"What do you mean by being your woman?" Lunessa asked.
She shifted in her seat and turned to look at Julian, her fingers gripping the edge of the door.
"Ah… it's not that deep," Julian replied lightly, eyes fixed ahead.
Her brows knit together. "Then explain it."
He sighed, as if the question itself was mildly inconvenient.
"It means what it sounds like," Julian said. "You stay by my side when needed. You don't contradict me in public. You don't create unnecessary trouble."
"And in return?" Lunessa pressed.
He glanced at her briefly. "You get what you asked for."
"A house?" she asked.
"More than that," Julian replied. "You could ask for anything."
"Anything?" Lunessa echoed, swallowing hard.
"Hm… Anything." He leaned closer, his voice low. "And you know the deal. This is a win-win situation."
Her throat tightened.
For a moment, she said nothing.
"If I can ask for anything…" Lunessa said quietly.
She lifted her head and met his gaze, eyes steady despite the tremor in her chest.
"Can you save my sister?"
The car went silent.
Julian stopped leaning forward. "I'm not a doctor."
"I mean... she needs urgent surgery—"
"Deal," he cut in immediately. "Pushing up a surgery is easy."
Her breath caught.
"So," he continued, voice lower now, "what do I get in return?"
Before she could answer, his hand slid to her waist and pulled her closer, firm and unyielding.
Lunessa stiffened.
"This isn't about affection," Julian said quietly. "And it's not about love. Just to be clear."
His gaze dropped for a brief second before returning to her face.
"I have needs," he continued. "Ones I've ignored for a very long time."
Her throat went dry.
"And my doctors," he added calmly, "are tired of pretending it's healthy."
She stared at him, stunned.
"You're saying—"
"I'm saying," Julian interrupted, "you would be fulfilling my needs."
The words settled slowly.
Lunessa's fingers curled in her lap. "You talk about it like it's a prescription."
Julian didn't deny it.
"For me," he said evenly, "it might as well be."
She laughed once, short and breathless. "So what? I'm… a treatment?"
"You're a choice," Julian corrected. "One you made the moment you asked for something that I could give."
Silence filled the car again.
Her pulse thudded loudly in her ears.
"And if I say no?" she asked quietly.
Julian met her gaze without hesitation.
"I lose nothing," he replied evenly. "Just the trouble of finding another gold digger."
His eyes lowered to her, slow and deliberate. "One who's willing to comply."
The words hit harder than any raised voice.
Lunessa's jaw tightened. "You really know how to make a woman feel replaceable."
Julian didn't deny it.
"Well, you know," he said calmly, "women are replaceable—ah, no." He paused, then corrected himself, locking his gaze onto hers. "You know how the population is these days. A thousand women to one man."
He loosened his grip around her waist slightly and continued, almost casually, "And our country happens to be the worst case."
Lunessa scoffed. "What a great excuse for a man," she shot back. "Isn't it?"
Julian's lips curved faintly, not in amusement, but acknowledgment.
"An excuse?" he repeated. "No. An explanation."
He leaned back in his seat. "I didn't create the imbalance. I just live in it."
She turned fully toward him now. "And you think that gives you the right to talk like that?"
"No," Julian replied evenly. "It gives me leverage."
The word hung heavy between them.
Lunessa laughed once, sharp and humorless. "So this is how you justify it. Numbers. Statistics. Ratios."
Julian met her gaze without flinching. "This is how the world already works," he said. "I'm just not pretending otherwise."
Her fingers curled slowly in her lap.
"Then don't pretend you're better than the men who use it," she said quietly.
"Hm." Julian's lips curved. "I'm not pretending." He leaned in, voice low. "I enjoy the advantages."
Before she could react, his hand slid to her waist and lifted her onto his lap in one smooth motion. The sudden shift stole her breath.
"What are you doing—" she gasped, palms bracing against his chest.
"Now," he said calmly, eyes locked onto hers, "give me your answer."
His grip tightened just enough to remind her she couldn't simply stand up and walk away. "I don't have all the time in the world."
The car felt too small at that moment.
Lunessa stared at him with her heart pounding, every instinct screaming at her to choose, not what she wanted but what she was willing to pay.
She breathed hard, "If I say no, you won't make it hard, right?"
He tilted his head and leaned closer to her lips.
"By making it hard?" he murmured.
Lunessa leaned back instinctively, but he was faster, his hand came up to hold the back of her head, stopping her retreat.
"I—I mean," she said quickly, breath uneven, "you won't make it hard for my sister, right?"
His breath brushed dangerously close to her lips.
For a split second, his eyes darkened.
"You just gave me an idea," Julian said softly.
A smile tugged at his lips, slow and unreadable.
Before she could ask what he meant, the car came to a sudden stop.
"Get out," Julian said calmly.
And the car door opened.
The assistant and the driver stepped out without a word, closing the doors behind them.
Silence.
Julian loosened his grip, just slightly, enough to make her feel it.
"Now," he said quietly, eyes still fixed on her, "let's talk."
She pushed him away immediately, as she sensed the danger, "I think I will reject your deal, Mr. Julian…"
"You think?" he echoed.
His hand was still firm around her waist, anchoring her in place.
"Honestly," Julian continued calmly, studying her face, "I don't know why…" He paused, then smirked faintly. "But consider yourself lucky."
Her breath caught. "Lucky?"
"Yes," he said. "Because the moment I locked eyes on you…"
His gaze lingered, slow and assessing.
"I had the feeling this was going to be interesting."
The word sent a chill down her spine.
"To be honest," Lunessa said quickly, forcing steadiness into her voice, "there's nothing interesting about me. So yes—let's stop here. I won't ask for a house or anything…"
She tried to wriggle free.
Julian moved faster.
He pushed her back against the seat and pinned her down, one hand braced beside her head, the other pressing her shoulder down just enough to stop her escape.
Her breath caught.
"Too late," he said quietly.
Her heart hammered. "Let me go."
"I warned you," Julian continued, his voice low and controlled. "The first time I let you walk away, I told you not to put yourself in front of me again."
He leaned closer, close enough that she could feel his presence without him touching her any more than he already was.
"Because the next time," he said calmly, "I wouldn't be so generous."
Lunessa clenched her fists, refusing to look away. "You don't own me."
"You owe me," he replied with a smile. He stretched out his hand and rolled down the window slightly. "See that building?" He nodded toward the skyline. "The penthouse on the top floor… I've already transferred it to you."
Lunessa looked up sharply. "You're lying. How could you do that in less than an hour?"
Then she looked back at him, who was above her.
"Money," he said lightly, arching a brow. "It can do anything."
His gaze lingered, slow and deliberate.
"So, Miss Lunessa," he continued, "where? Right here in the car, if you like thrilling things…"
"Or in the house," he added calmly, "for something more… proper."
"You're crazy!"