When dessert was served on the table, Robbin’s phone rang. Juliette was surprised and was staring at the lemon cheesecake that Robbin had ordered. One question popped into her mind: did Robbin know this was her favorite cake? But Juliette had never shown it because she had only recently developed a liking for it. Oh, of course, she shouldn’t be surprised. Her stepbrother knew everything about her.
Robbin pulled his phone out of his brown leather jacket-whether by coincidence or on purpose, he was wearing a brown jacket-answered the call and frowned at the screen. Juliette looked up as he stood and murmured, “I’ll take this call. You stay here and don’t go anywhere.” Without waiting for Juliette’s response, Robbin immediately walked toward the exit.
Juliette waited momentarily after Robbin left before placing her fork down and standing up. She told the waiter she would be back soon and then walked toward the door. She was curious about what Robbin was talking about on the phone.
Quietly, Juliette opened the door and peeked in the direction where she saw Robbin standing. She walked toward a pillar and stood behind it. Luckily, the distance between the pillar and Robbin-standing with his back to the restaurant-was close enough that Juliette could hear what he was saying.
“How could you all be so stupid?” Robbin growled. He was silent for a few moments, his hands clenched tightly.
“I paid you not to let that man get away! How could this happen?” Juliette rolled her eyes as a group of women passed the restaurant and noticed Robbin. They giggled and whispered among themselves.
“Useless!” Juliette winced, startled by Robbin’s curse.
“Aldrich, I want you to find that bastard as soon as possible. I don’t care what you do. Find him and drag him back to the basement. Got it? And keep my trip to Switzerland tightly under wraps. That man isn’t stupid.”
Juliette held her breath and quickly went back inside. She sat down at her table, feeling a mix of emotions. Of course, Juliette wasn’t dumb-she knew who Robbin was talking about. It had to be Leo. Could it be true that Leo had managed to escape from Robbin’s men? Knowing that filled Juliette with relief. The fear eating away at her over Leo’s safety finally vanished, replaced with immense relief. Leo was free, and that was all she needed to know.
Juliette snapped out of her thoughts when Robbin again filled the chair across from her. His expression had darkened, full of anger that he wasn’t even trying to hide. Juliette tried to stay calm and act innocent. Then, an idea crossed her mind. Leo’s freedom felt like a motivation for Juliette to free herself from Robbin’s grasp. “Robby…”
“Yeah?” Juliette noticed Robbin calling the waiter and asking for the bill, which was a sign that they were done. “What’s up, Kitten?”
Juliette took a deep breath and bravely said, “You know, I’ve never taken birth control pills. What if I’m pregnant?”
“Wouldn’t that be a good thing?”
“Robby…”
“I’m not that stupid, Julie.”
“I want to buy a test kit.”
“I’ll call a doctor if you want to know whether you’re pregnant or not.”
“No!” Robbin was shocked when Juliette stood up and spoke in a loud tone.
“I… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to raise my voice.” Juliette took a deep breath and continued, “I want to buy birth control pills and a test kit at the pharmacy. And also, some pads.” Juliette hoped being so blunt would make Robbin uncomfortable and agree to her request, but she guessed wrong. He remained calm and indifferent.
“I’ll have someone-”
“But they don’t know the products I want,” Juliette quickly interrupted.
Robbin fell silent. He stared at Juliette intently as if searching for something in her expression or gaze. Still, after a while, he finally nodded in agreement. “Alright. After this, we’ll go to the pharmacy.” A small smile appeared on Juliette’s face. Hopefully, her plan would go just as she intended.
.
.
The car they were riding in stopped in front of a pharmacy on the side of the road. Juliette glanced at Robbin and saw him gesture with his chin, signaling her to leave the car. Of course, Juliette complied and got out, but Robbin did the same. He exited from the other passenger door and walked over to Juliette. “You want to go into the pharmacy and buy all your stuff yourself, right?”
Juliette nodded and walked towards the door, but her heart nearly stopped when her hand was grabbed and held by Robbin’s large, warm hand. Whether she wanted to or not, Juliette blushed as several pairs of eyes turned their way. Robbin’s good looks and aura quickly attracted attention, not to mention his reputation in entertainment and business. It was no wonder many people recognized him, especially when he had a woman by his side. Was this a good thing? What if they ended up in the tabloids and her mother found out? Juliette didn’t want any scandal that would upset her mother.
They entered the pharmacy and walked toward the neatly arranged shelves. Juliette glanced briefly at Robbin and decided to ask, “Aren’t you worried people will take pictures of us?” she whispered cautiously.
Looking down, Robbin smirked and intensely gazed at Juliette. “Even if they do, those pictures will disappear before they make it to the Internet.”
Juliette pressed her lips together, choosing not to respond. She tried to pull her hand out of Robbin’s grip, but he didn’t allow it. Juliette sighed, feeling half-hearted and embarrassed as she began to pick up the items she wanted to buy. She took a deep breath when she felt Robbin’s hand gently stroke her back. Then she felt his breath near her ear.
“Take two or three.” Juliette’s whole body trembled, and she quickly grabbed three pregnancy test kits from the shelf before rushing to the medication section. After picking up the contraceptive pills and tampons, Juliette headed to the counter, with Robbin following closely behind. She felt a bit embarrassed about having to consult with the pharmacist.
“It’s best if you consult with an OB-GYN first, to avoid any side effects that could harm your body,” the pharmacist told Juliette in fluent English. Juliette nodded. ‘If only they knew this was just a cover story,’ she thought.
“We plan to visit the OB-GYN soon,” Robbin said flatly. The pharmacist nodded and began scanning the items. After stating the total price, Juliette bit her lower lip as she watched Robbin pull out his wallet from his brown jacket, take out an Amex Black Card, and hand it to the pharmacist-a card not just anyone could have.
While the transaction was processing, Robbin’s phone rang. With a brief instruction, he walked over to the exit, turning his back to the cashier. Was this a coincidence? Luck? Or something else? Juliette didn’t care; she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. She cleared her throat softly and stopped the pharmacist’s hand. “Wait a moment.”
“What is it, miss?”
Juliette glanced at Robbin’s back, who seemed engrossed in his phone conversation, and whispered, “I want to buy one more thing, and can you separate the receipt for that item?” Juliette breathed a sigh of relief, remembering Robbin had given her a few euros earlier when they were shopping in the Old Town.
If the pharmacist was confused by her request, they didn’t show it and did as Juliette asked. Once the transaction was complete, Juliette quickly hid the item she secretly bought in her bag before thanking the pharmacist and walking over to Robbin, who was still not finished with his call. When he noticed Juliette’s presence, Robbin ended his serious conversation and hung up. Juliette bit her lower lip and handed him the card he had used to pay. “Thank you.”
“What’s mine is yours, so there’s no need to thank me.” Robbin kissed Juliette’s forehead briefly, then took the card, slipping it back into his wallet, before putting his arm around Juliette, and they walked out of the pharmacy together. “Before our wedding, as I promised, I’ll take you to see the doctor.”
‘Has Robbin completely lost his mind? What does he mean by wedding? Has he forgotten the concept of siblings? I’m his sister,’ Juliette thought, filled with emotion.
…