Second Marriage The Billionaire's Planned Love (Quinn and Julian) novel Chapter 263

Chapter 263 Her Heart Laid Bare

The hand he’d just held was warm, a sharp contrast to her other, freezing cold hand.

Despite the bitter cold of the winter night, Quinn’s cheeks were faintly flushed.

Somewhere deep in her chest, she felt warm too.

Finished

Julian didn’t want her to trip again, but she wouldn’t let him hold her hand. So he walked just behind and to her side, close enough to catch her in one step if she stumbled.

Luckily, the alley wasn’t long, and they reached his car quickly.

“Want to go anywhere else?” Julian asked.

“I should head back. I’m worried about Lucy being home alone.”

Julian sounded faintly jealous. “You care about her a lot.”

“Lucy’s… she was my only friend in college,” Quinn said.

“Your only one?” Julian sounded surprised. “How come?”

He didn’t think Lucy-

was so charming that Quinn would choose no one else but her.

Quinn wasn’t sure what had gotten into her, but right then, she had a strong urge to talk.

Maybe it was how quiet it was by the alley, or how gentle Julian’s eyes looked.

After a short pause, she spoke softly, “When I was really little… I grew up in an orphanage.”

She told him everything about her childhood, all the things she’d never been able to say out loud–not even to Lucy.

But now, she wanted to tell him everything.

It was as if someone who’d been holding in pain for years had finally found someone to listen.

Some time passed, and the car fell silent.

Quinn was crying freely, tears streaming down her face.

Julian stared at her with his deep eyes, and after a long moment, he asked quietly, “Can… can I hug you?”

For the first time, Quinn didn’t hold back her feelings. Sobbing, she threw herself into his arms.

“Easier to climb up than down,” he teased. “If you wanna get off, say something nice to me first.”

Quinn’s whole body felt hot as his hands rested gently around her waist.

“Please don’t do this…”

The position was way too humiliating.

She’d been so caught up in her sadness that she hadn’t even noticed when he lifted her into his lap.

If she hadn’t been crying, she never would’ve ended up like this.

“Do what?” Julian said. “You’re already here. What’s the difference between five more minutes and ten?”

Quinn was utterly mortified. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him, her head hanging almost to her chest.

Julian had only teased her to cheer her up, to distract her from the pain she’d just poured out.

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