The Villainess Needs a Hug (Ivy Windsor) novel Chapter 986

Julian smiled, gesturing gracefully, and the two walked out of the hospital room together.

At the gallery, it became obvious that Julian was quite the art connoisseur. He had an extensive understanding of many famous pieces and spoke highly of the current exhibition.

Katrina found the whole thing incredibly dull, but forcing herself to look fascinated and pretend she understood was thoroughly exhausting.

By the time they sat down for lunch, she looked visibly drained.

Julian poured her some tea, glanced at her, and chuckled. "You have the best temper of any girl I've ever met."

"Huh?" Katrina was taken aback. "I have the best temper?"

She had never considered herself even remotely even-tempered.

She was a law student whose ultimate dream was to become a high-powered attorney.

What successful lawyer ever had a "good temper"?

Not only could they not afford to be nice, but they had to look intimidating to give their clients a sense of security and project an overpowering dominance in the courtroom.

Yet the man sitting across from her was calling her incredibly even-tempered.

"Absolutely. You obviously had zero interest in the exhibition, but you still patiently walked through the entire gallery with me. I'm sure all the details I was explaining bored you to tears, but you kept listening as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world."

Katrina didn't quite know how to respond to that.

So that was why he thought she had a good temper.

Wasn't that just basic social decency?

"I've actually been to a few galleries before, but always to support my best friend. She's fairly well-known in the industry and has won awards for her pieces. But I honestly don't understand Western art at all."

Katrina's greatest virtue was her raw honesty.

But on second thought, this was exactly what arranged setups were supposed to be like—lay everything out in the open without beating around the bush.

If the terms were clear and both parties were satisfied, they could speed straight into wedding planning.

And time was a luxury she didn't have. More accurately, it was a luxury her mother didn't have.

She needed to get down to business with Julian as fast as possible. If it was a yes, they'd get married immediately; if it was a no, she had to find someone else.

Katrina had been pressured by the Lester family into countless blind dates in the past, so she knew this drill inside and out.

Since that was the case, there was no point in playing coy.

After a brief silence, she composed herself, looked him straight in the eye, and laid it out. "I just got out of a relationship, and to be perfectly honest, I don't have the emotional energy to fall in love with someone new anytime soon. But my mom's condition is deteriorating rapidly. The doctors say she might only have a few months left. Her biggest worry is me. She wants to see me married, to know I have a family and a stable future. So, as long as the guy is decent and doesn't mind my current emotional state, I am fully willing to do exactly what my mother wants."

The underlying message was clear: she was ready to accept this sudden, arranged marriage.