Reborn to Dodge the Bad Marriage novel Chapter 22

Chapter 22 Artificial Sweetener

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Olivia came in and stopped in front of Julian with a soft smile. “I waited at home for you last night. You never came back, so I came along with your grandmother to check on you.”

Nora, halfway through her lipstick, raised an eyebrow at that.

That was a very suggestive thing to say.

A woman waiting at home for a man. What exactly is that supposed to sound like?

Julian’s brows came down as well.

Before he could speak, Olivia appeared to notice Nora for the first time, freshly made up, and asked him softly, “Julian, is this a new secretary from the office?”

By then Nora had crossed the room to stand in front of him.

Olivia stayed exactly where she was at Julian’s side, smiling with perfect composure, out a hand. “Hello there. I’m Olivia Blithe. Julian and I grew up together.”

and

put

Standing at his side like that staked a claim, and the words underneath it pointed at a childhood closeness she wanted everyone in the room to hear.

Nora clicked her tongue and raised an eyebrow. “You are sweet. Artificially so. I’ve never cared for the taste.”

That was Nora calling Olivia a fake to her face.

Olivia’s expression shifted, and the soft smile held. “You don’t have to care for it. Julian only ever takes his sweet.”

Nora turned her head toward Julian and raised her brows at him.

If he really does like it sweet, I’m definitely not saving him.

Julian frowned, moved to stand beside Nora, and told Olivia flatly, “Olivia, she isn’t my secretary. She’s my wife. Her name is Nora Sinclair.”

Then he turned to Nora. “This is Olivia Blithe. Her grandmother is the Dr. Blithe I told you about. Dr. Blithe came often to treat me and Olivia came with her, so we saw a great deal of each other growing up.”

The explanation landed like a slap nobody had to witness, and the color went out of Olivia’s face.

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Chapter 22 Artificial Sweetener

Nora made a small sound. “So do you like it sweet?”

Julian caught on fast that she was asking about a good deal more than taste.

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He answered her. “No. I don’t like sweet things, and I particularly dislike the artificial kind.”

Slapped a second time, Olivia laughed it off awkwardly. “I must have misremembered.”

She lifted her eyes to his. “I’ll remember what you like from now on. I won’t get it wrong again.”

His frown deepened and the refusal came out mild. “There’s no need. Nora knowing what I like is enough.”

Olivia went paler still, and the gentle smile turned toward Nora. “Then I’ll leave Julian in your hands, Miss Sinclair.”

Nora had not planned to take issue with her at all. They were meeting for the first time, she had no read on her yet, and there was nothing between them worth pursuing.

But every sentence out of Olivia came coated in that same manufactured sweetness, and every one of them was aimed at needling her and turning her stomach.

So Nora stopped being polite.

Nora smiled at her. “I don’t hand Julian off to anyone, so there’s no need for you to worry about it, Miss Blithe. And one more thing.”

She paused and raised her brows. “If you really have this much time on your hands, you do commercials for artificial sweetener. It would sell out worldwide.”

should

The point was that the fakeness came off Olivia strongly enough now for the whole world to taste it.

Olivia’s expression turned genuinely ugly.

Julian felt the exchange running between them and moved another step closer to Nora before he spoke. “Nora and I are getting married. You can call her Mrs. Weston.”

Olivia’s hands closed into fists and the smile came out forced. “You’re not actually my brother, so I can’t call her family. Mrs. Weston is too distant. Can I just call her Nora?”

Julian looked down at Nora. “That’s her call.”

Nora nodded and let out a quiet yes. What she wanted was his position on it, and his position was sound, which settled the matter.

He saw her expression ease and asked, “Are you ready? Can we go down?”

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Chapter 22 Artificial Sweetener

“Grab my bag and let’s go.”

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Julian turned back for her bag, handed it over, collected the rest of the bags full of clothes and jewelry, and found his assistant Miles Rowan waiting at the door.

“Take these to the Sinclair house.”

Olivia took one look and saw designer labels on all of it, and the packaging suggested limited

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