Minutes, hours, days, and a week have passed, and Juliette feels she has lost her sanity. Although Robbin hasn’t touched her since the last time he did, keeping his distance as if Juliette were a deadly disease, she still feels uneasy.
It’s as if Robbin is looking for the right moment to do something to her, planning a big scheme. Their last conversation was unfinished; Juliette still wanted to fight to make Robbin realize his actions needed to be corrected. She has many questions, and the only one who knows the answers is that man, but every time she wants to ask, her heart tells her to be quiet and keep her mouth shut.
Juliette needs to devise a plan to free herself from Robbin’s grip. She can’t fight back with violence because that is the very last option she will consider. She needs to find another way, and for some reason, what comes to her mind is to make Robbin trust her.
Now, she is enveloped in silence. Loneliness is slowly drawing her into an endless darkness. She needs contact with someone; the only person nearby is the one who keeps a distance between them. Is this one of Robbin’s tactics? To make her realize he is the only man she can rely on? The only one she can consider a friend? Do we depend on him until there is no more room for Juliette to doubt and think of leaving?
She is starting to grow tired of fighting the man. She is getting weary of rejecting him. The man says the only way is to love him, that she has to make him believe, just as her mind tells her, but her heart cannot. It cannot do that when the wounds of betrayal and disappointment are still fresh and raw. Juliette knows that discovering the man’s true identity will have dire consequences for her. Still, she didn’t realize the impact would be this severe. Robbin isn’t afraid if Juliette tells the police about what he has done; he can silence them all, putting Juliette in an even tougher spot.
And now, Juliette regrets being curious about his identity. I’m curious about the face behind that mysterious mask. Juliette regrets having heard that man’s voice and being foolish enough to play along in a game she already knew would have a bad ending.
Her whole body tenses when she hears footsteps, followed by the sound of a critical turning. Not long after, the door to the room, the only exit, opens, and the man occupying her mind appears with a food tray. Juliette straightens her back and sits stiffly on the bed. Her eyes watch the predator, who seems to be stalking her.
Robbin places the tray on the glass table and walks over to Juliette. He sits down on the edge of the bed, extending his hand to stroke Juliette’s head gently. “Kitten.”
“How long are you going to keep me locked up and away from you, Robby?” Robbin narrows his lips, one way of showing he will not answer Juliette’s question and also that he dislikes her tone.
“Robby… I’m… I’m starting to go crazy in here…” Juliette shifts closer and grabs Robbin’s hand.
“I need physical contact with a human, I need someone to talk to. If you keep me locked in here, I might go insane. Are you punishing me for what I said the other day? Fine, I accept that, but please stop now.”
Robbin pulls his hand away from Juliette’s grasp and stands up. He walks over to the table, picks up the plate with the lunch he had specially prepared for Juliette, and then returns to the bed and sits back down. Robbin scoops some food onto a spoon and brings it to Juliette’s mouth.
“Open your mouth,” Robbin commands flatly.
At first, Juliette doesn’t want to, but after thinking it over, she wonders why she should resist. Shouldn’t this be the way for Robbin to trust her? With that thought, Juliette opens her mouth and, without protest, lets Robbin feed her. After half an hour in silence, Juliette is busy chewing her food. At the same time, Robbin is focused on feeding her and watching her intently. When the food is gone, Robbin stands up, apparently intending to leave.
Juliette panics the moment she realizes this. She looks right and left, searching for a reason to make the man stay, but finds nothing. Spontaneously, Juliette extends her hand and pulls on Robbin’s shirt. Robbin immediately stops and turns, looking at Juliette with a questioning gaze.
“Please don’t leave me alone…”
Robbin doesn’t say anything. With a soft cough, Juliette gathers her resolve and gets down from the bed.
“Do you want me to love you and forget Leo?” Juliette asks, her heart racing.
“If that’s what you want, make me fall in love with you.” Juliette challenges boldly-this is surprising for both her and Robbin, as Juliette can see Robbin’s eyes widen.
“Make me kneel before you, and if you can do that, then I will give my entire life to you.”
“Julie…” Robbin gently brushes the back of his hand against Juliette’s cheek. The man doesn’t say anything, only gazes at Juliette with dark, mysterious eyes. After that, Robbin lowers his hand, puts the plate he is holding back on the tray, and places a glass of orange juice on the table before carrying the tray out.
Juliette can only remain silent as she watches the door close and the sound of the key turning again.
.
.
On the tenth day, Juliette truly feels like she’s going insane. She can only listen to the terrifying thoughts growing in her mind day by day. A tear falls down her cheek, and her eyes gaze longingly at the door. She misses freedom, fresh air, sunlight, the grass, and everything she can see outside the cold walls of the room.
Juliette takes a deep breath and curls up in a corner of the room. This is the only way she can feel safe and comfortable. The warmth of her own body is like a balm for her longing for contact with others. A small sob escapes her lips, and Juliette feels her chest tight-very tight.
So busy pitying herself, Juliette doesn’t realize that the key has turned and the door has opened. Juliette only realizes she is not alone in the room when she hears footsteps and someone squatting in front of her. Slowly, Juliette lifts her head, and her hazel eyes, wet with tears, meet Robbin’s dark eyes, full of emotion. The man stares at Juliette’s face for a long time with his phone pressed to his ear. “Yes, Meryl, you don’t have to worry. She’s with me.”
Hearing Robbin mention her mother’s name made Juliette straighten up and look at him with hope. Her heart raced as Robbin pulled the phone away from his ear and held it to Juliette. A sense of wonder filled her heart as she took the phone from Robbin, and relief flooded her soul when she heard her mother’s voice on the other end.
“Ette? Is that you?”
‘You only have ten minutes,’ Juliette saw Robbin silently moving his lips, warning her through his intense gaze. Juliette nodded and, tremblingly, responded to her mother, “Yes, Mama, it’s me.”
“Oh my God, Ette… why didn’t you let me know? I was so scared something happened to you.”
“I’m sorry, Mama, I… I just forgot to check in with you.”
Juliette heard Meryl’s sigh. “Alright, as long as you’re okay. I think Robbin’s idea of taking you on vacation is the best one.” Juliette felt her breath catch. “After what happened recently, a vacation is the best option for you.”
“Mama…”
“I’m grateful Robbin is there to comfort you. After what Leo did to you, I can’t imagine how you feel.”
“Leo?” Juliette glanced at Robbin and saw his jaw tighten, but she also noticed a satisfied look in his dark eyes.
“Yes, Leo. I really didn’t expect him to be so cruel to you. Betraying and abandoning you. I believed in that man, but now…” What did her mother mean by that? What had Robbin told her mother about Leo?
“Everything will be alright now. I’ve asked Dion-Leo’s boss-to fire him if he comes back.”
“Mama… Leo…” Juliette gasped as the phone in her hand was snatched away, and tears streamed down her face as she looked at Robbin with a pleading gaze.
“Meryl, you shouldn’t bring up that coward in front of Julie again. She’ll be hurt hearing it; I’m sure she doesn’t want to remember what that man did…” Robbin paused for a moment after hearing Meryl’s response and nodded.
“I know, I’ll take care of her for you… don’t worry… How is Daisy?” Robbin fell silent again upon hearing his mother’s reply.
“Yes, I’m still investigating. Hopefully, I will find out who the perpetrator is soon.” Robbin glanced at Juliette.
“I don’t know when we’ll be back; maybe after Juliette feels better, we will return to New York…” After that, Robbin said goodbye, but the call was disconnected.
“What did you tell my mom about Leo?”
Robbin observed Juliette for a moment and sighed softly. He sat down before Juliette, pulling her onto his lap and holding her tightly. “You know how much I’ve missed this. Touching you, holding you… everything.”
“Robbin…”
Robbin buried his nose in Juliette’s hair. He kissed her head before saying, “Get ready in an hour. I’m taking you out.”
“Out?”
Robbin mumbled casually. He pulled back and gazed intently at Juliette, then took a bracelet from his jacket pocket. Juliette could only look on in horror as the bracelet had a blinking light-a tracker. Ignoring Juliette’s reaction, Robbin quickly took her hand and fastened the device around her wrist. Once secured, the blinking light disappeared as if it was never there, and what Juliette wore now looked like a regular bracelet.
“You…”
“I’ve asked the servant to prepare everything you need. Now go take a shower and look beautiful for me.”
After saying that, Robbin set Juliette down from his lap and stood up. He stared at Juliette briefly before walking out of the room.
…