Chapter 5: A Different Taste

The reason Sophie had come into Julian’s life was because he saw a reflection of the old Chloe in her. Back in university, Julian had pursued Chloe with fervor. At that time, Chloe’s mind was entirely focused on her research, and her schedule was packed. She wouldn’t slow down her progress for his pursuit. Even after they got together, they didn’t spend much time together, and their dates were few and far between. But despite that, Julian had felt content. However, when Sophie finally entered his life, it felt like a way to make up for the past, yet at the same time, it didn’t quite feel right. Adam and William sat nearby, whispering to each other. “What’s going on? He hasn’t said a word since we came in. Must’ve been a serious blow.” “What else could it be? Chloe blocked him,” William said, knowing the truth and adding a bit of a playful tone to his words. Though he hadn’t spoken loudly, Julian overheard. With a sharp motion, Julian threw his cup to the floor, startling everyone. “How many times do I have to say it? Don’t mention her in front of me again. Chloe and I have nothing to do with each other anymore. Do you not understand?” William wasn’t intimidated by Julian’s outburst and merely shrugged indifferently. No one else dared to speak, unsure of Julian’s true feelings, while Adam quietly wiped the sweat from his brow. It seemed Chloe was serious about ending things this time. Daniel, who had been drinking heavily since he arrived, was a bit slow to catch on to the mood. “So, Chloe hasn’t come back to make up with you yet, huh?” Apart from that explanation, no one could think of another reason for Julian’s foul mood. It was clear that Julian was growing increasingly irritable. “Let’s drop it and have a drink. How about we play truth or dare?” someone suggested, trying to liven up the atmosphere, and everyone agreed. Just then, the door to the booth opened, and a voluptuous woman walked in. She casually flipped her hair back and locked eyes with Julian in the center of the room. Anna, a regular at the club, often accompanied Julian, and the two were quite familiar with each other. The moment she entered, she made a beeline for Julian. But before her hand could touch him, Julian stood up abruptly. “You guys keep playing. I’ve got to go.” No one tried to stop him from leaving. They knew Anna wouldn’t stick around once Julian was gone. As late as it was, Julian headed to the office instead of going home. He knew the villa would be empty, and returning didn’t seem appealing. By the time he arrived at the office, it was nearly 11 p.m., and the building was deserted. Just as he reached the lobby, he ran into his assistant, who was leaving after working late. The assistant was surprised to see Julian at such an unusual hour. “Boss, what brings you here? Is there something you need me to do?” Julian hadn’t expected to run into his assistant either. Since his company had become more established, he rarely worked late, which explained the assistant’s surprise. Julian’s thoughts drifted to Chloe. When he used to work late, Chloe would go out of her way to stop him, always concerned about his health. At first, Julian intended to tell the assistant that nothing was wrong, but then he suddenly remembered Chloe’s steak dinners. “Could you order me the best steak, takeout?” he asked, not entirely sure why he made such a request, but thinking about the steaks Chloe used to make for him. Julian had always thought Chloe’s cooking was just average, so surely, he could find something better. Without asking any questions, the assistant quickly ordered the best steak available and had it delivered to Julian’s office. When the steak arrived, perfectly prepared and beautifully plated, Julian found he had lost his appetite. Something wasn’t right. Even the smell seemed off. “Is there a problem, sir?” the assistant asked, confused. This was Julian’s usual order from a top-notch steakhouse. Julian shook his head, cutting into the steak and taking a bite. His frown deepened. The taste wasn’t right. He had chosen the best steak, so why did it feel so wrong? “You can leave now.” Sensing Julian’s foul mood, the assistant quickly packed up and left without asking any further questions. Left alone in the office, Julian’s mind wandered back to the steaks Chloe used to make. The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. It was as if he had been cursed—why was Chloe all he could think about? --- When Chloe returned to Mia’s apartment, it was already late. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t notice the two people tangled on the couch. It wasn’t until she turned on the light that she realized she had interrupted something. Embarrassed, Chloe quickly turned around to face the wall. “Uh… maybe you guys could finish getting dressed? I’ll head to my room and you can… continue afterward?” Mia’s good mood vanished immediately with the interruption. She hastily pulled on her clothes and told the man with her to get dressed and leave. “I didn’t think you’d be coming back, so I invited him over. If I knew you were coming home, I wouldn’t have brought anyone.” Mia hadn’t seen Chloe all day, so she assumed things between her and Julian had been resolved. She hadn’t expected Chloe to show up again tonight. Mia didn’t seem too bothered by the disruption, but Chloe wasn’t sure what to say. She waited until she heard the footsteps and the door closing behind the man before she turned around. “I already told you, this time, I’m serious.” Mia nodded, but when she noticed how red Chloe’s eyes were, her expression shifted to one of concern. “What happened to you?” “I found out today that Professor Lauren is in the hospital. I wanted to visit her, but…” Mia, who was also familiar with Professor Lauren, knew about the situation. She had even been one of Lauren’s students at one point. “So, did you end up seeing her?” Chloe shook her head. She didn’t feel like she had the right to visit. And even if she did go, Chloe wasn’t sure the professor would even want to see her. She had been so foolish back then. Suddenly, Chloe looked up at Mia. “What if you came with me to see Professor Lauren?” Mia’s eyes widened at the suggestion, and she quickly shook her head. “Please don’t drag me into this!”