You are in love!
Author’s pov
Seven hours later, Juliana was in her bedroom when the distant sound of a car reached her ears. Instantly, she knew it was Stephanie. They had planned to meet, and she was right on time. Juliana got up and made her way out of her room, walking to the living room to greet her friend. But when she reached the front door, to her surprise, Stephanie was already there, standing on the porch as if she had been waiting.
"Hi, Stephanie!" Juliana greeted warmly, opening the door wider for her to step inside. They hugged, a familiar gesture, and walked into the house still holding hands.
"How was work today?" Juliana asked as she moved to the bar to retrieve a bottle of wine and two glasses.
Stephanie sighed as she settled into the plush chair by the window. "It was okay, but honestly, I envy you. You don’t have to go into an office every day like I do. You're a CEO with the money and freedom to do whatever you want."
Juliana laughed lightly, pouring the wine into the glasses. "Oh, stop it. You know it’s my dad’s wealth, not mine. I’m just riding the wave."
As she handed Stephanie a glass, Juliana noticed something was off. Stephanie had gone unusually quiet, her cheerful tone from moments ago gone. The shift in mood was sudden and noticeable.
"Stephanie, what’s wrong?" Juliana asked, concerned, crawling into her voice.
Stephanie hesitated, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the stem of the wine glass. "It’s my boyfriend..."
Juliana’s brows furrowed. "What’s going on now?"
The question was barely out of her mouth when Stephanie's eyes filled with tears. Before she could stop herself, she was crying, her shoulders trembling.
"Please, don’t cry. Tell me what’s going on," Juliana urged, setting her wine down and leaning forward.
"It’s my boyfriend," Stephanie repeated, struggling to keep her voice steady. "Ever since he got his new job, everything’s different. He barely comes over to my place anymore."
Juliana raised an eyebrow. "I haven’t even met him yet. Are you keeping him away from me or something?"
"No," Stephanie shook her head, wiping at her eyes. "It’s just... he’s changed. He doesn’t seem to care like he used to. He’s not the same man who was so crazy about me when we first met."
Juliana reached for a handkerchief, handing it to her. "Do you think maybe you took things too seriously too fast? I mean, you met him at a club, and then you let him stay at your place for a whole week. Maybe you expected more than he was ready to give."
Stephanie looked up at Juliana, hurt flashing across her face. "Are you saying this is my fault? That I’m chasing after him?"
"No, no, I’m just saying..." Juliana paused, thinking carefully. "Sometimes when things move too fast, one person might feel overwhelmed, and the other is left waiting for something deeper that might never come."
Stephanie was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "Well, that might be true, but look at you. That man you’ve been telling me about keeps coming to your office. He’s clearly interested. Maybe you should give him a chance."
Juliana let out a small laugh. "Maybe. I’m still trying to decide. But it’s complicated. Besides..." she trailed off, her expression turning serious, "I’m getting a divorce."
Stephanie’s eyes widened in shock. "Wait, what? A divorce? Have you even talked to Justin about it?"
Juliana shook her head, taking a long sip of her wine. "No, but I don’t need to. I don’t love him anymore. It’s over."
Stephanie blinked, clearly taken aback. "So... Gabriel really has gotten to you, hasn’t he?"
Juliana blushed slightly but shrugged it off. "I haven’t exactly let him know how I feel, but... deep down, I think I’ve already fallen for him. The problem is, I’m trying to hold back. I don’t want to make it too obvious or easy for him."
Stephanie leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "So what are you waiting for? If you already know how you feel, what’s stopping you?"
Juliana sighed, swirling the wine in her glass. "I just... I don’t want to boost his ego or rush things. And besides, I’m still technically married to Justin. Gabriel needs to prove his commitment first. I’m not going to make the same mistake you did."
Stephanie’s expression shifted, a hint of embarrassment flickering in her eyes. "So you think I made a mistake letting him stay over for days?"
"Kind of," Juliana admitted. "But you’re jumping to conclusions about your boyfriend. He hasn’t outright said he doesn’t want the relationship anymore, right? You’re just assuming that because of his behavior."
Stephanie frowned, her fingers tightening around her glass. "Yeah, but that’s what hurts the most. He’s acting like he doesn’t care, and I don’t know what to do about it."
"Maybe you’re being too sensitive," Juliana suggested gently. "Give him a little space and see how he responds. You might be surprised."
Stephanie sighed, wiping her face. "You’re probably right. I’ll give it some time and see what happens."
"Good plan," Juliana said with a nod. "So, what are you doing tomorrow?"
"You mean Thursday?" Stephanie asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I’m planning to go shopping at my favorite boutique. Want to come with me? Maybe take a break from work and clear your head."
Stephanie smirked, leaning back in her chair. "You just want to look amazing for your new man, don’t you?"
Juliana shrugged, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "Maybe."
As they laughed together, the tension seemed to ease, but just as Juliana was about to refill their glasses, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and froze.
Stephanie noticed the change in her demeanor immediately. "What is it? Who’s texting you?"
Juliana’s eyes darkened as she read the message, her heart racing. "It’s Gabriel. He wants to meet... but he said it’s urgent."
Stephanie sat up straighter, suddenly alert. "Urgent? What do you think it’s about?"
Juliana didn’t answer right away, her mind filled with possibilities. Her heart pounded in her chest as her fingers hovered over her phone. What could Gabriel possibly want that was so urgent?
"I don’t know," Juliana finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I have a feeling it’s not good."
“Are you so sure? Your facial expression is showing the opposite.”
“How?” Juliana widened her eyes and raised her voice.
“You are in love!” She giggled.
“Should I tell Stephanie how I feel?” She thought.
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