The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 316

Walking out of her godparents' home, Jocelyn felt a lingering wave of guilt.

She hadn't told Julian that the baby wasn't Adrian's.

He had treated her with nothing but sincerity, yet she had been hiding things from him. It felt wrong.

But the reality of the situation was just too...

Unable to hold it in, she spoke up.

"I'm sorry."

Julian stopped walking, his expression perfectly calm.

"Hm? What are you apologizing for?"

"I shouldn't have kept that from you."

"You were right to keep it a secret," Julian replied smoothly. "It's a massive complication. The fewer people who know, the safer you are."

Jocelyn breathed a sigh of relief.

He was so incredibly rational and forgiving. It was impossible not to admire him.

"You were quiet for so long, I thought you were mad at me."

Julian's lips curved upward.

"You seem to care a lot about whether I'm mad or not."

"Of course I do," she blurted out. "I don't want you to be mad."

"Why?"

"Because..."

Meeting his intense, simmering gaze, Jocelyn's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

"Because... we're friends. Good friends shouldn't want each other to be upset."

A flicker of something unreadable flashed through Julian's eyes.

"Right. Friends..."

They reached the parking garage and were about to go their separate ways.

Julian hesitated for a second before speaking.

"Have you ever thought about..."

Jocelyn looked at him curiously.

It was rare to see him hesitate. She offered a soft smile.

"What is it? What were you going to say?"

"Have you ever thought about telling the baby's biological father?"

Jocelyn stared at him, her gaze freezing for a few seconds.

"I have. But..."

She gave a bittersweet smile.

"If I told him, it might completely ruin his life. Using his sample by mistake is already an unforgivable intrusion."

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"If Liam Bancroft said something like that, I'd roll my eyes and call him a smooth-talking liar. But hearing it from you..."

"What about hearing it from me?"

Her eyes danced with warmth.

"When you say it, it just sounds like the honest truth."

They both chuckled.

Julian's phone suddenly rang.

After he hung up, his smile faded into a serious line.

"I have a situation I need to handle."

"Go take care of it," Jocelyn urged. "I should get home anyway before Maria starts worrying."

"Alright. Drive safe."

They parted ways in the underground garage.

Once she was in her car, Jocelyn carefully placed the emerald bangle back into its wooden box and tucked it safely into her bag.

Compared to the gold and jewelry her father had left her, its monetary value was a fraction.

But its emotional meaning was priceless.

Before her car even made it out of the neighborhood, a black SUV suddenly swerved out of nowhere, cutting her off and blocking the road entirely.