Blind date turned proposal (Josie and Dexter)

Dexter unhesitatingly declared without any moment's pause.

She wasn't merely a childhood friend, nor was she a girlfriend; she was, in fact, an ex-wife.

This revelation left Juliette utterly immobilized, her mind grappling to formulate a response, "What ex-wife? You mean to tell me you were married before? That's utterly impossible! My investigation on you showed no signs of this."

"She was someone who cherished her solitude, always preferring to remain undisturbed. I took it upon myself to erase every trace of her existence."

Juliette found herself gasping for air, her breaths coming in heavy, labored gulps as she struggled to digest such overwhelming news.

"The incident back then was quite the sensation; nearly everyone in Wavery was aware of it. However, it's completely understandable that you, having grown up in Nusridge, would be oblivious to it." Dexter hadn't purposefully kept her oblivious; it was merely that the less people knew of Josie's true identity, the better. Up until now, Juliette had never crossed any boundaries. Yet, from the moment she set foot in Wavery, her demeanor had shifted, becoming increasingly bold and daring.

Regardless of Josie's potential reaction, Dexter felt there was no longer any justification for secrecy.

Juliette's eyes welled up with tears. "Do you love her a lot?"

"The connection I share with her is forged over many years. It's unparalleled by any other."

"Yet, you're divorced now. If your separation wasn't prompted by a lack of love, then what led to the divorce? Dexter, honestly, none of this matters to me."

This admission pierced Dexter deeply. Attempting to mask his pain, he forced a smile. "True, I've made countless errors in the past, errors that inflicted pain upon her. That's precisely why I'm trying to win her back now."

It seemed as though he completely disregarded her latter statement.

With bloodshot eyes, Juliette found it unbearable to come to terms with the notion that his heart already belonged to another, especially Dexter, who was inherently distant and reserved by nature. "It's hard for me to picture... how you would go about pursuing someone."

Dexter's smile widened slightly. "The process isn't much different for me than it is for anyone else. I face rejection, disdain, and even outright dismissal just the same."

Juliette fell silent.

She had never encountered such treatment, yet that woman had experienced it all.

It's so unfair.

"Is she exceptionally beautiful, remarkable, and captivating?" Juliette questioned.

"She might not have been the most striking in a conventional sense, but to me, she was truly breathtaking. Her exceptional nature lay in her perseverance, steadfastly pursuing her passions to the very end. Her resilience was so admirable, it left even me in awe. And her charm? It could be likened to a kitten with a surprisingly fierce bite, a charm I find utterly irresistible."

His smile remained unwavering as he reminisced, as if the mere act of speaking about her filled him with joy.

Driven by jealousy, Juliette could barely contain herself. "But you mentioned she rejected you, that she no longer loves for you."

"I'm willing to wait."

"And what exactly are you waiting for?"

"For her to fall in love with me once again."

Juliette was visibly shaken, her voice trembling as she inquired, "She's here in Wavery, isn't she? Your haste earlier, you were on your way to meet her, weren't you?"

Dexter simply nodded, opting to remain silent beyond that.

"Dexter... you might as well have

killed me with a knife." Juliette's pain

was palpable. A figure flashed

through her mind unexpectedly, leading her to a belated realization. She lifted her gaze. "I really like

Dexter. What are your feelings

you,

toward me?"

"Juliette, you have your own path to follow."

An oppressive silence ensued.

The air in the room grew dense, laden with unspoken words. The clock struck exactly half past eight, marking precisely ten minutes since their conversation began.

Despite everything, Juliette maintained her respect for Dexter's boundaries. She dabbed at her tears with her hand, then reached for a set of documents, offering them to Dexter. "These documents detail Eccentric Corporation."

Dexter briefly perused the documents, yet found no mention of the shadowy figure orchestrating events from behind the scenes. He looked up, his expression inquiring silently.

"The man's name is Morgan Bastille."

Dexter fell silent at the mention of that name.

"Earlier today, during my discussion

with Eccentric Corporation, I

inadvertently uncovered something. Upon delving deeper, I discovered his history of significant conflicts with you, some of which escalated quite severely. That's why I felt compelled to come and inform you immediately. I wasn't deceiving you, this indeed pertains to Russell Group," Juliette asserted, meeting Dexter's gaze.

To her astonishment, the man before her had adopted a chillingly cold and assertive demeanor.