Chapter 9 It had been two weeks since I arrived in Aquinox . I'd settled down in a quiet little town , where the air was fresh and life moved at a calm , unhurried pace . It was just the way I liked it . I rented a small shop and opened a cozy café of my own . I was busy with work every day , and I hardly thought of Damien anymore . Damien , Vivian , and their child must be living happily now . Still , every time their faces flashed across my mind , the heart I thought had long gone numb ached faintly . Just then , a man walked into the café holding an adorable kitten in his arms . " Excuse me , is this your cat ? I found it wandering outside your door . It almost ran off . " The kitten let out a soft purr , and I couldn't resist stroking its fluffy little ears . " No , it's not mine . " " Then it must be lost , or maybe it's a stray . " The man replied with a gentle sigh , then asked hesitantly , " Do you like cats ? Would you consider adopting it ? " Something deep inside me stirred at his words . Perhaps having such a cute little creature around wouldn't be so bad after all . What I didn't expect was that after I adopted the kitten , the man who brought it to me - Julian Hayes - ended up sticking around too . Julian would be waiting outside the café before I even opened every morning . He'd only leave when I closed up each evening . Ever since Julian and the kitten came into the picture , the café's business had been booming . I was so busy every day I barely had a moment to breathe . However , every time met Julian's fiery gaze , my heart raced , and I couldn't help but look away . One evening , just as I was locking up , Julian suddenly grabbed my hand . " Estelle , don't you understand how I feel about you ? " My cheeks flushed red as I tried to pull away , but he firmly intertwined his fingers with mine . " You … " Before I could say anything , Julian pulled me into his arms . " Don't move ! " His warm breath tickled my neck , sending a shiver down my spine .