The following day, Alex woke up with a sharp pain in her neck, the result of falling asleep in an awkward position. She groaned, pressing her fingers against the sore muscles, attempting to ease the discomfort.
Last night was a disaster. Embarrassed by everything that had transpired with Julian, she had buried herself under the covers, hoping sleep would erase the memory.
"Ugh," she muttered, dragging a hand down her face.
After everything Chad had put her through, the last thing she wanted was to get tangled up in something remotely intimate, especially with a man who might already have someone waiting for him. She wasn't about to set herself up for another heartbreak.
But hadn't she felt something last night?
A traitorous flutter of warmth spread through her chest at the thought. Julian was undeniably handsome, and ending up that close to a man like him was bound to make any woman's heart stutter. That was all it was, a fleeting, physical reaction. Nothing more.
Picking up her phone to distract herself, Alex logged into her business, social media account, and almost instantly, her notifications exploded. Lauren had tagged her in countless photos and videos from the party, and the engagement on her page was skyrocketing.
A proud smile tugged at her lips as she scrolled through the comments. Her business wasn't just surviving, it was thriving.
Just when she thought her morning couldn't get any better, a notification popped up on her screen. A credit alert from Lauren.
Her eyes widened as she stared at the string of zeros in her bank account.
"Yes!" she squealed, jumping around her room in excitement. Without a second thought, she grabbed her phone and sprinted to the living room, where she knew Julian would be. Raising her phone like a trophy, she declared, "Get ready. WE ARE GOING SHOPPING!"
Julian, who had been lounging on the couch, watching TV in peace, turned to her with narrowed eyes, visibly perplexed by her sudden burst of energy.
He had spent half the night preparing for an awkward morning, even coming up with a half-hearted apology in case she brought up last night's tension. But here she was, acting as if nothing had happened.
Alex didn't spare him another glance and ran off to her room.
With a heavy sigh, he stood up to get dressed.
*
At the mall, there was a noticeable bounce in Alex's step as she bought things she had yearned for a while and finally ordered all the household appliances Julian had destroyed online.
The payment was so massive—because of Lauren's generous tip—that she could afford to spoil herself a bit.
Entering the makeup section of the mall, she smiled, taking a deep breath as the familiar scent wafted through her.
"Whoever said money can't buy happiness was a liar," she hummed, testing a free lipstick sample. Turning to Julian, she puckered her lips playfully. "What do you think? Does this color suit me? Or the Cherry?"
Julian squinted slightly, his gaze drifting to her lips. The memory of her warm body pressed against his the night before flashed through his mind.
The faint hitch of her breath, the rapid thump of her heart against his chest… he recalled everything.
His eyes lingered on her mouth, recalling how soft and inviting her lips had looked in the dim light, slightly parted as she struggled. He remembered how her breath had fanned against his skin, sending tingles through him.
His hold on the shopping bag tightened.
Their faces had been so close…
"Julian?"
Her voice jolted him back to reality. He blinked and quickly shifted his gaze. "The cherry shade looks better," he muttered, grabbing the shopping bags and walking off without another word.
"Really?" Alex called behind him, intrigued by his reaction. But when he didn't stop, she hurriedly paid for the cherry lipstick and ran after him. "Hey, slow down! Why are you suddenly acting all moody?"
He was moody because his body and thoughts were betraying him, fantasising about her lips. But he couldn't say that out loud.
"I'm not," he replied—too quickly.
She arched a brow.
Realizing his mistake, he scrambled for a reasonable excuse. "I told you I would replace all your broken appliances. Why did you pay for them yourself?"
It wasn't the main reason he felt off, but it was partly true.
Something about owing favors did not sit well with him, and something told him he had always been this way, even before the accident. Though he couldn't remember his past, some things felt... instinctual.
Watching her spend her hard-earned money on things he had broken irked him. He hated the feeling.
"Is that really it?" she asked, amusement lacing her voice. "You don't even remember your last name. How would you pay for all this?"
His jaw tightened, glaring daggers at her. "Whose fault is that?"
He would have been fine if she hadn't recklessly knocked his brains out.
Alexandra didn't flinch at his sharp tone, merely walking like his glare wasn't currently burning holes into the back of her head.
He exhaled sharply and shoved a hand through his hair. "Fine. What if I make dinner tonight? As an apology for breaking your stuff."
She stopped so abruptly that he almost crashed into her. Then she turned, one brow raised, before scoffing outright. "You can't even boil water. You expect me to believe you can cook?"
His eyes twitched. "It can't be that hard."
When she rolled her eyes, he added, "You aren't any better. All you know how to cook is instant noodles, your diet is terrible, and you skip meals."
Alex was visibly shocked that he had noticed that much. She didn't skip meals intentionally, she was just too busy.
Deep down, she would appreciate anything other than noodles for breakfast, like they had been having for the past week.
Unable to give Julian proper nutrition made her guilty. After her break-up, she was too lazy to do anything other than work.
But that had to stop.
He needed strength to recover his memory.
"Sure." She agreed. "We'll pick up some groceries too, then. The fridge needs to be restocked."
Alex noticed Julian brighten up slightly as they moved to the grocery section.
Their last stop at the mall was a women's underwear store.
"Where do you think you're going?" Alex asked, stopping Julian in his tracks as he attempted to follow her into the store.
"Didn't you want to get something from there?" Confused, he gestured toward the store.
Her face turned slightly red. "Yes, but you're not coming in with me."
Julian smirked, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "Why not? Are you shy? No need to be. It's not like I haven't seen women's underwear before. I'm pretty sure I've taken off a fair share myself."
Alex's eyes widened at his bluntness. "And how exactly would you know that?"
Julian cocked a brow, his smirk deepening. "Look at me. Any woman would jump at an opportunity to spend the night with me."
Alex hated the fact that he was right. With a face and body like his, most women probably would.
"Whatever. Just stay here and wait for me," she huffed before darting into the store.
Julian chuckled to himself, amused by how easily flustered she got. It was cute.
When he realised what he was thinking, he froze.
Cute? Since when did he find her cute?
This was the same woman who had run him over. He should be plotting his revenge, not softening toward her. What the hell was wrong with him? Had someone cast a spell on him?
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he heard an unfamiliar yet oddly familiar voice behind him.
"Boss?"
Julian stiffened.