He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 993

Scarlett thought back to the hysterical, broken woman she used to be, a wave of surrealism washing over her. "Environment really does shape a person. I used to be so irritable, so prone to snapping. Now... I can barely even remember what that kind of rage feels like."

Julian smiled warmly, pulling her closer against his chest. "When people are truly happy, they tend to forget the darkness of the past. I'm just honored to be the one giving you that happiness."

Their fingers naturally intertwined. Just as Scarlett looked up, Julian leaned down. The moment their eyes met, a quiet, undeniable tenderness flowed between them, and their lips seamlessly found each other.

They had forgotten to close the bedroom door.

Just then, little Dawn, who had recently learned to walk, toddled into the room on unsteady legs. She caught them right in the middle of their kiss. The toddler instantly slapped her hands over her mouth, giggling as she pointed a tiny finger at them. "Daddy, Mommy, kissing!"

Jacqueline and Zara had followed right behind the little girl. Hearing Dawn's sweet, clumsy words, the two older women burst into laughter.

Scarlett's face instantly flushed hot, and she instinctively tried to stand up to scoop the child into her arms.

But Julian beat her to it, effortlessly lifting the toddler off the floor with a bright grin. "Dawn, who taught you to say that? You're so smart, learning new words every single day!"

Dawn absolutely adored Julian. She immediately threw her little arms around his neck, her big eyes crinkling into happy little crescents as she giggled.

Zara chimed in with a warm smile. "She really is a bright one. Her vocabulary gets better every day, and she enunciates so clearly. I've never seen a toddler learn this fast."

Jacqueline beamed with pride. "Well, of course. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but this one is even sweeter. Scarlett didn't start talking until she was almost two and a half. I was worried sick back then, thinking I had given birth to a mute!"

Just as she was agonizing over it, Jacqueline's phone suddenly rang.

"Ms. Langley, there's an older gentleman in the lobby of La Belle Nuit," the manager reported. "He's demanding to see you, claiming the two of you go way back."

Jacqueline frowned. "Older gentleman? What does he look like? Snap a picture and send it to me."

"Right away, ma'am."

A moment later, the photo came through. The second Jacqueline opened the image, the color completely drained from her face. It was as if she had just seen a ghost. She stumbled backward in horror, her entire body breaking out into an uncontrollable tremble.