Status and power no longer meant anything to Julian. All that he had left was the burden resting on his shoulders.
He pulled out a box of cigarettes from the drawer, taking one out and putting it between his lips. His hands trembled as he lit the cigarette, but he didn't mind them. He took a deep drag, and the cigarette smoke seemed to cloud his dark gaze.
Someone knocked on the study door before entering, startling Julian. He snapped, "Who's there?"
It was Esther. She looked at him and said, "It's me."
He relaxed and leaned back, sighing softly. "It's you. Why are you here so late?"
She approached him and started tidying his desk. "I just got off work and came to check on things because I was worried. Sure enough, here you are, still busy."
Her fingers brushed against his journal, and she almost broke down. She shut it gently, not daring to look at it.
After some thought, she said, "Your body can't handle such exertion anymore—Dr. Somner said that you need to get proper rest. You're only going to wear yourself out by working around the clock like this."
Julian smiled bitterly. He got up and headed to the floor-to-ceiling windows, standing there as he looked out at the silent night.
After a while, he said softly, "I'm worried about things being too hard for Willow. This is a burden she'll have to bear until the children are of age; there's no one better than her for the job. Things at Nebula seem fine, but we know there's a storm brewing underneath.
"Dexter can't control them, and he has a bad track record. Willow is the only one who can do it. It won't be easy for her to take over after giving birth, so I have to pave the path for her. I have to make sure things are smooth sailing for her for at least the next two years. As for the future… I'm sure she can handle it just fine. I know her."
Toward the end of his sentence, a hint of pride tinged his sorrowful tone. Perhaps his love for Willow had never just been based on his adoration of her looks and personality—it also came from his admiration of her capabilities.
He plopped onto the desk and grabbed something at random, playing with it. After a while, he frowned and looked at the prescription bottle he held. What the hell was that?
He scrutinized it for a couple of minutes before looking up and meeting Julian's gaze. His voice was hoarse and shook slightly as he asked, "You're putting on an act to trick me again, aren't you? Do you think I'll fall for it?
"Why would you need to take medication when you're perfectly fine? Is this part of your scheme again? Talk to me!" He even lunged forward to grab Julian by the collar, his face twisting in anger.
Julian was much calmer in comparison. He looked into Dexter's eyes and said softly, "That's my medication, and I need it to keep my condition under control. It's not really working anymore, though.
"We've competed against each other since childhood, and I never would've imagined I'd one day have to leave my wife and children in your care. To tell the truth, I can't think of anyone else who can stay with Willow and Nebula for a long, long time."
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