Chapter 77: Explicit Provocation

Sitting beside Victoria, Julian ate his snacks in silence, trying his absolute best to minimize his presence.

He truly hadn’t expected that Victoria’s meeting with Natasha would escalate into such an overwhelming flex. The air was practically suffocating with invisible gunpowder smoke.

“Miss Natasha,” Victoria said with a gentle, polite smile. “You must be hungry after all this talk. Why don’t you enjoy some of your snacks first?”

Natasha took a deep, shaking breath, forcing herself to calm down slightly, and began picking at her food with trembling hands.

Victoria turned her dark eyes back toward Julian.

Her tone instantly shifted into a soft, breathy, coquettish purr: “My Julian… my hands are still so tired from helping you take care of things in bed last night… I don’t think I can hold the fork properly. Can you feed me?”

Gasp!

Julian’s heart skipped a massive beat, a cold sweat breaking out on his neck.

Is that really something you can just blurt out in public front of other people?!

Fortunately, Victoria’s voice was kept very soft, so only Natasha sitting directly across from them could hear it clearly. Otherwise, he would have been scared to death right on the spot!

“Okay…” Julian nodded quickly, picking up a golden shrimp ball with his fork and bringing it close to Victoria’s soft, crimson lips.

Victoria cast a sharp, provocative side-eye toward Natasha. Then, her lips parted slightly, and she bit down on the shrimp ball.

Natasha’s face turned completely ashen.

She was no longer an innocent child, and she naturally understood the explicit, intimate meaning behind Victoria’s words. This woman was deliberately trying to provoke and humiliate her again!

I won’t fall for it! Natasha screamed in her mind. Julian Vance would never have that kind of intimate relationship with her… why would he ask her for help with that kind of thing?!

Victoria chewed the shrimp ball slowly, swallowing it gracefully. Noticing that Julian was staring at her in flustered silence, she deliberately ran her tongue over her bottom lip.

Victoria’s lips were bright red, glistening delicately with a slight sheen from the food. Combined with her deliberate lip-licking gesture, it created an extraordinarily amorous, intense, and passionate visual.

Julian’s mind instantly flashed back to the chaotic, breathless moments he and Victoria had shared in bed…

Stop! Stop right there!

Julian frantically shook those wild thoughts out of his head. He had never been the type to think about such explicit things before. But during the month he had spent living with Victoria at Rose Manor, he felt like this possessive yandere had completely corrupted his innocent mind!

Victoria leaned in even closer, her soft, red lips brushing tantalizingly against Julian’s earlobe as she exhaled a warm, intimate breath.

“My Julian… I still prefer eating you instead~”

Julian’s ears turned bright red in an instant!

It turned out he hadn’t just been letting his mind wander for no reason—he was being actively and shameless seduced by Victoria!

Damn it! Who on earth claimed in the original rumors that Victoria Sterling was an aloof, ascetic ice queen?!

In the original novel, Victoria had been portrayed as cold, restrained, and distant, even when forcing Ethan Mercer to stay at Rose Manor. She had never uttered a single one of these teasing, explicit jokes to Ethan, nor had she ever shared such intense physical intimacy with him.

Why was it that now that he was together with Victoria, this innocent web novel was turning into a completely unhinged, wild romance?!

“Victoria…” Julian coughed lightly, his voice raspy as he quickly tried to change the dangerous subject. “You like oysters too, right? Eat more of this.”

Julian picked up a freshly prepared oyster and brought it close to Victoria’s lips.

“Mhm~”

Victoria’s fine eyebrows curved into a sweet, blooming crescent. She opened her mouth and took the oyster gently from his fork.

Their movements were seamlessly synchronized—one attentively feeding, and the other happily accepting. It was an unusually sweet, effortless harmony, looking exactly like a deeply affectionate couple that had been married for years. It didn’t feel like an act or a rehearsal in the slightest.

Sitting across from them, Natasha bit her lip until it bled as she watched this nauseatingly sweet interaction unfold right before her eyes.

Screeech—!

Finally, Natasha couldn’t take the suffocating psychological torture for another second!

She abruptly stood up from her chair, her movement so fast and violent that the chair legs scraped harshly against the floor, making a sharp, grating noise that echoed through the cafe.

Victoria raised her dark, calm eyes, looking up at Natasha’s trembling frame.

“Miss Natasha,” Victoria asked with a light, innocent smile, “what’s wrong?”

Natasha said in a deep, choked voice, “I’m full.”

Victoria smiled gracefully and said, “Then, Miss Natasha, take care. My boyfriend and I won’t see you off.”

Her expression remained entirely calm yet overwhelmingly triumphant.

Natasha:”…”

Natasha felt a heavy lump stuck in her throat, utterly unable to vent her frustration, causing her immense, burning distress.

“Don’t get cocky!” Natasha glared at Victoria and spat out each word through gritted teeth.

In her mind, Julian Vance loved her, and he always would! Once this woman was no longer of any use, Julian would definitely abandon her without a second thought!

With those bitter words, Natasha turned around and strode furiously toward the exit.

The people’s inside the coffee shop watched Natasha’s retreating figure as if they were watching a complete clown. Did she really think her delusional confidence was justified?

Seeing her disappear through the glass doors, Julian Vance let out a long, silent sigh of relief. Natasha had finally left.

“My Julian,” Victoria whispered close to Julian’s ear, a blooming smile playing on her crimson lips, “you did an exceptionally good job just now.”

“I’ll give you a proper reward when we get back.”

Victoria’s soft voice carried an intensely suggestive, ambiguous tone.

Upon hearing this, Julian immediately understood what Victoria wanted to do.

Julian: “…”

Is this definitely a reward and not a severe punishment?!

It was clearly a reward for Victoria herself!

Meanwhile, Rosy was also hiding inside the coffee shop. She had secretly followed Natasha here to watch the drama unfold. When Natasha had turned to leave earlier, Rosy was afraid of being spotted, so she had quickly covered her face with a fashion magazine.??

She only lowered the magazine after Natasha had completely exited the cafe.

Her eyes drifted over to Victoria. This woman is so breathtakingly beautiful. If I were Julian Vance, I would choose her a million times over without hesitation!

It seemed that Julian Vance had truly let go of Natasha once and for all.

Thinking of Natasha’s furious, humiliated breakdown just now, Rosy felt an intense surge of satisfaction. For the past few years, she had followed Natasha around everywhere, acting as her dutiful shadow. Yet Natasha had treated her like a mere servant, ordering her around and using her as a emotional punching bag whenever she was in a bad mood.

Now, Natasha had finally suffered a massive, soul-crushing setback. Seeing the submissive follower who used to cater to her every whim fall deeply in love with a far superior woman must have left Natasha in unbearable agony!

Suddenly, Rosy’s phone vibrated. Seeing Natasha’s name flashing on the caller ID, she deliberately walked into a quiet, secluded corner before answering.

“Rosy… Natasha’s voice came through the speaker, choked with furious sobs. “Do you know what happened?! Julian Vance actually brought another woman to confront me! They said so many shameless, explicit things right in front of my face, and… and they even kissed!”

Natasha was utterly consumed by toxic jealousy whenever she pictured Julian kissing another woman.

“Natasha,” Rosy frowned, putting on a soothing tone, “could he just be acting? Isn’t he just continuing to use the ‘playing hard to get’ tactic on you? I don’t believe Julian Vance would ever give you up so easily and run off to be with someone else.”

Natasha had been desperately waiting for these exact comforting words.

She nodded rapidly, “Yes! That’s exactly it! I can’t let myself be fooled by Julian Vance’s pathetic little act!”

“I will never forgive Julian Vance unless he gets down on his knees and begs for my forgiveness!”

Rosy sneered mockingly in her heart. Go ahead and act as arrogant as you want, Natasha. Keep playing your stupid games. The more you act like this, the further you will push Julian Vance away!

“Yes, Natasha,” Rosy said with a sweet smile, “you should definitely continue to ignore Julian Vance just like this.”

“Rosy, where are you right now?” Natasha asked suddenly.

Rosy’s eyes flickered as she lied smoothly, “I’m at home, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I just thought I saw someone in the coffee shop whose back looked a lot like yours, so I thought it was you,” Natasha replied.

They ended the call shortly after.

Rosy’s lips curled into a cold, smirk. Natasha, I’ll be waiting eagerly for the day you regret everything. By then, it will be far too late for you to save anything

———–

You know -“An open enemy is better than a false friend.”