Filed to story: The Breaking Point (Maya & Julian) Book PDF Free
Whoever made the elderly couple sad was Julian’s enemy.
If this call had happened any other time, she would have thought that he was being self-centered and demanding again. Yet, right when her company was in a crisis, he called and threatened her to go to the Graham Estate with him.
She couldn’t help but let out a contemptuous chuckle. My three years of love and dedication were for nothing. Not a single shard of it had touched Julian. For Selena’s sake, he’s willing to go as far as exterminating me.
So, she took a deep breath and went straight to the point. “Will you solve the crisis at the studio if I go to the
Graham Estate with you?”
Julian agreed without even thinking twice. “Okay. I’ll pick you up tonight.” After he hung up, his spirits were better than he imagined, and his lips even curved upward unintentionally.
He rarely took the initiative to contact Maya and he would usually ask his assistant to contact her whenever Colby wanted him to visit with her. However, he decided to make this call personally because she had been throwing a tantrum recently. So, in his opinion, this call would serve as an out for her.
…
Julian called an internal line and gave his order emotionlessly, “Find out what issues L.Moon has encountered. There’s no need to inform me about anything and just take care of it straight away.”
Before the day was over, more than half of the canceled orders at L.Moon were restored. While Luna was still worried about the 2.8 million that they owed to the factory, the customers with canceled orders had all returned to her. They agreed to raise the price to compensate for the losses of the studio, and some even directly transferred the final payment without further prompting.
So, she turned to Maya with a look that was mixed with surprise and concern. “Did Julian do this?”
Maya’s heart, face, and words were equally cold as she uttered, “Yeah. A meal in exchange for 2.8 million. That’s a good deal.”
At 7.00PM, Julian arrived on time to pick her up, and they went to the Graham Estate without any exchange of words.
Before they entered the yard, he stopped in his tracks suddenly. When he caught sight of the deadpan look on her face, he grumbled in disgruntlement, “With this expression of yours, Grandpa will definitely smell a rat.”
In a split second, she curled her lips into a professional smile. “Fret not. I’ll finish the act since I’ve already given you my word.”
Julian’s eyes turned gloomy, and a ball of frustration welled up in his chest. She says that she’s acting, which means she still wants a divorce. But I’ve already solved the crisis for her studio. Why is she still unhappy? There was only one reason he could think of, and he asked in sarcasm, “Did you already find your next husband?”
Maya wiped the smile off her face and answered provocatively, “So what if I did?” Does he think that he’s the only one with special privileges and then condemn me if I do the same?
The spot between his brows twitched in annoyance, but before he could say anything, the main gates swung open, and Dahlia greeted them with a surprised smile. “Mr. Julian and Ms. Maya, you’re back!”
Julian held back his tongue and muttered softly in acknowledgment before walking in. After they were indoors and changed into indoor slippers, one of them went upstairs to look for Maverick, Julian’s father, while the other went to the living room to meet Colby and Lina.
Lina called Maya to her side and observed her body. “You’re still not pregnant?” she asked and sighed. Then, she steered the conversation away. “It’s alright. Try again next month.”
Although her last statement carried no blame, it sounded like a curse to Maya. There was no need for complicated incantations from Lina. Just those words were enough for her to tense up as it served as a regular reminder that this marriage was never equal when it started.
Before this, she would prepare for pregnancy so diligently because she thought that Lina was sincerely concerned about her. Until one day when she accidentally overheard Lina’s conversation with Dahlia, the butler, and heard the disdain in her voice. “Back then, I agreed to their marriage solely because I wanted her to bear our family a descendant. Her grandfather owes us a life, so it has to be paid with life as well, and I can only acknowledge that the debt is paid after a child is born. Otherwise, I wonder whether the Quinn Family is just taking advantage of us because we’re indebted to them.”
Colby had been an upright man all his life and would never tolerate something like this. Even if Maya wanted to have a child, Julian would have to be a willing party as well.
Although Maya was highly discomfited by Lina’s words, she only answered obediently, “Okay.”
Colby couldn’t help but frown upon his wife’s actions. “The kids rarely come home as it is. Don’t bring this up at every chance you’ve got.”
“Don’t deny it. You want a grandchild as badly as I do,” Lina snapped.
Nonetheless, he changed the topic. “Maya, some rumors have been going around outside recently. What do you think about them?”
Maya maintained her usual meek demeanor. “I trust that Julian will handle it well.”
Her answer was well-received by Colby. “Ignore what the masses are saying. You’re the only granddaughter-in-law the Graham Family acknowledges. That woman who isn’t recognized by us will never enter our doors.”
“You should work harder and bear him a child. Then, he’ll come home naturally,” Lina added. When Colby was about to lose his temper, she quickly stopped herself from saying more. “Okay, I’ll stop. Stay here for the night. I’ve prepared your favorite food for dinner.”
Maya wanted to say something, but Lina had already risen to her feet and paced into the kitchen happily.
When Colby’s stern, sharp eyes fell on Maya’s face, they turned soft and gentle. “Don’t take Lina’s words to heart.
She just wants you and Julian to have a blissful, complete family of your own.”
“Yes, I know,” she answered softly.
He sighed at the sight of her looking so dim as though the fire in her had gone out. “How is your grandmother doing?”
Maya’s face softened into a warm look at the mention of her grandmother. In fact, she appeared a great deal happier. “She’s doing well.”
“Is she still unwilling to move here and live with you?” Colby inquired.
Maya was in a trance for a couple of seconds before answering, “She’s used to life in a village and finds the city too noisy for her liking, but I’ve asked some villagers to help me keep a lookout for her.”
Colby was an old friend of Maya’s grandparents, Theodore Quinn and Analise Stein, and she chatted with him about some trivial stuff regarding Analise. She even knew how often Analise fed her chickens today, which showed how attentive she was to Analise.
Colby felt as though he was looking at another person through her face as he regarded her. “Theodore is lucky to have you.”
Maya paused for a second before breaking into a smile. “No, I’m the lucky one to be brought up by them.”
However, he said no more on the matter.
After dinner, Julian and Maya retreated into their bedroom. This was the first time they were spending the night in the Graham Estate after their wedding night.
While Maya was feeling a little uneasy, Julian broke the silence. “Grandma went for a physical checkup yesterday and her heart is not as it used to be. Thank you for agreeing to her request to stay the night.”
Maya nodded expressionlessly. “You’re welcome. This is what I should do.” For the sake of 2.8 million, I can sleep anywhere, she added silently in her heart and walked further into the room decisively.
This was their marital suite and was originally decorated in black and white color schemes, which made the room simple and cold, but a soft carpet was just recently added. The lights were not turned on; only a red-colored, thick candle was lit on the coffee table in the living area.
Maya stopped halfway and couldn’t stop herself from recalling their first night as husband and wife. It didn’t help that the candlelight danced at the exact same angle.
That time, she thought that they would treat each other politely on their first night together, but somehow, they found themselves tangled in each other’s arms later. After that night, Julian suspected that she had drugged him and ignored her for a very long time afterward.
Her memories of this room didn’t bring her any fond memories, and she could clearly remember how agonizing her first time was. To make matters worse, Julian was half-mad at the time and refused to let her rest.
So, she closed her eyes and swallowed any bitterness that was welling up within her as she recollected herself for a moment and turned around to head out. “I-I’ll ask for another room from Dahlia.”
Julian frowned. “Do you want Grandpa and Grandma to know that we’re sleeping separately?”
A surge of hot steam rushed into her head, and she took a few deep breaths before saying dispassionately, “Okay, we’ll sleep on separate beds, then. You’ll take the couch.”
The frown on his face deepened. “Why should I be the one to take the couch when I’m not the one who came up with the idea to sleep separately?” he pointed out in disgruntlement.
A speechless Maya thought, Fine, I’ll take the couch. It’s only one night. There’s no reason for me to give a sh*t when he’s not even worried that Selena will be jealous.
Outside the room, Lina took a look at the bowl on the tray Dahlia was holding and asked in a whisper, “Did you add it in already?”
“Yes, I added it according to the dosage. It won’t cause them any damage,” Dahlia replied in a hushed voice. “But, are you sure it’s okay to do this?”
“I don’t see any problem with it. She has everything to gain if she’s pregnant. If she’s still not pregnant after this, I’m afraid that she wouldn’t be able to bear a child. I have to make early preparations if that happens. Now, go on and make her eat this,” Lina instructed with a stone-cold face.
After Maya finished washing up, she placed the blankets on the couch and snuggled in when a knock came at the door. She jerked upright with a bounce as she whispered urgently to Julian, who was in bed, “Did you lock the door?”
