Upon arriving at the airport, Juliette immediately walked toward the information desk. She inquired about the fastest flight to New York and was told that the nearest flight was in about two hours. Juliette glanced at her watch and nervously bit her lower lip.
Would two hours be enough? Could she be on the plane and airborne before Robbin woke up? Juliette nodded and thanked the staff at the information desk before heading to the ticket counter. After completing the transaction-using cash she had stolen-and purchasing a one-way ticket to New York, Juliette walked to the waiting area.
Two hours passed, and during those two hours, Juliette was incredibly anxious. She feared that in those two hours, Robbin would appear in front of her and drag her back to that prison-like house. Juliette couldn’t let that happen, and all she wanted was to escape the grip of that psychopath. Juliette finally sat in the plane’s economy class after going through passport control and the flight check-in gate. She felt slightly uncomfortable with her clothing, which was inappropriate for a long flight, but what could she do? Her appearance was the least of her concerns in her escape plan.
From time to time, Juliette glanced around. She made sure that none of the passengers on the plane looked suspicious. Even after the plane took off and was in the air, Juliette still couldn’t relax. It wasn’t until two hours into the flight that Juliette finally began to calm down and relax her muscles. She closed her eyes and let out a tired sigh. The thought of what would happen if her plan failed haunted her mind. What would that man do to her? Would Robbin hurt her? All of this caused Juliette to feel a tightness in her chest. The man she once loved and considered family had, indirectly, become her enemy.
“Miss?” Juliette opened her eyes and directed her gaze toward a beautiful flight attendant. A gentle smile adorned the woman’s lips, and when Juliette lowered her gaze, she noticed that the attendant was holding a first-aid kit. “I noticed your hand is injured and still bleeding. Would you like me to treat it?”
Juliette felt her eyes fill with tears. Hearing that question filled her heart with sadness, and at the same time, she felt the sharp pain in her wrist. When she reached her destination, she would need to see a doctor for her wound, but that was if she even had the chance. Juliette straightened up and nodded, unable to speak as she tried to hold back her sobs and the scream building in her throat.
The flight attendant slowly knelt beside Juliette, opened the first-aid kit, and treated Juliette’s injured hand. No words came from Juliette’s lips, but she could feel them trembling. Then, unexpectedly, a tear slipped from the corner of her eye and ran down her lips. The flight attendant looked up, offering a reassuring smile, and asked no further questions as she continued tending to the wound on Juliette’s hand.
Seeing all of this made Juliette let out a small sob. She was so saddened by even the slightest kindness shown to her. Having been trapped in darkness for so long, Juliette didn’t know how to handle the kindness of others. Robbin had made it impossible for her to trust anyone anymore. However, even so, she was still moved by the flight attendant’s kindness, though she knew it was part of her job.
After the treatment, the flight attendant left, and Juliette was alone again. She glanced at the passenger sitting next to her and frowned when she noticed that the man-a fellow passenger-was fast asleep and snoring loudly.
Juliette closed her eyes again and thought, “This will be a long journey.”
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A small smile appeared on Juliette’s lips when the plane safely landed at JFK International Airport. She couldn’t believe she had made it this far without any interruptions. However, despite this, Juliette remained cautious, as her anxiety was evident. Every minute, Juliette scanned the entire airport to see if there was anything suspicious.
She looked down and examined her clothes; they were pretty conspicuous, but she didn’t know where to get a change of clothes. Juliette glanced at the currency exchange counter and quickly checked the remaining cash in her bag. Then, with quick steps, she approached the counter.
After exchanging euros for dollars, Juliette headed toward the exit. So far, there was no sign of Robbin or his associates, which only made Juliette more fearful. Still, she tried to push that fear aside by thinking positively. She immediately walked toward an empty taxi parked near the exit and entered the car. She gave the driver her apartment address, and Juliette felt increasingly uneasy as the taxi moved through the congested streets.
An hour and a half later, Juliette arrived at her apartment. Of course, she couldn’t enter quickly because she didn’t have the key, but Juliette was fortunate that the building owner was kind enough to lend her the spare key. Juliette quickly went to her unit and unlocked the door. She would change her clothes and pack a few things. Juliette needed to find Leo and, of course, gather evidence against Robbin.
Juliette didn’t want to do this. Seeing Robbin behind bars would break her heart, as the man had always been there for her. But Juliette had to avenge Robbin’s wrongdoings. She had to avenge the deaths of Tamara, Henry, and all the people who had fallen victim to Robbin.
As the door opened and Juliette stepped inside, she felt a strange sensation. It had been a long time since she had been in this apartment. Now, it felt so empty, quiet, and cold. Juliette lowered her head sadly, but something caught her attention. A piece of paper lay on the floor. Juliette didn’t know whether to look at the paper or run as far away from this place as possible. It could be Robbin’s intention to mock her, but Juliette brushed aside all those negative thoughts.
Juliette bent down and picked up the paper. Her whole body trembled, but a soft sigh escaped her lips when she recognized the handwriting on the paper. It was a familiar handwriting that brought tears to her eyes once again.
Julie, if you’re reading this, it means you’re safe. I’ve managed to escape from that bastard’s men, and now I’m hiding. I’ve also finally learned who killed Henry, and I’m going to make him pay for everything he’s done-to you, to Henry, to all of us.
You have to run as far away from him as possible, Julie. He’s extremely dangerous. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. He won’t hesitate to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals. If you want, we can leave together. I’ll be waiting at my childhood home. You know where that is. I’ll wait for you.
Love,
Leo.
P. S.: Be careful, Julie. He’s always watching you-everywhere and all the time, including in this apartment.
Juliette crumpled the paper in her hand and began to sob harder. Relief washed over her, knowing that Leo was genuinely safe. Then, she started thinking about the meaning of Leo’s last sentence and watching her. Including this apartment? What did Leo mean by that? Juliette glanced around and swallowed hard. Whatever it was, she needed to be careful.
Juliette immediately ran to the kitchen, turned on the faucet, and erased any trace of Leo contacting her. Then, she rushed to her bedroom, changed her clothes, and packed a few into her backpack. Afterward, Juliette grabbed some other vital belongings and tied her long hair back.
Once everything was ready, Juliette wore a jacket and a hat and ran to the front door. With one last look, she opened the door to her apartment and locked it behind her, saying goodbye to her old life.
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“Leo! Where are you?” Juliette shouted inside a small house on the outskirts of town. This little house was Leo’s childhood home. Before his parents passed away, Leo came here every weekend, sometimes bringing Juliette, his friend from then on. Leo’s parents were always so kind, welcoming Juliette with open arms. Entering this house now brought back so many memories.
Juliette shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away. Then her eyes scanned the dark room, but only for a moment, as the lights were turned on, and the face of the man she longed to see greeted her with a tired smile. “Leo!”
“Hey, baby…” Leo greeted her in a hoarse voice. Juliette immediately threw herself into Leo’s arms, crying into his chest, which always made her feel safe and comforted. She cried as hard as she could, letting out the emotional pain she had been holding inside for so long. “Shh… Julie, everything will be alright…”
Juliette shook her head quickly and said, “No. Nothing will be alright. I’m sad, Leo… I’m disappointed…”
“What’s done is done, we can’t change it.” Juliette pulled away at the sound of her lover’s words, and that’s when she noticed Leo’s condition. His face was bruised, with several healing cuts and contusions. Juliette examined his entire body and wept at the sight of the numerous scars covering him. “It’s okay, Juliette, all these wounds are nothing compared to what you’ve been through.”
“But he hurt you…”
Leo shrugged nonchalantly, “What else can I do? The woman he thinks is his, loves me.”
“Leo!” Juliette playfully punched Leo’s uninjured shoulder before asking, “So, what do we do next?”
“We gather evidence of his crimes.” Juliette silently agreed. “Oh, by the way, Julie, how did you manage to get here?” Leo asked, curious.
With a small sob, Juliette began explaining everything she did to make it back to New York and stand in front of Leo. “… I don’t know, Leo, everything seemed too easy. I’m so scared of what Robbin will do in retaliation for what I’ve done.” Juliette ended her story.
Leo wrapped his arms tightly around Juliette, hugging her with all his love. “And what about you?” Juliette asked after calming down.
“How did you escape?”
“I tricked the guard. For a while, I observed the place where I was held. One day, I was taken to a room that looked like an interrogation room or something. The guard seemed new because I had never seen him before. Then I lied and said I needed to use the bathroom. He escorted me there, and that’s when I attacked him and locked him up. I also stole his clothes so no one would recognize me.”
“What kind of place were you held in? Where was it?”
“I don’t know. A mansion? A villa? I didn’t check it thoroughly. I didn’t have much time. I ran to Manhattan, left the note in your apartment, and then hid here.”
“What if Robbin finds out you’re hiding here?”
Leo chuckled softly. “He won’t. This house has been sold to someone else. You remember I planned to sell it, right? A couple bought it a few weeks ago. Luckily, I still had the key, so I could get inside.”
“Are you sure?”
“If you’re still worried, we can leave at dawn tomorrow. How does that sound?”
Juliette nodded in agreement. “So, what did you mean by your note?”
“Juliette, your apartment, my apartment, your studio workspace, every place you’ve been in, has hidden cameras. He’s been watching you, Julie. All the time.”
Juliette’s mouth dropped in disbelief. She couldn’t believe Robbin had done all of that. “Are you sure?”
Leo nodded. “Yes. Robbin-or rather, his henchman Aldrich-showed me the video footage from those cameras.”
“Oh my God, I can’t believe this.” Then, a realization struck her.
“Was he watching me through the camera when I was just in my apartment?”
“Maybe. If you think Robbin was still asleep from your drug, he might still be on the plane.”
“What about his men?”
“You know, they can’t do anything without orders from their boss. Don’t think about it. You should rest. You’ve been through a lot, Julie, and I’ll be right here when you wake up.” Leo said as he gently pushed Juliette toward a clean spot on the floor with his jacket as a mat.
Juliette dropped her backpack and lay down, using it as a pillow. Not long after, the lights went out again, and she could feel Leo’s presence nearby.
“Sleep, Julie. I’ll always be by your side to protect you.”
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Juliette woke up when she felt her body being gently shaken by someone. At first, she was confused because all she saw was darkness. Still, after adjusting her vision, she caught sight of Leo’s silhouette nearby. His face looked deathly pale, and his eyes never shifted from the window covered by heavy curtains. “Julie! Come on, wake up! We need to leave now!”
Hearing that, Juliette immediately sat up and looked at Leo with concern. “What’s going on, Leo? Is it time for us to go?”
Leo quickly turned to look at Juliette, nodding his head. “Yes, we have to leave now. We can’t follow the original plan.”
“Why? What’s happening?”
Leo took a deep breath and whispered, “Outside, I saw two SUVs parked near the house, and I recognize those vehicles.”
“Robbin,” Juliette muttered softly.
“Leo, we need to get out of here now!” Juliette stood up, put her backpack on again, and helped Leo up. For a moment, she peeked through the window curtains. Sure enough, two SUVs were parked not far from the house. However, Juliette was sure Robbin wasn’t in either of the vehicles because if he had been, he would have taken action to capture her.
Juliette quickly moved away from the window and approached Leo. “What should we do? How are we going to escape?”
“Damn it! This house doesn’t have a back door! The only way out is through the windows or the front door. Even if we try to escape through the window, they’ll still see us.”
“So what’s your plan?” Leo was silent for a moment. “Leo?”
“There’s only one way…” Leo pulled something out of his pants pocket, and Juliette gasped when she realized it was a folding knife. She looked at him in disbelief.
“I stole this from one of the guards. Don’t worry, I didn’t hurt anyone with it.”
“Leo…”
“I have to pretend to threaten them by holding you at knifepoint. That guy won’t risk hurting you.”
“But Leo, you…”
Suddenly, Leo gripped Juliette’s shoulders tightly. His eyes locked onto hers with intensity. “Julie, even if I die, you have to avenge my death. Do what needs to be done. Kill him. Never forgive that man. Will you promise me?”
Juliette swallowed hard, unable to speak, so she could only nod slowly.
‘Maybe I will avenge Robbin for you and for them, but I can’t promise you, Leo. Because after all, Robbin is my brother, and I’m all he has left.’
…