Two hours later, Robbin returned to the room. Curled up on the bed and crying silently, Juliette immediately stopped and held her breath. She felt the gentle caress of Robbin’s hand on her back before she heard the man whisper, “Don’t cry, Kitten. I don’t want to see you sad.”
“You… are… the one… who made me like this…” Juliette replied hoarsely. At first, Robbin had yet to respond. Juliette sensed the man freeze behind her, which made her certain he was close because her bare skin felt the warmth radiating from his body. Then Juliette inhaled as Robbin hugged her from behind and nestled his face into her neck. “Please…”
“Kitten, I just want to hold you,” Robbin whispered before planting gentle kisses on Juliette’s jaw and neck, but Juliette did not want to accept it. She squirmed and tried to escape Robbin’s touch, causing him to growl and tighten his arms around her. Then he warned, “Stop resisting, Juliette, or do you want to see me angry?”
Juliette said with a small sob and trembling lips, “Please stop… stop… what do you want from me? Why are you doing all this? I am your sister.”
Robbin took a breath, inhaling her unique scent mixed with the aroma of lovemaking, which was the most addictive thing for him. “Because you are mine. You are mine.”
Juliette shut her eyes. Those two words again. Those cursed two words that Juliette hated. Why did Robbin say that she belonged to him? She belonged to herself, not to anyone else. “Please, Robbin, stop this madness. I won’t tell anyone, just let me go.”
“Shut up!” Robbin hissed, angry because Juliette’s words had successfully awakened his monster.
Of course, Juliette didn’t give up. With strong determination, she turned and looked into Robbin’s dark eyes. One of her trembling hands rose to cup his face, and with a pleading gaze, Juliette said, “Please stop, Robbin. Don’t you want to ruin the bond between us? You are my brother, and I am your sister.”
“You are not my sister.” Robbin said sharply. He jerked Juliette’s hand away before gripping her chin tightly. “Not now, nor ever.”
“Robby…” Juliette whispered. Her mouth opened to try to change Robbin’s mind again, but she hesitated and chose to ask, “Why?”
The man moved away and took a slow breath. For a moment, there was only silence. Robbin stared blankly at the jet-black wall while Juliette looked at him with mixed emotions. Robbin continued to remain silent. His mind returned to the first day he realized he saw Juliette as more than just a sister, back to when it all began, to the day his monster emerged for the first time after lying dormant for so long.
Robbin took a breath and looked back at Juliette, still in disarray and soaked in tears. Still, he saw that she was even more beautiful, especially knowing that he had put her in this state. “Sixteen years.”
Juliette blinked in shock. She was confused by Robbin’s words but determined to keep her mouth shut and say nothing. She wanted to hear Robbin’s explanations to understand the man’s motives.
“When you were sixteen, I saw you as more than just a sister.” Juliette’s breath caught. “The first time I saw you was on your sixteenth birthday when I came home after the student exchange program.”
Juliette remembered that day. On her sixteenth birthday was the day Robbin returned after being away for the student exchange program at their school. The man had spent two years in another country, and Juliette missed her brother so much. After all, two years is not a short time. Fortunately, the student exchange occurred a few months after their trip to Woods Valley. At least Juliette had happy memories while Robbin was away. She remembered welcoming her brother with such joy. The brother she missed had returned and was by her side, as everyone in the De Lavigne family considered her a stranger; only Robbin did not see her as one.
“When I stood in front of you, giving you the gift I had chosen for you, that’s when I realized I couldn’t stop looking at you.” Juliette swallowed and didn’t know what to say.
Robbin pulled Juliette into his embrace and said, “I’ve been a troubled child since I was little, and my father took me to a psychiatrist several times.”
This time, Juliette’s eyes widened in shock. She opened her mouth to ask, but Robbin pressed her head down so she wouldn’t ask anything. “You… awakened the monster inside me after all this time. I became captivated by you. Then I started to watch you and observe every step you took, but I didn’t do anything more because I knew this feeling was wrong; after all, you had become part of my family. But the important point is that you are not my sister. Not now, not ever.”
Robbin inhaled the scent of Juliette’s hair and continued, “There is something about you, within you, something that makes the monster inside me rise and grow, becoming larger, completely consuming me, especially when it relates to you. Then the feelings within me-the desire and adoration-turned into a craving to possess you, and all of that transformed into an overwhelming obsession. Before I realized it, I was addicted, addicted to you.”
Juliette listened to every word that came out of Robbin’s mouth, and it made her want to vomit. All of Robbin’s words and his touch stirred negative feelings within Juliette. Her head spun with all the information she had just heard, and she didn’t know how to react. She didn’t know what to do, but she chose to sit silently, biting her lower lip continuously until it bled.
“What about Leo?” Robbin snorted and released Juliette. He got off the bed and looked at Juliette calmly, but his dark eyes stared at her with a flat, cold gaze.
“I let him be with you. There will come a time when I will teach that man a lesson for wanting my woman. After all, I won’t let him touch you. I will do everything I can to ensure he fails to touch you.” Robbin pulled out his phone from his pants pocket and continued, “Besides, now he will realize that you belong to me.”
“What are you doing to him? Robbin! Don’t hurt Leo! He’s innocent!” Robbin put his phone back in his pocket and said, “I won’t do anything to him for now, but it all depends on you. If you make even the slightest mistake, then that man’s life will be at stake.”
“Robbin… please let him go… you… you already have me. I will do anything for you, but please don’t touch the people I care about.”
Robbin shook his head. “If Leo fails, then Meryl will be the next one sitting in the basement chair. I won’t hurt you, but not with them. Remember that well.” Robbin glanced at his watch and added, “I’ve prepared clothes for you; wear them. We’ll arrive at our destination soon. I will give you another chance to ask questions later, and I will answer everything honestly.”
…