His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 182: No Turning Back

But she had misjudged one thing.

She had underestimated how much of him still lived somewhere inside her.

That pull, mixed with instinct, blurred the line she had drawn so carefully until it barely held.

"If I say no... will you actually stop?" she asked, her voice quieter now, threaded with tension.

"I will," Julian said, a faint, self-aware smile pulling at his lips. "I could make this easy for myself, but I'm not going to force you."

Heat rushed to her face instantly, the blunt honesty catching her off guard.

She had planned a future without love, without marriage, without anyone complicating her life again.

And yet here he was.

Julian, standing right in front of her, still carrying the same pull he always had.

And maybe... part of her wanted to know what this would feel like, crossing that last line she had never crossed before.

With him.

"I'm not saying no," she said softly, her arms lifting to wrap around his neck.

Julian froze for a split second, like he wasn't sure he heard her right, the shock in his eyes quickly giving way to something deeper, something almost overwhelming.

Iris closed her eyes and pulled him down.

That was all it took.

Whatever restraint he had left snapped instantly. He kissed her again, deeper this time, his hands moving with urgency and care as he began undoing the buttons of her shirt.

Iris trembled under the intensity of it, her body reacting before her mind could settle, her grip tightening instinctively.

The night stretched on, long and consuming.

And when it was over, regret came quietly in its wake.

Morning arrived wrapped in a soft gray haze, the ocean outside calm as the yacht moved steadily forward.

Iris woke slowly, her body heavy, the dull ache pulling her fully back into reality.

She became aware of the arm wrapped around her waist, the warmth of skin against hers, and the realization alone made her flush.

She stayed still for a moment, not daring to open her eyes.

Until her stomach betrayed her.

A quiet growl broke the silence.

She hesitated, then carefully lifted her head just enough to glance at him.

Julian was still asleep.

Up close, every detail felt sharper, the lines of his face, the faint stubble along his jaw, the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing, all of it carrying a quiet, grounded presence.

She let out a slow breath and carefully reached for his arm, trying to move it away.

The moment she shifted, his arm tightened instinctively, pulling her closer as he turned slightly, still half asleep.

"Iris... it's too early," he murmured, his voice low and rough.

She pressed her face lightly against his chest, swallowing before speaking softly. "It's morning. I'm starving. I need food."

He paused, then opened his eyes, glancing toward the window before looking back down at her. He pressed a light kiss into her hair. "What do you want? I'll make something."

"Anything," she said, her voice softer than usual.

Julian slid his arm out from under her and sat up.

The second he moved, Iris grabbed the blanket and wrapped it tightly around herself, holding it close like a shield.

Even now, she couldn't bring herself to look at him, her face burning.

Julian noticed and smiled faintly. He leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek before murmuring near her ear, "Go back to sleep. I'll bring you breakfast."

She nodded slightly, pulling the blanket higher.

He ran a hand through her hair before getting up, gathering his clothes and heading into the bathroom.

Only after the door closed did Iris sit up.

She pulled her knees in and buried her face against them, her fingers tightening in her hair.

What did I just do...

Everything had been simple before.

Now it wasn't.

And after last night, she had a feeling things were only going to get more complicated.

After a while, she slipped out of bed, still wrapped in the blanket, her legs sore as she made her way to the bathroom.

She filled the tub with warm water and sank into it, letting the warmth ease the tension in her body.

Some time later, Julian returned with a glass of milk and a sandwich.

The bed was empty.

He set the tray down and walked to the bathroom, knocking lightly. "Iris, you in there?"

"Yeah," she answered.

He didn't rush her. Instead, he turned back toward the bed, his gaze settling on the sheets for a moment, something quiet and thoughtful in his expression.

Then he got to work, stripping the bed and replacing the sheets with clean ones.

He folded the used ones carefully, set them aside, and straightened up.

Time passed.

After a while, he knocked again. "You good in there?"

"I'm fine," she replied.

She stepped out of the tub and immediately realized she had nothing to wear.