Chapter 196

It was a hickey, and it wasn't left there by Julien. He had lost control a few times during his time with Shelmaine, scaring her. Afterward, he'd made a conscious effort to hold back, except for just now, when he got carried away and kissed her neck. But the mark on her chest? That was definitely not from him. One name flashed in his mind—Samuel. It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over him, instantly extinguishing all his passion. He felt like he'd seen something he shouldn't have. Shelmaine hadn't noticed the shift in his mood. After he stopped, she said casually, "Excuse me, I need to take out the trash." Julien stepped back, releasing her, his lips thinning into a tight line. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Let's get engaged." "What?" Shelmaine was tossing the trash into the bin when his sudden proposal hit her out of nowhere. "Let's get engaged, Shelly. Can we?" he repeated. Shelmaine was quiet for a moment. "Isn't it a bit too soon?" "It's not. We've