Blizzard, First Love and a Wife Who Finally Snaps novel Chapter 97

Isabel needed time to process this.

Julian watched the play of emotions on her face and continued, "The old man doesn't want to hang on anymore. He's been suffering, living alone, but he promised your grandmother he'd be your support. Now, I'm grown up. I can be your support."

He coaxed her, "And if you marry me, you can get something you're interested in from the old man. Like his knowledge of alternative medicine."

"Um..." Isabel finally found her voice, utterly unprepared for this turn of events. "I can learn alternative medicine by becoming his apprentice..."

"In your dreams, dear. If apprenticeship were an option, he would have taken you as his student long ago. You've known him since you were a child."

"Then... can I become your apprentice?"

Julian gave a wicked smile. "Nope, dear. Neither my father nor I inherited it. Besides, my grandpa swore an oath. His skills can only be passed down to a Reed."

In other words, marrying him was her only option.

She couldn't bear to give up on learning old Mr. Reed's skills.

But the thought of marrying Julian wasn't exactly appealing.

Even though they'd agreed it would be a marriage of convenience, with no interference in each other's lives.

But marrying without love felt like a desecration of the sacred institution of marriage.

Then again, she thought, the way she had forced Adrian into marriage was also a desecration.

"..."

Julian saw her hesitation and continued slowly, "Also, the secret formulas for growing medicinal herbs... they are also only passed down to a Reed."

This was the ultimate bait.

Her medicinal herbs had never grown well, and she had specifically asked about it on this visit, but old Mr. Reed hadn't told her much.

She saw he was reluctant and thought it was because it reminded him of her grandmother and made him sad. It turned out the knowledge couldn't be shared with outsiders.

Isabel was touched. She had thought she had no family left. No one to share her pain with. Even with close friends, there was always a certain distance.

But before she could speak, a soft female voice called out, "Julian."

"..."

Isabel felt that she and Selena must have had some terrible karma from a past life to be so endlessly entangled in this one.

At this time, Selena should have been in the lab. How could they run into her so coincidentally?

Not only that, but when she looked over, she saw Adrian standing right next to Selena. He was dressed for the summer in a white shirt and black trousers, but even the white couldn't soften the innate coldness that surrounded him.

While she had been undergoing treatment, Adrian had visited old Mr. Reed's place but hadn't mentioned the divorce.

At Old Mrs. Blackwell's 80th birthday party, he had coldly stated that things had to go at his pace.

She knew his personality; pushing would only be counterproductive, so she let it be.