Ditched the Cheater, Pregnant by Mr. Righ novel Chapter 165

Chapter 165 A Close Call

Finished

Julian had always seen himself as a man with control, someone measured, composed, and unfailingly

courteous.

Even on nights when he lay alone and his thoughts drifted to Quinn, when his body reacted in ways he couldn’t entirely suppress, he would feel a flicker of guilt, like even that private moment crossed a line he didn’t want to cross.

Still, there was something instinctive in him, something deeply rooted that didn’t always listen to reason.

And right now, with Quinn standing so close, looking up at him with those clear, unguarded eyes, her lips slightly parted without realizing it…

His breath caught.

For a brief second, everything in him stalled.

He shut his eyes, then forced them open again.

Quinn snapped out of her focused, work mode and straightened up. “Julian, is something off?”

“Sorry…”

Julian reached up and loosened his collar, trying to steady himself.

If he stayed any longer, things were going to get awkward in a way he couldn’t explain.

Without his coat, there was no way to hide it.

And the last thing he wanted was for Quinn to see that side of him, raw and completely out of place.

He turned, grabbing his jacket. “Something just came up. I’ve got an overseas call I need to jump on, so we’ll have to stop here.”

Quinn blinked, caught off guard. “Wait, didn’t we already plan this?”

Julian slipped into his coat, making sure everything was properly covered before turning back to face her.

“I’m almost done,” Quinn said. “Give me a couple more minutes, okay?”

Julian knew he couldn’t.

He hadn’t expected his self–control to fall apart this easily.

They were standing in Adele’s studio, completely normal, completely appropriate, and yet…

Quinn hadn’t done anything even remotely suggestive.

And still, it was enough.

If he didn’t leave now, there would be no reasonable explanation for what was happening to him,

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Chapter 165 A Close Call

Finished

“I’m really sorry,” he said again. “This call actually matters.”

“But I just need a few more minutes…”

Quinn hesitated, clearly reluctant to stop halfway.

Right then, Adele stepped out and saw Julian already dressed. “Finished already?”

“Not quite,” Julian said. “Something urgent came up. If it’s okay, just give her my measurements so she doesn’t have to finish.”

A

Before either of them could respond, he turned and walked out quickly.

Adele watched him leave, puzzled but not suspicious, assuming he really had something pressing.

She turned back to Quinn. “Well, if he’s fine with that, it makes things easier. I’ve got all his measurements on file. I’ll pull them for you.”

Quinn finally relaxed, letting out a quiet breath.

Honestly, if Julian had just handed those over earlier, she wouldn’t have had to spend so long working herself up for this.

Still, she felt like she had pushed past that mental hurdle.

It had been uncomfortable at first, but once she focused, everything else faded into the background.

If he hadn’t suddenly left, she would’ve finished smoothly.

Adele glanced at her. “So, what are you thinking design–wise?”

Quinn shook her head. “Nothing specific yet. He mostly wears tailored suits, so I figured I’d stick with something along those lines.”

Adele smiled, clearly amused. “That’s safe, but not very exciting. Why not try something he wouldn’t normally wear? The holidays are coming up, maybe something with a fresh, modern edge.”

Quinn hesitated. “Do you think he’d actually wear something like that? I mean, he agreed to let me design something, but that doesn’t mean he’ll put it on.”

Adele chuckled. “You never know. And even if he doesn’t, that’s his loss. Think about it, how often do you get someone like him to showcase your work? Don’t you want to see what your design looks like on him?”

There was no denying it, it would look incredible.

With Julian’s build, he could make anything look good, even something off a clearance rack.

Quinn felt her resolve waver.

If something she designed ended up on him, that would be something she could genuinely be proud of.

On the surface, it looked like she was doing this as a thank–you, maybe even as an apology.

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Chapter 165 A Close Call

Finished

But deep down, she knew this opportunity itself was rare.

Not just anyone got to design clothes for Julian.

Most of what he wore came from legacy ateliers with decades, even generations of history behind them, places that catered to elite clients.

She wasn’t even in the same league.

“I’ll sketch a few ideas first,” Quinn said. “I’ll show him, and if he likes it, I’ll move forward.”

She opened her bag as she spoke. “I actually drafted a few earlier. Adele, could you take a look…

Her hand froze mid–motion.

The sketchbook. Ever since Julian had seen it last time, she had started carrying it everywhere.

But now she couldn’t take it out. Too many pages inside were filled with sketches of him.

If Adele flipped to the wrong one, there would be no explaining it.

Adele noticed her pause. “What happened? Weren’t you going to show me?”

“I… left them at home,” Quinn said quickly, her cheeks warming. “I’ll take pictures and send them to you later.”

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12:14 pm

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Ditched the Cheater, Pregnant by My Mr. Right