Cassandra’s POV

I headed straight to Max’s room to calm my nerves, chiding myself for reacting like a hormonal teenager around Julian. How could I behave so wantonly with him? I just met him and hardly knew anything about him. How could I encourage a playboy billionaire like him? I wasn’t any carefree teenager. I was Max’s mom and I should stop this madness immediately. Determined, I stood beside Max’s crib and gazed at him quietly. He was sound asleep clutching his baby teddy. My heart swelled up with love and guilt, and I kissed his forehead. 

“Sorry baby, Mommy couldn’t tuck you into a bed today,” I whispered to him. I really felt guilty for not spending time with Max today. Julian’s presence had completely disrupted our routine, but that should change from tomorrow. I quietly tiptoed out of his room and went to mine.

Changing into my pajamas, I freshened up quickly and went to bed. After tossing and turning for an hour, I still couldn’t sleep. Julian’s eyes, his passionate kiss, and his words all played over and over in my mind, driving me insane. I must have slept late in the night dreaming of him.

I woke up to my alarm at 5:30 in the morning. It was still dark outside when I freshened up and took a shower. It was my daily routine, and I went downstairs to wash Max’s clothes. Afterward, I made egg, bacon, and cheese tortilla wraps and chopped apples and strawberries for breakfast. As I made Max’s fruity porridge and made myself a cup of coffee, Aunt Caroline joined me. 

“I like him,” she said with a smile, making my jaws drop at the greeting. What magic spell did he cast on Aunt Caroline to make her like him at the first meeting?

“He’s Anna’s brother-in-law, Aunt Caroline. It’s not what you think,” I clarified.

“The boy is whipped with you, Cassie. He likes you very much. Even a blind person can see it,” Aunt Caroline said, giving me a knowing look. I ignored it. I was so unsure of it all. My mind was in a daze where Julian was concerned.

“You’re so right Aunt Caroline, but she can’t feel it,” said a husky voice from somewhere behind us making the hair at the nape stand up. I knew that voice. It was Julian’s, but how could I hear him now? Was I hallucinating? We both instantly turned to see Julian standing against the door with a grin on his face.

I went red with embarrassment. What’s worse than discussing him behind his back and getting caught in the act? I saw the excitement in his eyes and my heart skipped a beat or two. My face flushed red, and I looked away immediately, unable to face his probing look.

Aunt Caroline chuckled. “I am always right, dear.” I was at my wit’s end. How in the world did Julian win over Aunt Caroline so easily?

I got up and got coffee for Julian. “I’ll check Max. Breakfast is ready. Help yourselves, please,” I said as I hurried upstairs, thankful to escape.

I could feel his eyes on me as I climbed up the stairs to Max’s room. Max was already awake, playing with his toys. I changed him and brought him down. Seating him on his high chair, I fed him his porridge. Max gurgled with happiness at seeing Julian, and I rolled my eyes. How did he win Max too to his side? Did he know black magic or what?

“You seem to be lost in your own thoughts?” Julian asked me.

“Um, nothing important,” I said, shrugging him off. How could I ask him if he was casting his spell of black magic upon us or not? Aunt Caroline chuckled, knowing me so well, and I gave her a look. Thankfully, she didn’t say a word. I felt happy seeing the way Julian relished my food.

Aunt Caroline finished her breakfast and went to her room for a shower. Julian finished his food quickly. “Can I feed Max?” he said, approaching me.

I was surprised at his request. Who would want to feed someone else’s child? “Yeah, try,” I said, as I knew Max never ate from anyone else if I was right in front of him. In my absence, Aunt Caroline fed him.

Julian took half a spoonful of porridge and imitated a car sound as he brought the spoon near Max’s mouth. “Vroom, beep beep, vroooooom,” he said as Max grinned and squealed and opened his mouth wide, and ate up happily.

My jaws fell to the floor as my eyes widened in surprise. Aunt Caroline’s eyes popped out as she peered from her room, hearing Max’s squeals.

Julian fed the entire porridge to him in record time and imitated a burp, and Max also tried to imitate a burp, and then really burped all by himself. They officially impressed me.

“So, what do I get for this?” he grinned at me as Max gurgled happily at him.

“Thanks. How did you manage all that?” I asked him, surprised by his expertise.

“Experience, darling. I did everything for my niece ever since she was born,” he said as he wiped Max’s mouth with a baby wipe and caught my wrist. “I should get a kiss for this,” he insisted.

“Max can kiss you,” I answered cheekily.

“Just for now, but later I will take my kiss from you, come what may,” he said as he kissed Max on the cheek and waited for him to kiss back. I waited and to my immense surprise, he did. I smiled at both of them. They looked so cute together.

“Are you leaving?” I asked so that I too could get ready for work.

“I can stay if you want me to,” he said, coming closer. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and pulled me into his arms. “You smell so delicious. I could devour you just now,” he said, as his nose and lips brushed against my jaw. He trailed to my ear and neck, causing goosebumps to erupt all over me.

“And you’re not. Go home and shower,” I lied, pushing him away.

He chuckled, pulling me with him to the door as Max happily played with his teddy bear and bunny. Julian kissed my cheek and then my forehead. 

“See you, darling, think about me until then,” he said, holding my gaze. With that, he left and crossed the road, and climbed into the white BMW that was parked opposite my house.

I was too stunned to react. The white BMW which followed me around, causing fear, misery, and panic, was Julian’s. He was the one who followed me? I was so relieved that it wasn’t Desmond or his goons. Smiling, I went in and picked up Max, and went upstairs to give him a bath.

It was 7:50 am already by the time I finished giving Max a bath and got him ready for the day. I dressed up for work and deposited Max with Aunt Caroline. I heated my breakfast and ate a little and then left for work.