A Few Months Ago
Robbin felt his car stop right in front of the skyscraper that was the headquarters of his father’s business empire-LSG HQ. He would be in New York for a few days due to important matters he had to attend to. None of the De Lavigne family members knew he was in New York, not even his kitten-Juliette. After all, what was wrong with meeting the only parent he loved, right? Before he left New York again, he also needed to discuss something with his father.
With that thought in mind, Robbin got out of the car. He gave Aldrich a brief nod to stay alert and keep an eye on the area. Robbin adjusted the sunglasses perched on his aristocratic nose before stepping into the building. He was immediately greeted by a modern and elegant lobby, typical of his father, who loved luxury and beauty. Robbin walked past the receptionist and the pass door that separated the public area from the office employees, using the card he had. He continued walking toward the private elevator located at the end of the hallway, ignoring the employees waiting for the lift.
After pressing several buttons beside the elevator, the metal doors opened shortly after, and Robbin stepped inside. He swiped his card on the scanner and pressed the button for the top floor, where the CEO’s office was located. The metal door closed, and the elevator ascended.
It didn’t take long for Robbin to arrive at his father’s office door, where his father’s assistant stood trembling in fear beside him. “You said my father was busy?”
“Yes, young master. I was instructed not to allow anyone to enter his office.”
Robbin ignored his father’s assistant’s words and chose to barge in. The scene before him was not surprising. He saw his father sitting on the sofa facing another man. They looked serious as they discussed, but when they heard the door open, followed by footsteps, their discussion stopped.
“Robbin? Why are you in New York?” His father stood and walked toward Robbin.
Robbin glared at the man casually sipping coffee from the table. Benedict Nelson was one of Jonathan De Lavigne’s business partners. He had been a close friend of his father since his school days. The Nelson family may not be like the De Lavigne family, but that didn’t mean the Nelson family didn’t have a great reputation among business elites, and Robbin already knew about his father’s discussions with Benedict.
“I just wanted to drop by. I have business with my agent.” Then he greeted the man sitting on the sofa. “Benedict.”
“Robbin. How are you, my boy? I heard your film shoot is going well.”
“Yes.”
“You know, Emily misses you. She’s been whining for me to let her visit you.”
Robbin ignored Benedict’s statement and chose to say, “I want to talk to my father.”
Jonathan narrowed his eyes at Robbin. He suspected something was being planned in his son’s mind, but he also had something to discuss. So he nodded and led Robbin out of his office to the meeting room located a few doors down.
Upon arriving at the meeting room, Robbin immediately sat at the head of the table, a form of rebellion showing that he was more powerful than his father. Jonathan sighed and sat on the right side. “What do you want to talk about?”
“What were you discussing with Benedict?”
Jonathan shrugged his shoulders, changing his posture to a more relaxed one, even though he was genuinely afraid of his son’s line of thinking. “Discussing your marriage plans with Emily. When you return, you must marry her.”
Robbin slammed his hand on the table in frustration. “I will not marry her!” he hissed with a deadly tone.
“You must marry her, Robbin. It’s your duty as my successor. You will replace me someday, and forming a relationship with the Nelsons will strengthen our family’s power.”
“I will not marry that spoiled woman!”
Jonathan sighed loudly and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Robbin, you need to stop your obsession with Juliette. She is your sister.”
“Stop!” Robbin stood up and glared at Jonathan defiantly. “I will never marry that woman; I will never stop making Juliette mine. And have you forgotten? She has no ties to me. If it weren’t for Meryl, she wouldn’t be part of the De Lavigne family.”
“Robbin, enough. Stop. You will only hurt her. She sees you as a brother. What if she knew what you’ve been doing to her all this time?”
“If it weren’t for you sending me away, Juliette would already be my wife!”
“Have you considered Meryl’s feelings? She just wants her daughter to be happy with the man she loves, not a man obsessed with her.”
“I will make Juliette happy. She loves me just as I love her.”
Jonathan huffed softly. “You’re just daydreaming, Robbin. As your parent, I’m begging you to stop. Juliette is also my daughter now, and you are siblings.”
Robbin took a deep breath and sat back down in his chair. He immediately put on his signature poker face, flat and cold, laden with emotion. “Ah yes, regarding that, I will marry her soon.”
“No.”
“I don’t care. Even without your blessing, she will be my wife. I will marry her as I should.”
“Robbin, don’t mess with me.”
“What are you going to do? You can’t stop me.”
“You will never be able to. I, as the head of the family, will not allow it. If you want to marry her, kill me first and take my place.”
“Deal.”
.
.
.
Juliette took a deep breath and stared at Robbin’s face with a look of disbelief. The man’s words felt like a sharp sword that could wound anyone if touched by its tip. Juliette’s entire body trembled in fear. She wanted to cry and embrace Leo, but she held back because she was on her own right now. No one would help her but herself. That was a reality Juliette had to keep reminding herself.
“Robby… where is my brother that I trusted?”
Robbin sighed heavily at Juliette’s question and set her down in his arms. For a moment, Juliette glanced around the interior of the room they had entered. If it were under different circumstances, she might have gasped in amazement. Her hazel eyes watched Robbin pacing on the thick carpet. “Robby?”
“Why do you still ask that? I’ve told you we are not siblings.” Robbin stopped and looked sharply at Juliette. His dark eyes glanced at Juliette’s stomach for a moment before returning to her face.
“You are not my sister, and I am not your brother.”
Juliette nodded slowly. “You’re right, but we are relatives. Stop all this-”
“Kitten.” Robbin growled softly, cutting off the logical sentence Juliette was about to say.
“Do you want me to get angry? If you keep saying that, I will do to you what I did to Daisy. Do you want that? That’s not a bad idea.
“Robbin!”
Robbin spread his arms, gesturing for Juliette to come closer. Of course, Juliette did not want to do what the man wanted, but after seeing Robbin’s warning gaze, she walked closer and took a breath as her body fell into his embrace. He kissed her forehead for a moment before burying his face in the nook of her neck, inhaling her intoxicating scent.
“Don’t you want to be with me?” Robbin suddenly asked in a sad and fragile tone.
Juliette’s eyes widened at the question. She didn’t expect Robbin to ask her that. “I love you, Juliette. Don’t you love me?”
“Robby…”
“What’s so great about that man? That you never see me and always look at him?” Juliette swallowed hard.
She was shocked by Robbin’s sincere question. What should Juliette say? If she said the wrong thing, Robbin would get angry, and perhaps he would do what he had just mentioned. Juliette now knew that Robbin was not a man to be trifled with when it came to his threats. This was proven by the people who died due to his insane obsession.
With a hint of hesitation, Juliette returned Robbin’s embrace. One of her hands rose to stroke Robbin’s head, touching his smooth, silky hair. Juliette took a breath and said, “Because he makes me be myself, Robbin. He makes me the happiest woman.”
Robbin closed his eyes. “I can do that for you. I will make you the happiest woman. I will treat you like a queen.”
Tears welled up in Juliette’s eyes. “It’s not as easy as it looks, Robbin. Your love for me is so different from his love for me.” After Juliette said that, Robbin released her and stared at her with a sharp, deadly gaze. “Robby…”
“No! No one can love you as much as I love you.”
“Robbin, stop!”
“The only thing you can do now is learn to love me and forget him, Kitten.”
“What if that’s impossible?”
“Make me believe you.”
“What if it’s hard?”
Robbin didn’t answer. He ran his fingers through his hair and stood still for a moment. Then he looked at Juliette with disappointment before walking away, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the room.
Not long after Robbin left, two large men entered the room. They looked at Juliette flatly before coldly gripping her arms and forcibly pulling her.
Juliette immediately screamed and tried to resist. She struggled to free herself from the two men gripping her, but her efforts were in vain. She was dragged to the second floor, and Juliette shrieked as her body was pushed into a room that had no balcony or even a window, just an air vent that was out of reach.
Just as Juliette wanted to ask the two men who had brought her, she heard the sound of the door closing and the key turning.
At that moment, Juliette realized that Robbin intended to lock her up.
…