The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 153

Liam was definitely channeling Sarah's energy.

"Julian."

A soft female voice, carrying a distinct Austin accent, echoed through the phone.

Knowing when to make an exit, Liam said, "I'll let you go."

"I'm flying back tomorrow," Julian noted before hanging up.

"That fast? Take a breather. I've got things covered on this end, don't worry."

"I have a critical strategy meeting tomorrow with the new dev team. It's about the system architecture."

Liam suddenly remembered something and flashed a wicked grin.

"Oh right, my girl Sarah just got hired at your place. Do me a favor, will you?"

"What is it?"

"Work her into the ground."

"..."

Hailey Preston rolled into the room in her wheelchair.

"Are you really leaving tomorrow?"

Julian slipped his phone into his pocket. "Yes."

"So soon?"

"There's a situation at the company."

Hailey reached out her hand. "Can you help me?"

She had just returned from the bathroom. Since Julian wasn't exactly comfortable helping her in there, she had a nurse assist her.

At this point, she suddenly realized that the distance between her and Julian felt infinitely wider than she wanted to admit.

She had expected Julian to scoop her up and carry her to the bed.

Instead, he simply gripped her forearm and stabilized her while she awkwardly shifted herself onto the mattress...

Hailey didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Julian, we're engaged. Are we really still worried about crossing physical boundaries?"

Julian's face remained impassive, offering zero hints to his emotional state.

But his response was ruthlessly honest.

"I'm just not used to it."

Hailey understood the subtext perfectly.

They had been engaged for three years, but they were barely even friends.

Meanwhile, back home, winter had already set in, the coastal winds turning the evenings bitterly cold.

A stark image suddenly flashed in his mind.

A solitary figure sitting by the floor-to-ceiling windows at The Astoria, staring out into the night, lost in thought.

Hailey watched the sharp, tailored lines of his back, bathed in the golden hour sunlight. It was like looking at a masterpiece.

Spraining her ankle had been an accident.

But the fact that he actually flew out to see her was an absolute shock.

However, Hailey knew deep down that Julian hadn't come of his own free will.

"Julian, did my dad force you to come see me? Are you upset?"

Julian snapped out of his thoughts and turned around.

"No. It's only right that I check on you."

"I was planning on flying out to see you in a few days," Hailey sighed. "Looks like I'll be stuck here for another month."

"There's no rush. Focus on healing your ankle."

Hailey hesitated for a moment before taking a leap of faith.

"Could you delay your flight? Just stay one more day with me?"