After the Cold Marriage His Crazy Love (Iris and Julian) novel Chapter 154

Chapter 154 Not Letting Go

The moment she saw Julian, she froze.

“Already paid,” he said easily, picking up the clip.

The vendor nodded with a quick, “Thanks.”

Julian turned back to her, and before she could say anything, he reached out and slipped the clip into her hair with a gentleness that felt entirely at odds with everything else about him.

Iris instinctively lifted a hand to touch it. “Thanks.”

He studied her for a second, a faint smile settling in. “It suits you.”

She recovered just enough to speak, though the surprise hadn’t fully faded. “Didn’t expect to see you here Small world.”

Julian’s expression didn’t change. “It’s not that small,” he said calmly. “And this wasn’t coincidence.”

The shift in tone was immediate.

Iris’s brows drew together. “You followed me?”

“I stayed where I could see you,” he replied without hesitation. “That’s not the same thing.”

That earned him a short, incredulous laugh. Iris pulled the clip from her hair and held it out to him. “Take in back. And don’t do this again. It’s not a good look.”

Instead of arguing, Julian took it, then just as easily placed it back where it had been.

“I was sitting outside your building earlier,” he said, his voice steady, like he was stating something obvious. “You walked right past me. I was in the same café, the same train car and you didn’t notice once.”

She reached up again, but he caught her wrist before she could pull it free.

“Leave it,” he said quietly. “You’ll mess up your hair.”

“I don’t want anything from someone who follows me around,” she shot back, frustration breaking through.

“I wanted to know who you were meeting,” he said, completely unapologetic. “So I didn’t interrupt. Call it whatever you want.”

Then, without giving her time to argue, he took her wrist and started walking, his grip firm but controlled.

“Come with me,” he said. “Help me pick out a few things for the holidays.”

Iris tried to pull free, the tension finally catching up with her. “Julian, we’re divorced. You can’t just act like

this.

He stopped, turned, and pulled her toward him in one smooth motion.

She didn’t have time to read before she collided with him, her body pressed against his chest, his arm

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Chapter 154 Not Letting Go

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locking around her waist to keep her there.

The crowd didn’t help. People passed by, some glancing over, and the attention made heat rush to her face

“Let go,” she said, struggling against him, but the more she pushed, the tighter his hold became.

Julian lowered his gaze to hers, something intense and unyielding in his eyes. “The divorce was never mutual.” he said quietly, each word deliberate. “You decided it. I didn’t.”

“We signed the papers,” she replied under her breath, her voice tight.

“That doesn’t change anything.” He leaned in closer, his voice dropping, rough at the edges. “You can report me, get a restraining order, do whatever you think you need to do. Just don’t expect me to stay away.”

“Unbelievable,” Iris muttered, closing her eyes for a second as she forced herself to steady her breathing.

His voice softened, but the pressure behind it didn’t ease. “So what’s it going to be, we stand here like this, or you come with me?”

She opened her eyes. “Can I go home?”

“No.”

The answer came without hesitation,

Her hands curled into fists at her sides before she finally exhaled.

Fine. Just get through this.

“Then let go.”

That seemed to satisfy him. He released her, and the moment he did, she stepped back quickly, putting distance between them before turning and walking ahead.

Julian followed without a word.

“What are you even buying?” she asked after a moment, her tone reluctant.

“Decorations. Something for the door. A few plants.”

They moved through the market together, and despite herself, Iris ended up helping him choose, her attention shifting to colors, textures, small details that felt easier to focus on than everything else.

By the time they finished, more than an hour had passed, and they had far more than either of them could reasonably carry.

They called a rideshare.

The drive back was quiet. Iris unreachable.

Julian didn’t try to fill the silence.

by the w. watching the city slide past, her thought

When they arrived, he took most of the bags, handing her the flowers without comment.

distant and

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Chapter 154 Not Letting Go

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Iris followed him upstairs out of sheer practicality, stopping when they reached his door.

He glanced back at her. “Go ahead.”

She blinked. “Me?”

He lifted his hands slightly, both occupied. “Code hasn’t changed.”

That gave her pause, but only for a second.

With a quiet breath, she stepped forward and entered the familiar numbers.

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