He Wanted Practice, I Found Better

I closed the diary. I looked up at the man standing not far away. Julian, who usually never talked to other girls, had actually turned his head to talk to the girl next to him. Even though his expression was cold, every time she spoke, he replied. I almost laughed out of sheer anger. So, the only reason Julian Sterling had rejected me so many times was because my stepsister, Tessa, told him he was inexperienced? And he actually planned to find another woman to practice with? I took a deep breath and decided to go talk to him. To be honest, I was very satisfied with Julian in every other aspect. He was gorgeous, had a great body, came from a prestigious family, and was always attentive. My family had originally scouted an arranged marriage partner for me, but because of Julian, I had repeatedly refused to meet that guy. My parents figured that since the Sterling family was also incredibly powerful, they let me have my free will in dating. But I was at the age where marriage was on the table. Julian kept refusing to take the final step with me. I couldn't help but wonder if he had some medical issue or some deep-seated psychological trauma. But he never talked to me about it. Just when I was about to give up on him, I found this diary. It was fine. This was still salvageable! So what if he was inexperienced? I would teach him myself. Having him shaped by my own hands was exactly what I wanted. I walked over to Julian. He lifted his dark eyes. His fingers twitched slightly before he took my hand and pulled me down to sit beside him. I glanced at the girl next to him. She smiled at me. "What are you guys talking about?" I asked. The girl grinned. "It's a secret~ You should ask Julian. See if he's willing to tell you." I looked at Julian. He said, "Nothing." Then, he gripped my hand tighter and pulled me even closer to his side. Smelling the faint scent of cedarwood on him, my anger softened slightly. I whispered, "I need to talk to you." Hearing this, Julian pulled me over to a quieter corner. He was breathtakingly handsome, with a high nose bridge. When he looked down at me, his dark eyes were completely focused and sincere. My aching, angry heart softened even more. I chose my words carefully. "Tessa came back for her break recently. She hasn't been bothering you, has she?" Julian replied, "No." I frowned. While I was lost in thought, he rested his chin on my shoulder. Julian whispered, "I love you." I sighed. "I love you too." Under the light, I could see the tips of his ears turning red again. Every time we got a little intimate, he would react this way. I stared at him for a long moment. My negative emotions evaporated, and I teased him just like I used to. "Why are you blushing again, babe?" Julian's Adam's apple bobbed. He locked his fingers with mine. Whatever, I thought helplessly. I just wouldn't bring Julian to any family dinners in the future. As long as he and Tessa didn't meet, his mind couldn't be poisoned by her, right?

But the very next day. I saw an unexpected figure right next to Julian. He and Tessa were standing together, whispering about something. I didn't expect them to meet in private. Tessa was smiling, her eyes crinkled, seemingly teasing him. I had clearly told Julian before that I despised my stepsister. She had loved stealing my things since we were kids. But Julian had always been extremely cold to her in the past, making her look foolish multiple times, so I had let my guard down. I stayed silent, quietly taking a few steps closer to them. I heard their voices. Tessa laughed, her tone confident. "You'll definitely give her a terrible experience, and you'll completely ruin your perfect image in her mind." "..." "I know Vivian. She will definitely find you pathetic," Tessa paused for a moment. "She might even dump you on the spot." Julian's tall frame leaned against the wall. He kept his head down, so I couldn't see his face. "Julian," Tessa looked at him. "You don't even know how to talk dirty to Vivian, do you? Ugh, you have zero game. I don't even know how she's tolerated you for this long." Julian still didn't speak. Tessa said casually, "Vivian must have complained about your kissing skills, right?" His fingers twitched. After a long silence, Julian lifted his head, his voice slightly raspy. "Then what should I do?" "It's simple," Tessa said. "Didn't you get along great with my friend Chloe last night? Keep practicing with her." My temples throbbed with rage. After what felt like forever. Julian said, "Okay." "Oh, by the way," Tessa sighed. "Make sure to keep this from Vivian. Otherwise, our plan is ruined... and more importantly, your relationship with her will be over." Julian turned to leave, his tone returning to his usual coldness. "I know."

I sat on the couch, waiting for him. The moment Julian pushed the door open, he saw me. He froze for a second, then sat down next to me. "Why aren't you asleep yet?" My face was expressionless. "Where were you? Who did you meet today?" He wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close. His voice was steady. "I went back to my parents' house. My grandfather's birthday is coming up, so I went back to discuss the party with my parents." "That's it?" "That's it." He gently hooked his pinky finger with mine, seemingly confused as to why I was asking. I leaned in close to him. Close enough to feel each other's breath. Under the dim, warm light, Julian's eyelashes fluttered. He stared straight at me, his ears flushing red again. "Vivian." I sniffed the air, making my point clear. "The perfume on you smells exactly like Tessa's." He knitted his brows, looking genuinely confused. "What are you talking about?" Then he added, "Maybe I just brushed past someone." I looked at him, slowly clenching my fists. When we did anything slightly intimate, he got so nervous his ears turned red. Yet now, when he was lying straight to my face, his heart rate didn't even skip a beat. I couldn't take it anymore. I shoved him down onto the couch right then and there. "Let's do it," I said flatly. As I spoke, I reached to unbutton his shirt. Julian caught my hands. Just like every other time, we ended up in a tense stalemate. My throat felt dry. "Do you not love me?" "How is that possible?" He answered instantly, then pursed his lips. After a long silence, he finally said, "Vivian, I love you. Only you." I accused him. "If you love me, why won't you sleep with me?" Julian tightened his grip on my wrists, refusing to let go. I took a deep breath. "What, are you planning on sleeping with another woman..." "No," he cut me off. Julian whispered, "Don't accuse me of that, Vivian." I looked him dead in the eye, repeating my words slowly. "A man's best quality is his purity, got it?" I thought about it and added, "Everything else can be learned and practiced slowly. I don't care about that." His fingers hesitated on my waist. Just when I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking I had successfully convinced him. He still pushed me away, his voice muffled and tight. "It's not time yet." Julian stood up and walked toward the bathroom with his long strides. "I'm going to shower." I was pushed to the side, sitting frozen on the couch. I had been rejected by him countless times. For a long time, I had felt so defeated, deeply doubting my own attractiveness. Listening to the sound of the running water from the bathroom, I suddenly felt incredibly exhausted. I picked up Julian's phone. I unlocked it and found Tessa in his contacts. I didn't even know when they had added each other on Snapchat. But their chat history was completely blank. He had intentionally deleted it. I stood up and walked out of the apartment.

Julian and I entered a cold war. Well, not exactly. It was just me giving him the cold shoulder. He still sent me messages every day. Since I usually got embarrassed and acted cold to him after he rejected me in the past, he assumed this was just another one of those times. He tried to coax me like he always did. "Vivian, don't ignore me." "I miss you so much, baby." Then he sent me money via PayPal. I didn't reply. My mind was a chaotic mess. Until one night. I instinctively drove to an upscale lounge that was under Julian's family's company. Remembering I still had an expensive bottle of wine stored there. I went in, planning to open it. As I walked in, I saw someone come out of the most exclusive VIP room at the very back. That room was reserved solely for Julian, me, and our close friends. If I wasn't there, he wouldn't usually use it. I walked toward it. The staff there all knew me, so nobody stopped me. I gently pushed the door open, leaving a small crack. Inside, the lights were flashing. It was crowded with guys and girls, very lively. And then I saw Julian. He had a girl sitting on either side of him. He was leaning back against the sofa, his long legs crossed, looking completely bored and detached. The girl on his left, Chloe, Tessa's friend, said something that made the whole room burst into laughter. Julian still had no reaction. He looked completely out of place in that lively room. Until she took a sip of her cocktail, turned to him with a sweet smile, and whispered something. Then, she grabbed Julian by his collar. He didn't dodge. Instead, he reached out his hand and wiped a trace of alcohol from the corner of her lips. I took a step back. Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder. I whipped my head around and met Tessa's smug eyes. She paused for a second. "Don't look at me like I'm your worst enemy, Vivian." I said nothing. She mocked, "Are you angry?" I let out a cold laugh, cutting straight to the point. "Don't pretend to be innocent. You think I don't know you set this up?" Tessa was taken aback for a moment, but then she smiled, her voice dripping with deep sarcasm and disdain. "What does this have to do with me? Deep down, you know the truth. Do you really think I can control the great Julian Sterling's actions?" She took a step closer to me and whispered. "Why don't you just go in there and tell him you don't care if he's bad in bed? Beg him to sleep with you so he stops hanging out with other girls. Wouldn't that solve everything?" I turned to leave. Tessa grabbed my arm, enjoying my misery. "Did I hit a nerve? Are you embarrassed now? Vivian, don't you think you're pathetic?" In the struggle, I shoved her. She shoved me back. The commotion must have been loud. The VIP room door swung open. A broad-shouldered, tall man stood at the door, looking irritated. Behind him, several curious eyes peeked out. "Vivian?" Julian looked surprised, his cold dark eyes softening instantly. He didn't ask questions. He grabbed my hand and led me directly up to the private lounge upstairs. The moment the door closed. His long arm wrapped around my waist. He pulled me into his arms, pressing me against his warm chest. Then, he planted a kiss on the corner of my lips. Seeing no reaction from me, he parted his lips to gently tease mine. It was a test, an attempt to seduce. I stood completely still. My eyes fell on the slight wrinkles on his collar, the exact spot where that girl had grabbed him. Was this the result of his "practice" over the past few days? A long silence fell. I reached up and touched his ear. His body temperature was normal. His ears weren't burning red like they used to. This gesture seemed to encourage him. His cool fingertips slipped under the hem of my shirt. The moment he touched my skin. My phone buzzed with a notification. I took a step back, breaking the embrace, and looked down at my phone. My arranged marriage partner had finally replied to the message I sent him half an hour ago. "You're that blunt?" "I'm clean." "Then let's meet up tomorrow?" Dissatisfied, Julian grabbed my wrist, his eyes landing on my screen. "Who is that?" Before he could read the screen, I locked my phone. "No one." He frowned, staring at me with an obsessive, possessive intensity. I didn't wait for him to question me. "I have things to do. I'm leaving." Julian's voice trembled slightly. "Did I... not satisfy you just now?" My eyes met his. His dark eyes still reflected only me, so focused, so intense. But I felt like something had changed. We could never go back. I reached out and straightened his messy, slightly wrinkled collar. Then I turned and walked away. Without answering his question.