Chapter 215 The Pleas Of A Child 

At that moment, Julius sounded like a helpless child. 

Quinn suddenly recalled her afternoon conversation with Fabian. 

Could the lingering perfume still be triggering him? Is he trapped inside that nightmare again, not yet truly awake? 

Quinn softened her voice, “Julius, let go of my wrist first so I can find a doctor to take a look at you.” 

“No. I won’t let go. You’ll leave me. All of you will leave me…” he murmured. Montague had left him, Arlene had left him, and even the people who swore all day they loved him eventually left as well. 

“A useless tool doesn’t deserve to exist!” His father’s voice kept echoing beside his ear. 

<Maybe they abandoned me again and again because I really am nothing but a useless tool.> 

Quinn stared at Julius’s striking face, now contorted and broken. He had clearly been born a golden boy who should have possessed everything, yet at this moment he made her ache with pity–and seethe with rage. Back when she punched his father, she truly should have hit the man harder. 

“Julius, I am not leaving you–do you hear me? I will never leave you. Never!” 

She repeated that promise over and over, tirelessly. 

His lashes trembled, as though he had finally heard her. At last a focal point returned to those dark phoenix eyes. 

“Quinn…” He stared blankly at her, gradually surfacing from the haze. “Did I lose control just now?” 

“No. You only gripped my wrist–you did nothing else and you never hurt me,” Quinn answered. 

His gaze drifted upward to her wrist, still locked inside his fingers. 

Reason told him to release her, yet he dreaded that once he opened his hand, he might never catch her again. 

“I’m not leaving, Julius. You’re my boyfriend now,” she whispered beside his ear. 

He shuddered, then slowly unclenched his hand. 

Freed, Quinn did not push him away. Instead, she wrapped both arms around his waist. “You were having a nightmare, right? Don’t be scared–I’m here. And the next time I see your father, I’ll punch him again.” 

Stunned, Julius lowered his eyes, and then gave a faint smile. “Yes… you’re here.” 

The nightmare had been nothing but darkness, blood, and silhouettes walking away. He reached for them, yet they never looked back. Only when her voice seeped into his ears did he feel alive again. 

“Quinn…” Exhausted, he buried his head against the curve of her shoulder. “Thank you for staying. As long as you’re here, I’m not afraid of anything.” 

The only thing I fear is you leaving me. 

“So you must keep your word–never abandon me,” he murmured, the vow drifting through the air like the deepest covenant. 

1/2 

The next day Julius was discharged; his body was already fine. 

His first order to Fabian was, “Trace the source of the perfume Marley used, then destroy every bottle. And if the Bridger family insists on keeping Marley at Bridger Group, Whitethorn Group will end all cooperation with them.” 

Naturally, the Bridgers would not offend Julius over Marley. This meant Marley would lose all standing in her own family. 

“Have you seen a therapist about your reaction to that perfume?” Quinn asked. 

“I did. I thought I was cured. Apparently not.” Julius sighed. “I must have looked awful out of control.” 

“Not awful. But I don’t want the past to keep harming you,” Quinn said. “I’ll stay with you.” 

“Alright.” He accepted quietly. 

She would never know how deeply every one of her sentences affected him. 

On the third day, Quinn, Julius, and Harlan flew back to Jexburgh. 

Laura met them at the airport and almost whistled at the sight–her best friend flanked by two men every woman normally chased after. Too many handsome men, too little personal capacity; what a bittersweet dilemma. 

“How about dinner first?” Laura suggested. It was already near six in the evening. 

“Dinner sounds good,” Quinn agreed, and the two men had no objections. 

The four of them entered a restaurant, drawing immediate attention. 

Julius and Harlan, in particular, walked through a gauntlet of admiring female gazes. 

They sat and ordered, and dishes soon arrived one after another. 

Just after Quinn swallowed a bite of fish, she suddenly covered her mouth. 

“What’s wrong?” Laura asked, worried. 

“A little queasy–maybe my old stomach issue is-” Quinn’s words stopped as her friend blurted out the 

next line. 

“Queasy? Don’t tell me you’re… pregnant?” 

Yes, Laura actually said that. 

Clatter! Harlan’s chopsticks hit the floor, his expression frozen in shock. 

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