Ditched the Cheater, Pregnant by Mr. Righ novel Chapter 167

Chapter 167 The One She Keeps

Finished

The heaviness in Quinn’s chest eased just enough for her to breathe a little easier, like she had finally come up for air after being underwater too long.

The guy from back then had a similar build to Chase, same height, same frame, but he had been wearing a mask, and the alley lighting was so poor she never got a clear look at his face.

Still, every time she convinced herself she liked Chase, her mind would wander back to that night without fail.

That narrow alley.

That thin, quiet silhouette of a teenage boy.

And the hand he reached out to her.

Chase had always felt close to that memory, close enough that she let herself blur the two together.

Five years had passed before she even realized it.

And somehow, she still thought about that boy.

She knew, sooner or later, he would become something fixed in her memory, like a star you never forget once you’ve noticed it.

Chase, on the other hand, was already on his way out of her life. But that boy would stay.

He would remain exactly where he was, quietly warming a corner of her heart. It didn’t make sense when she tried to explain it.

They had only met once. He had only helped her for a moment.

But to Quinn, it had felt like someone tossing a life preserver to a person seconds from drowning.

Maybe to him, it had been nothing, just a small act he forgot the same night.

But to her, it mattered more than anything.

Just like right now. She looked up at the night sky, but the clouds were too thick, not a single star visible.

And yet, in her mind, she saw Julian’s eyes.

Clear, sharp, impossible to ignore. Maybe, just like that boy, Julian was never meant to stay in her life.

Someone like him, that bright, that far out of reach, wasn’t the kind of person who stopped for someone

like her.

He belonged somewhere higher.

And she was just trying to stay afloat where she was.

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Chapter 167 The One She Keeps

They weren’t even in the same world.

Finished

Maybe someone like Clara, with the kind of background she had, was the one who actually belonged next to him.

Her phone buzzed, pulling her back. Quinn blinked, her thoughts snapping apart.

What am I even thinking….

Why does everything keep circling back to Julian?

“No. Enough.”

She shook her head, forcing herself out of it, then pulled her gaze away from the window.

That was when she noticed the sketch on her desk again.

It was only a rough figure, no face, no details.

But she knew exactly who it was supposed to be.

Julian.

Because the proportions were too precise, too balanced, almost annoyingly perfect.

Before she could second–guess herself, she tore the page out, crumpled it, and threw it straight into the trash.

A knock came at the door.

Quinn quickly shoved her notebook aside before going to open it.

“Quinn, I’m back!”

Lucy stepped in, cheeks flushed, clearly a little tipsy.

“You okay?” Quinn asked. “You didn’t overdo it, right?”

“I’m fine,” Lucy said with a grin, dropping onto the couch by the bed. “Hey, I’ve got something to show you.”

“What is it?”

“Okay, look.”

Lucy pushed her sleeve up, revealing her wrist.

A diamond bracelet caught the light and shimmered with every small movement.

“Tell me this isn’t gorgeous,” she said, holding it closer.

Quinn leaned in and nodded. “It really is. The design’s clean but still eye–catching, and it actually makes you look more lively.”

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Chapter 167 The One She Keeps

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“Right?” Lucy beamed. “Julian had someone send it over.”

Quinn paused for half a second, then said, “From that collection we saw before?”

“Yeah,” Lucy said, sitting up. “Remember when we checked out his jewelry archive? I told you I liked one of the bracelets.”

“I remember.”

“I wanted that one so bad,” Lucy said, “but everything in his collection is basically impossible to get now. It’s not even about price, most of it’s discontinued. So he had this one sourced overseas as a gift. Shipping got delayed, though, so it just got here today.”

Quinn smiled. “It was worth the wait.”

“I love it.” Lucy said, then lowered her voice. “Honestly, he’s been really nice to me lately, and it’s kind of throwing me off.”

She leaned closer. “That’s actually why I came over. What should I get him?”

Quinn thought for a moment. “Something he actually likes. That’s usually the safest choice.”

Lucy frowned. “That’s the problem. I don’t even know what he likes. He doesn’t seem to care about anything.”

She paused, then added, “Do watches count? I’m pretty sure he has an entire room full of them.”

Before Quinn could respond, Lucy made a face. “Yeah, never mind. I’m not buying a watch.”

“You don’t have to buy something expensive,” Quinn said. “You could make something. Clothes, accessories, something practical.”

Lucy shook her head immediately. “Julian wouldn’t use it. Everything he wears is styled for him.”

Quinn nodded lightly. “Got it.”

Lucy sighed and leaned back. “Honestly, his life is kind of repetitive. Work, home, work, home.”

Not exactly. Didn’t Clara post about him going out the other night?

But she didn’t say it out loud.

“He’s like one of those really rigid, old–school types,” Lucy continued. “Cold, distant, no fun at all. If Clara actually marries him, she’s going to be bored out of her mind.”

Quinn said quietly, “He treats you really well. I think he’d treat his wife well too.”

“That’s different,” Lucy said, shaking her head. “We’re family. That’s not the same as those strategic marriages. Those are all about appearances.”

She shrugged. “Although Clara clearly likes him. I just don’t know if he likes her back. If he does, then yeah, that changes things.”

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Chapter 167 The One She Keeps