“Are you thinking of running away from me now, Kitten?” Robbin grinned and stared at Juliette with a mysterious look, making Juliette’s entire body tremble as she unconsciously stepped back, trying to put as much distance as possible between them.
Robbin clicked his tongue softly, watching Juliette’s clearly visible movements. “You don’t need to be afraid of me, Kitten.”
Juliette shook her head, and with the courage that was slowly rising within her, she asked Robbin, “Did you kill her? Did you kill Daisy?”
Robbin’s eyes briefly glanced at the phone in his hand, and his grin widened. “Ah… what do you mean by this?” Robbin waved the phone in the air, making Juliette’s eyes immediately focus on it.
“Don’t worry, Kitten, I didn’t kill her. I just made sure she wouldn’t get in my way.”
“But… that sentence…”
Robbin chuckled softly, but the laughter sounded so fake that it sent chills down Juliette’s spine. Her breath caught as the man walked around her, observing Juliette with his dark eyes, sharp like an eagle. “Yes, I got rid of her. Ensuring she wouldn’t obstruct my path to claim you completely.”
“What are you saying?”
Robbin stopped circling Juliette and stood directly behind her. He took a few steps forward before wrapping both arms around Juliette from behind. He nestled his face in the nook of Juliette’s neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent.
Robbin lifted his head and rested his chin on Juliette’s shoulder. His eyes gazed toward the rows of cabinets storing various things that Juliette shouldn’t know about.
“Do you want to know the reason, Kitten? Ah! Of course, you want to know.” Robbin planted a kiss on Juliette’s cheek and continued, “She knows too much.” Robbin pulled his lips into a sly smile, sensing Juliette’s trembling body.
“That annoying cousin of mine knew a lot about me and my obsession with you, so I made sure she couldn’t say anything that would get in my way. In other words, I made her unable to speak.” Robbin paused for a moment, then continued, “If she still ignores my warning, it’s possible that I will do what you’re imagining right now.”
“No!”
“Shh…” Robbin tightened his arms around Juliette, who was trying to break free.
“Do you see what I’m doing just for you, Kitten? For you, I’m even willing to destroy the world if necessary.”
With tears streaming down her face, Juliette touched Robbin’s hand. She didn’t know what to do to free herself from the deadly grip of the man behind her. Slowly, Juliette turned around and, with her whole body trembling, hugged Robbin tightly, then whispered with a tone full of vengeance, “You’re insane! I will make sure you die in my hands.”
Robbin smiled and hugged Juliette even tighter. “I’ll wait until that time comes, Kitten.” Then Robbin released Juliette and looked at her body, which was only wrapped in a blanket.
“Put on your clothes; we’re leaving here. I haven’t shown you the house I bought for you.”
Juliette gave Robbin a deadly glare. Her tears were still flowing endlessly. She needed to start thinking of a way to escape Robbin’s deadly obsession-her stepbrother.
.
.
During the car ride, the oppressive silence was palpable. Juliette tapped her fingers rapidly. Occasionally, she glanced at Robbin, who had his eyes closed with a calm expression. If Juliette weren’t observant, she would think Robbin was asleep, but that was just camouflage for Juliette to feel more at ease, or was the man testing her?
Robbin’s body seemed tense even though his face was calm; one hand resting on the car door occasionally clenched into a fist before relaxing again, and Juliette noticed Robbin’s foot tapping softly on the car floor. Juliette looked back at the car window and asked, “How did you tap my phone?”
At first, there was silence for a moment, and Juliette thought Robbin wouldn’t answer at all. Still, unexpectedly, the man opened his eyes and turned to look at Juliette.
“I hacked all the devices you used a few months after your nineteenth birthday. I installed cameras and listening devices throughout the mansion. Sometimes I followed you, but you never noticed because you were too innocent and unaware of the world around you. I was always near you, every morning, every night, every moment and time, but all of that had to stop when I had to leave you again, because my bastard father found out what I was doing.”
Juliette’s eyes widened in shock. “Yes, my father knows what I’ve done.” Robbin chuckled softly, but his laughter was so chilling that it sent shivers down Juliette’s spine.
“Do you remember when my father accidentally broke your phone during dinner a week before your birthday? Then he gave you a phone as a gift to replace the one he broke?”
Juliette remembered that. A week before her 23rd birthday, before the fateful night, Jonathan had hosted a family dinner for the De Lavigne clan. At first, Juliette didn’t want to go and preferred to lock herself in her room. Still, her mother insisted, and Juliette reluctantly complied. It was not surprising that Jonathan suddenly organized a formal dinner with the entire De Lavigne family.
Juliette could feel her presence, not being part of that family, was unwelcome; of course, Jonathan occasionally talked to her, but that didn’t comfort her at all. Robbin, sitting on Jonathan’s right, occasionally offered Juliette calming smiles, which at that moment made her feel a little better.
The night went on, and when dessert arrived, Juliette felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She excused herself from everyone at the table to answer the call. She was about to walk out when, by accident, Jonathan stood up. He bumped into Juliette, causing the phone in her hand to fall to the floor and break. Then, the next day, Jonathan gave her a new phone. “He did that on purpose to stop me.”
“How… did your father…?”
“He didn’t mean to catch me.” Juliette felt her breath catch. Robbin moved closer and gently caressed Juliette’s cheek, “but of course, he couldn’t stop me. On the night of your birthday, I swapped the phone your father gave you with the one I had modified. Easy, right?” Hearing this made Juliette’s eyes widen in disbelief. So, all this time, was the phone she had been using the one that had been tapped? Even before that horrific event occurred. Juliette didn’t know whether to cry hysterically or curse the man in front of her.
“So what about the puzzle game you created? What about Dion and Christian’s involvement?”
“Ah! Apparently, my Kitten is quite brave.” Robbin smiled slyly.
“Have you forgotten who I am? Even though I didn’t fully have De Lavigne at that time, I already had my own power. I’ll tell you everything another time.”
Suddenly, the sly smile on Robbin’s face faded when he said, “Unfortunately, my plan to possess you wavered when that coward accidentally entered your life.”
‘Leo’s presence,’ Juliette’s mind whispered in fear. Leo’s presence forced Robbin to delay his wickedness and act as her brother for longer. Whether that was a good or bad thing for Juliette, especially now that Leo was in a terrible position because of her.
“Because I went abroad due to my father, I no longer monitored you directly, but through my people. They reported to me every day, and when the report about you dating that guy landed on my desk, I was furious. I was so angry because there was another man who dared to try to take you away from me.”
Robbin grinned, his hand gently caressing Juliette’s cheek, now gripping her jaw. His dark eyes pierced Juliette with a deadly gaze. “I tried to get rid of him, but it seems he is more stubborn than I anticipated.”
Juliette’s eyes widened further.
‘Could it be that Leo is being terrorized by Robbin?’ Juliette wanted to ask so badly; the question was on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it back, not wanting to provoke Robbin’s anger by mentioning Leo’s name.
Juliette chose to change the subject because she would eventually get answers about Leo. “What about the messages and calls at the hospital back then? You were near me.”
“For that answer, you can guess for yourself.” Juliette took a deep breath. She immediately understood the answer. Robbin had people who could easily be ordered to do his bidding, doing the dirty work he couldn’t do.
“Then why did you kill the cat you gave me?” This question made Juliette silently cry. The grip on her jaw tightened, and Juliette’s breath caught involuntarily. Her hazel eyes looked fearfully into Robbin’s dark ones.
“It was just to teach you a lesson that I could easily take away everything you love if you mess with me. You already opened your mouth about me to Leo, and I was just teaching that mouth of yours a lesson by having fun with it.”
“Robby…”
“This question-and-answer session is over.” Shortly after, Robbin said that Juliette had felt the car stop.
“We’ve arrived.” Robbin pulled his hand from Juliette’s jaw before getting out of the car. The man stood by the car and extended his hand to Juliette. Of course, Juliette wouldn’t act foolishly; she knew there would be a time to fight back, and now was not the right time. Juliette accepted Robbin’s hand and reluctantly stepped out of the car.
Her eyes were directed toward the house standing in front of her. A rustic-style house with a modern touch stood tall and elegant. If only Juliette hadn’t been under so much pressure, she might have felt amazed and happy to live in that house. The house that had indeed been her dream. “I know you will love it. I built this house just for you.”
Juliette wasn’t surprised that Robbin knew about her dream house. She turned to Robbin and, in a simulated tone, said to him, “Thank you, Robby. You really know my desires.”
Hearing those words, a smile spread across Robbin’s face, and his dark eyes radiated a longing glow toward Juliette. He responded to Juliette’s words by lifting her, carrying her like a newlywed bride entering a home. “I promise we will do this again with you as my wife,” he said while carrying Juliette into the house.
“Robby…”
“Now that absolute power is in my hands, nothing will stop me from making you mine.”
…