"So?"

"Why wouldn’t she like you?"

Damian shook his head.

"She likes Anthony."

"Yes."

"And she’s clearly in love with him."

"Yes."

"So?"

Julian shrugged.

"Then this would make sense."

Damian stared at him.

Adrian chuckled.

Julian wasn’t finished.

"I’m saying if you don’t want the emotional part, fine."

He leaned closer.

"You don’t want to lead anyone on, right?"

Damian raised an eyebrow.

"Then what?"

Julian glanced toward Evelyn.

"You can spend time with her."

Damian looked at Evelyn again.

Julian watched his expression.

"Apparently, rumor has it, she’s the reason Vivienne broke her engagement with Anthony."

Damian looked at him.

That wasn’t entirely a rumor.

He remembered the pool party.

Julian smiled.

"And Vivienne hates her."

Damian’s eyes shifted back to him.

There it was.

The idea.

He now understood what Julian was alluding to.

"I see."

Adrian looked between them.

"No."

Julian ignored him.

"Think about it."

Damian frowned.

"About what?"

"Vivienne."

Damian said nothing.

Julian nodded toward Evelyn.

"You spend some time with Evelyn."

Damian’s expression remained unreadable.

"You let Vivienne see."

Adrian shook his head.

"This is no longer about finding Damian a woman."

Julian grinned.

"I know."

"It’s about potentially making Vivienne jealous, or if not, at least annoyed enough."

"Exactly."

Damian looked toward Evelyn again.

He wasn’t attracted to her in the way Julian wanted him to be.

Not really.

But—

Vivienne hated her.

And Damian wanted to know something.

Would she care?

Would she notice him with Evelyn?

Would she feel something?

Anything?

He remembered that morning.

Vivienne sitting beside Christopher.

Holding his hand.

Feeding him breakfast.

Smiling at him.

The way Damian had felt when he saw it.

He wanted to know if Vivienne could feel even a fraction of that.

Julian watched his face.

"So?"

Damian took a slow drink.

"Maybe."

Julian grinned.

"There we go."

Adrian shook his head.

"You’re both terrible."

Damian almost smiled.

Then the door opened again.

He barely noticed at first.

Another group.

More students.

Laughter.

Voices.

Someone calling William’s name from the hallway.

Then Damian saw someone familiar.

He stopped.

--

Tbc