Chapter 30 Juliette, Do You Think You’re Too Good for Me?
That sentence landed like a slap across Vivienne’s face.
What did Juliette give him? A huge betrayal–and time in prison!
And I? I stayed by his side for three whole years, helping him heal and forget the past.
Back when we were overseas, things between us had been going just fine.
Why, after coming back to Newton, the moment Juliette showed up, did all my three years of effort go up in smoke?
Yet her upbringing wouldn’t allow her to lash out at a time like this.
“Thanks for letting me know. Here, this is your reward.” Vivienne pulled out a few hundred- dollar bills from her wallet and stuffed them into the kind stranger’s hand.
Then she helped Gavin into the car by herself.
The car sped down the road–not to the Sinclair residence, but to a hotel.
“Jules… why did you leave me? Ten years… ten years of love–what does that mean to you? What makes you think he’s better than me? Do you know how many times I got drunk over you? Do you know how much I wanted a future for us?”
Even after Gavin was laid down on the bed, he kept rambling on and on.
He didn’t know–every word from his mouth was like a knife, stabbing straight into Vivienne’s heart, tearing it apart.
Vivienne let herself fall onto Gavin’s body, no longer holding back.
“Gavin, you’re in pain–but have you ever thought about how I feel? You waited for Juliette to grow up… but did you notice the girl who watched you for ten whole years? I gave it everything I had and removed every obstacle to reach you–I won’t let anyone ruin my life. So what if you love Juliette? As long as you stay with me, that’s enough. We still have time. I’ll find a way to make you fall for me. Tonight… just treat me as Juliette, okay?”
Vivienne’s pale hands traced the man’s brows, his high nose bridge, and his Adam’s apple.
Her lips pressed down on his, lingering, pressing in.
Clothes from both of them lay scattered across the floor.
At a café, Vivienne stirred her coffee, her peach–blossom eyes dark and unreadable, a hidden sharpness lurking beneath.
It had been three days since Gavin got drunk.
That morning, when he woke up, I pretended to be calm and kind, telling him it was fine–that I knew he hadn’t meant to hurt me, and we could just forget it happened.
I thought, since I’d already lowered myself this much, surely Gavin would at least give me a title, right?
But who knew–he didn’t give me anything at all!
“Vivienne, why did you call me out?”
While Vivienne was still in a daze, a woman had already taken a seat across from her.
Hearing her voice, Vivienne came back to herself and offered a gentle smile.
“Celine, we’re good friends. Can’t I ask you out just to chat?”
“Spare me. Do you have any idea what trouble you caused me? Last time I followed your suggestion and had my cousin cause trouble for Juliette–turns out the one who got fired was my cousin! And because of that, she’s now permanently banned from working in medicine or pharmaceuticals. Her whole career is over! Her family made a huge scene at our house, and now we don’t talk anymore. My parents scolded me so badly.” Celine said, clearly upset.
“Celine, that’s not fair. How is that my fault? If anything, Juliette’s the one who caused you all that,” Vivienne corrected her.
“We went through so much effort and still couldn’t touch her. Don’t you feel wronged? If it weren’t for her, maybe you’d have ended up with that senior from college. Old grudges and new ones—are you really going to just let it go?” Vivienne asked in a cold voice.
Celine bit her lip. “What else can I do?”
“Your birthday’s coming up soon–why not invite Juliette over to your place?” Vivienne gave her idea.
“What? I can’t stand her, and you want me to invite her into my home? That’s just asking for trouble!” Celine said.
Vivienne got up and sat beside Celine, leaning in to whisper a few words in her ear.
“You really found that man? Fine. Got it. This is going to be a great show. I’ll be ready. This time, I’ll avenge my cousin,” Celine declared firmly.
Inside Sphere Corporation, Juliette was working as usual, organizing files, when Farren came over to her.
“Yes?” Juliette looked up and asked.
“Mr. Samuel wants to see you in his office.” Farren said.
Juliette raised a brow, then stood up and headed to Samuel’s office.
“Farren, did Juliette get in trouble again?” A gossipy coworker asked.
“I have no idea. I’ll tell you once she’s back from the office,” Farren said with a small smile.
Soon, the two arrived at Samuel’s office. Farren knocked and entered.
“Mr. Samuel, I brought her.”
“Mhm.” Samuel got up from his chair and went over to the bar in his office, made a cup of chrysanthemum tea, and placed it on the table. “Jules, come have a seat.”
“Okay.” Juliette sat down obediently.
Farren frowned slightly. At first, I thought Juliette had caused some trouble and Mr. Samuel was going to punish her–but now it didn’t seem that way.
“Have you studied traditional medicine before?” Samuel asked directly, not beating around the bush.
Juliette nodded. “Just a little.”
“I knew it. That suggestion you made the other day–spot on. I replaced cinnabar with Silktree bark based on your idea, and the results were incredible–safer too! Juliette, you’re a talented young woman. You have courage, and you stand your ground. I admire that. I don’t want to miss out on someone like you. I want to ask–would you like to be my apprentice?” Samuel looked at her with appreciation.
Farren couldn’t sit still. I had always been Mr. Samuel’s little apprentice, and he treated me especially
well.
Now that Juliette was being brought in–what did that make me?
She quickly spoke up, “Mr. Samuel, this isn’t really appropriate. Juliette is… deaf.”
“So what? I can cure that!” Samuel said confidently. Then he turned to Juliette. “Jules, what do you say? Are you willing?”
In his mind, there was no way she’d say no. Everyone outside probably dreamed of becoming his apprentice.
“Mr. Samuel, thank you for your kindness, but I can’t accept.”
“What?” Samuel stared at her in confusion. I thought she was smart, but now she seemed… not so
smart.
Did she not know who I, Samuel, was and the reputation I held both domestically and internationally?
“Juliette, do you think you’re too good for me?” Samuel’s tone sank slightly.
“No, I know your reputation. At just fifty, you’re already the top in your field in Cruonia. I admire you deeply. But I already have a teacher–and a student should not serve two masters. I hope you’ll understand,” Juliette replied with calm respect. By my estimate, my master… should be getting out of prison soon.
