Nothing Better (Than You) - English Vers.

¤ Chapter 2

"Are you going to take your mum shopping, then?" Nate asked, putting a cup of coffee on the table and joining Julia.

"Uh-huh. She's getting ready," Julian replied, his eyes fixed on his phone. Nate watched him.

"Your hair's really grown out," Nate commented, sweeping aside the front strands of Julian's hair, which now framed his face and reached past his eyes. The back of his hair grazed the nape of his neck, just above his shirt collar.

Julian brushed Nate's hand away. "No time for a haircut," he muttered, his gaze remaining on the screen of his phone.

Nate scowled at him. Julian had always been inclined to let his hair grow, and it wasn't a new thing. When he returned from his time abroad, he'd met Nate's parents with hair that reached his shoulders, and only cut it the day before they got married. Nate often teased him that she had a thing for men with long hair, but she actually preferred him with a shorter style. She'd often remind him to get a haircut when his hair started covering his forehead, but Julian rarely took her requests seriously and only cut his hair when he felt like changing his look.

"Ready to go?" Tara came out with her handbag. Julian lifted his gaze.

"Okay." Julian leaned over to brush a light kiss against Nate's lips. "I'm going now." He got up and followed his mother to his Range Rover.

Nate exhaled a deep breath and reached for her abandoned coffee. Julian's mood swings could be draining at times.

In reality, Nate had previously broken down in tears in front of her mother, pleading with her not to marry her to Julian. Despite others finding Julian attractive, Nate saw him as menacing. His sharp eyes, thick eyebrows, and thin lips, which rarely smiled, made Nate think of a TV antagonist. This impression was reinforced by Julian's aloof behaviour whenever he visited, never acknowledging or attempting to engage Nate in conversation.

But after proposing to Nate, Julian started sending her messages and calling her regularly, even just to check if she'd eaten. And during their pre-wedding courtship, he would spend hours on the phone with her, which inevitably made her feel a little softer towards him. After all, what's wrong with falling for your own fiancé?

Julian proved to be surprisingly sweet, even after marriage. He was perfectly fine with living in Nate's family home and didn't mind her continuing to work. What ultimately sealed the deal for Nate was learning that he was willing to relinquish his career in Japan for her benefit.

Julian's family was affluent, with his parents running a large business. Nevertheless, he decided not to exploit his family ties and worked elsewhere. Later, when he received a high-paying job offer, Julian chose to return to the UK and took a lower-paying job, sacrificing his career advancement to be with Nate.

Was it romantic? Nate used to believe so, but now she's uncertain. Julian could have taken the job and brought her to Japan, if he really intended to propose to her from the start, as he claimed. Nate didn't give it much thought; Julian had the freedom to work wherever he chose.

Nate slowly began to open up to Julian. Since they skipped the usual dating process, she cherished the gentle thrill she felt whenever Julian showed her a softer and more caring side, a marked difference from his demeanour before their wedding.

Nate lent a hand to Mum in cleaning the sitting room and kitchen in preparation for the next day's event. It was to be a small, private affair, with only close family members and friends invited. To make things easier, they had opted for catering from a friend of Mum's.

Nate stood before the fan in the kitchen, having completed the task of sorting the trash. The temperature outside was sweltering, and the air conditioning technician wouldn't be visiting until the next week. As Nate caught sight of Julian's car pulling into the drive, she was soon enveloped in a warm hug from behind.