bookcurios Chapter 278: The Woman Who Heard the Voice
Chapter 278: The Woman Who Heard the Voice
The Woman Who Heard the Voice
Julian slowly raised his head and looked toward Charles.
"Grandpa Whitmore, where’s the thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng?"
Charles Whitmore set down his teacup and smiled helplessly.
"The thousand-year Frostheart Ginseng will take two more days to arrive. I’ve arranged for it to be sent from Greencliff Mountain; it’s quite hard to find these days."
The old herbal merchant spread his hands.
"Finding ordinary medicinal herbs is easy. Finding something that has truly matured for a thousand years is another matter entirely. Even my network had to spend considerable effort securing it."
Julian nodded.
"Alright, please keep an eye out for it in the future. I’ll need it whenever it’s available."
He wasn’t particularly worried about the delay.
After spending so much time gathering the other ingredients, waiting another two days was nothing.
The Nine Way Cleansing Elixir was too important to rush.
The fragrance of tea drifted through the reception hall as sunlight streamed through the large windows. Wooden shelves filled with rare medicinal herbs lined the walls, giving the room an ancient and scholarly atmosphere.
Just as Julian finished speaking, three people walked in from outside.
The sound of heels clicking against the polished floor immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Leading them was a tall, beautiful woman.
The moment she stepped through the doorway, the spacious hall seemed to become quieter.
Among all the women Julian knew, this woman was undoubtedly the tallest.
She stood around 1.72 meters even before accounting for her heels.
With the addition of her elegant black stilettos, her presence became even more commanding.
Even Julian, who stood over 1.8 meters tall, instinctively felt a slight pressure.
Her long black hair flowed down her back like a waterfall of silk, smooth and glossy beneath the afternoon sunlight.
A pair of striking ruby-red eyes sat beneath delicately arched brows.
They were beautiful eyes.
Yet incredibly cold.
The sort of eyes that could make ordinary men lose the courage to approach.
Her skin was flawless and fair.
Her lips were naturally rosy.
Her neck was long and elegant.
Every movement carried the refinement of someone raised within a powerful household.
She wore a tailored white dress beneath a black designer coat.
The outfit wasn’t particularly revealing.
Yet nothing could conceal her breathtaking figure. Every curve seemed sculpted with effortless perfection.
Her full, E-cup breasts pressed softly against the fabric of her dress, their generous shape adding to her striking presence without diminishing her elegance.
Beneath them, her slender waist created a captivating contrast before giving way to wide, womanly hips and a pair of beautifully rounded, peach-shaped curves that swayed with quiet confidence.
Her long, shapely thighs carried her graceful stride with natural poise, making her legs appear almost endless.
Every movement highlighted the mature, curvaceous silhouette she possessed—a body that balanced softness with irresistible femininity.
She was the very image of a woman in the full bloom of her beauty, but she wasn’t the delicate type of beauty that inspired protection, nor the overtly seductive type who intentionally tempted others.
Instead, she possessed the charm of a fully matured woman who had naturally grown into her beauty.
Every movement carried quiet confidence.
Every glance carried elegance.
Combined with her exceptional height and noble bearing, she resembled a perfectly ripened peach—beautiful, graceful, and impossible to ignore.
Elegant.
Alluring.
Dangerously attractive.
Any normal man would find it difficult not to take a second glance.
Unfortunately...
Her face was as cold as frost.
The icy aura surrounding her reduced the approachability of her beauty significantly.
If her appearance and figure could score ninety-nine points, her frigid expression immediately deducted at least ten.
Even Selena Aurevale seemed slightly overshadowed in terms of pure visual impact.
Julian couldn’t help being stunned for a brief moment.
Several thoughts immediately surfaced in his mind.
[Whoa, she’s so tall!]
Several thoughts exploded through Julian’s mind the instant he saw her.
[Whoa... she’s tall.]
[Not just tall... elegant. Those long legs look like they could stride straight through my self-control.]
[With such height, many positions of sex...]
[How is someone allowed to look this unfair?]
[Calm down, Julian. You’re staring. Stop staring. You’re definitely staring.]
His heartbeat quickened despite himself.
For a brief, embarrassing moment, he imagined what it would be like if someone like her stood close enough for him to catch the faint scent of her perfume... if those crimson eyes ever looked at him with warmth instead of indifference.
[First sight and my brain is already trying to write a romance route. Pathetic.]
[No, worse... it’s trying to skip straight to the harem ending.]
He almost clicked his tongue.
[Control yourself. You’re supposed to be the rich, cool, irresistible protagonist—not some lovestruck idiot who loses his composure the moment a beautiful woman appears.]
[...Though, if she’s this gorgeous from a distance, standing next to her might actually be fatal.]
He silently forced himself to keep a straight face, suppressing the dangerous urge to keep admiring her.
The very instant those thoughts crossed his mind—
The woman’s footsteps paused.
Her ruby-red eyes shifted toward him with uncanny precision.
And locked directly onto Julian.
The temperature in the room suddenly seemed to drop several degrees.
Julian felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.
A strange sensation spread through his limbs.
It was as if someone had secretly turned on an air conditioner directly above his head.
He subconsciously rubbed his arms.
What the hell?
Why did he suddenly feel cold?
Across from him, the woman’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly.
She had clearly heard the voice.
Every single word.
"Including the parts where he secretly indulged in lewd fantasies about her."
Her expression remained calm.
But internally, she was no longer calm.
For a brief moment, she wondered if she had misheard.
Yet the voice had been crystal clear.
More importantly...
The voice had mentioned Julian’s name.
Slowly, she examined him.
Black hair.
Golden eyes.
Handsome face.
Relaxed posture.
Everything matched.
Yet one thing didn’t.
Julian’s mouth had never moved.
Not once.
He was simply standing there looking at her.
The voice had spoken.
But he hadn’t.
A faint crease appeared between her brows.
Confusion flashed through her cold eyes.
Wasn’t it him speaking?
But the name was mentioned just now.
The two people standing behind her exchanged puzzled glances.
They had no idea why their usually indifferent young lady had suddenly stopped walking.
The atmosphere became strangely awkward.
Amara blinked several times.
She immediately noticed the unusual tension.
Julian, meanwhile, remained completely oblivious.
He had no idea that someone else had just heard every embarrassing thought that had flashed through his mind.
Charles Whitmore was the first to react.
A warm smile appeared on his face as he rose from his seat.
"Miss Ashbourne, long time no see."