Juliette took a deep breath as the car carrying her and Robbin passed through the gates of the De Lavigne residence. She prepared for what awaited her in the mansion with a long inhale. Juliette didn’t know what would happen next, but one thing was sure: she and Robbin would be at war in that house, where it all began. Perhaps this was just her assumption, but for Juliette, her victory would determine her freedom.
Her entire body trembled at the faint touch of Robbin’s hand on her shoulder, which made her heart race. Christian had told her that she must not become stressed because her health would decline and her recovery could slow down if she overthought. But what could Juliette do besides think? She had to brainstorm to come up with a plan. Daisy had only said the key to her freedom; if she failed, Juliette could become trapped in Robbin’s grasp forever, with death being her only escape.
“We’ve arrived,” Robbin whispered in Juliette’s ear, his tone full of mystery and mockery, as if he could read Juliette’s thoughts. She bit her lower lip and tilted her head to look at Robbin.
Her breath caught as her hazel eyes met Robbin’s dark ones, radiating a natural emotion. Robbin looked at her with a gaze that mixed adoration with madness. Quickly, she averted her gaze, lowering her head, unwilling to drown in the darkness of the man who had once been so important to her.
Juliette replied briefly to him, “I know.” Then, boldly, she swatted away Robbin’s hand, which was still brushing her shoulder lightly. That movement successfully brought out Robbin’s darker side, as to him, what Juliette had done was a rejection. Robbin clicked his tongue softly, and suddenly, he gripped Juliette’s jaw, pulling her face close to his.
“Ro… Robby…” Juliette gasped, grimacing in pain because Robbin’s grip was so firm, and she was sure that what he was doing would leave a bruise, although it wouldn’t last long.
“Never do that again, Kitten,” Robbin hissed warningly. “Or I will misinterpret it as your rejection, and I don’t like that. You know that, right? I’d be disappointed thinking about it,” he said in a mockingly sad tone. He leaned in so their lips almost touched, though faintly and not entirely.
“Kiss me, Kitten. Show me that you want me to.” Juliette shook her head and tightly shut her eyes, but they shot open wide in surprise as Robbin’s grip became painful. She felt like her jaw could break at any moment.
“Kitten.”
Not wanting to face something worse or feel more pain than she was experiencing at that moment, Juliette chose to comply with Robbin’s request. She lifted her hands and gripped the man’s arms, feeling Robbin’s biceps beneath his suit and shirt. Then she pressed her lips against Robbin’s. Juliette kissed him, filled with fear, with no other emotion accompanying it. What should have been filled with intimacy and love was stained by coercion and a crazed obsession.
Thinking of that made Juliette remember something.
Her purity and first night were the most important things in her life. Robbin had snatched away the only treasure she had ever possessed. The man who was everything to Juliette was the one who tortured her mentally, her half-brother, Robbin-Master D.
Juliette’s whole body trembled at the thought. The heaviest blow she first felt was realizing that the man who was her tormentor and stalker was not just a stranger but someone close to her. A tear fell Juliette’s cheek, and of course, Robbin noticed it because, at that moment, he was tasting Juliette’s luscious lips with lust, savoring ambrosia that was so forbidden yet so addictive.
Their lips broke apart, and one corner of Robbin’s mouth lifted into a smirk at the sight of a tear streaming down Juliette’s pale cheek. The woman’s lips, slightly swollen from his actions, trembled as she held back a sob. She realized all of this, filling Robbin’s heart with satisfaction. He leaned closer to Juliette, kissing her all over her face, wiping away her tears and traces of them with his kisses. After that, he whispered, “Don’t cry, Kitten. I will always be here for you. You are destined to be mine.”
To hide her true feelings from being read, Juliette nodded her head. She wrapped her arms around Robbin’s body, hugging him tightly and burying her face in his broad chest. Juliette closed her eyes and imagined Leo’s face in her mind. Although the scent emanating from his body was the distinct aroma of Robbin-a mix of masculinity and pine from his cologne-Juliette tried her hardest to envision that she was holding Leo, with a citrus scent that felt so familiar and like home.
“I am yours, forever,” Juliette whispered, but Robbin could hear it. If Robbin thought those words were meant for him, then for Juliette, they were meant for Leo.
“Good. I’m glad to hear that, Kitten,” Robbin replied with a soft breath, a victorious smile etched on his lips. One hand wrapped possessively around Juliette’s waist while the other stroked her head with ownership. He leaned down and kissed the crown of Juliette’s head before saying, “Alright, we should go down, or I will be forced to touch you here. You don’t want that, do you?”
Juliette shook her head and slowly released herself from Robbin. As if he had heard Robbin’s words, the man who had been standing by the car-Aldrich-opened the car door and extended his gloved hand to Juliette, offering his assistance. Juliette accepted the hand and got out of the car while Robbin exited from the other side of the vehicle.
He walked quickly around the car and wrapped his arm around Juliette’s waist when he reached her side. “Are you sure about bringing me back here? My mother isn’t here, and I have no ties to the De Lavigne family.”
Robbin grinned and replied, “Even so, you are my half-sister-Oh, I mean my fiancee and Mrs. De Lavigne. So of course, you’re back here. Everything that belongs to me is yours, Kitten.”
I won’t deny it; I was happy to hear that, especially since the De Lavigne family had wealth that could make all the women envious of me. But that didn’t mean I would immediately submit to Robbin. I wanted to hear those words come out of Leo’s mouth, not Robbin’s.
Juliette took a deep breath and walked into the mansion with Robbin’s possessive and protective hand still wrapped around her waist. She glanced left and right, wincing inwardly at the looks the staff were giving her as if she was in this position because she had done something wrong, like seducing Robbin so that he would become infatuated with her. If that were the case, she would be seen as a woman thirsty for wealth, willing to spread her legs to live in luxury. Especially since her mother was the lady of this residence, the wife of the late Anthony De Lavigne-Robbin’s father-and had left with a lot of money and valuables in her pocket.
They walked past the foyer and the main hall, where the grand staircase connected the main floor with the mansion’s second floor. Juliette wondered where Robbin was leading her, but she didn’t expect their steps to head to another part of the mansion, which was reserved for Anthony’s immediate family. Her mother, Anthony’s second wife, was prohibited from entering or staying in this part because Robbin still occupied it.
Juliette wondered why Robbin was taking her to that area. He rarely entered that part of the mansion, which reminded him of his late mother. He usually preferred to sleep in a room not far from Juliette. But whatever Robbin’s reason for bringing her there, Juliette didn’t want to ask. No matter how curious she was, she would not inquire.
Juliette’s eyes widened sharply when she saw a scanner machine installed beside the entrance door. Isn’t that a bit excessive? she thought to herself. Juliette watched as Robbin took out a card that seemed the key to that access. When the card was tapped, the red light changed to green.
As if he knew what was on Juliette’s mind, Robbin said, “All my father’s valuables are stored in this part of the building, as well as antiques belonging to my late mother. That’s why strict security is needed, forbidding anyone other than my parents and me from entering. Even Uncle William has never set foot in this part of the mansion.”
“What if I want to leave?”
With that question, Robbin grinned and replied, “Of course, with me. If I’m not around, then Aldrich will be by your side.”
“Aldrich?”
“Yes, because it’s just me for now, I trust Aldrich to guard this place.” Juliette scoffed softly. “And just so you know, Aldrich will never betray me because he has seen for himself what happens if they betray the De Lavignes, especially me.”
Hearing that made Juliette shudder. Imagining the worst that this man beside her would do just to avenge the betrayal of others made it impossible for Juliette to close her eyes. The image of the woman’s corpse she found in the hotel room resurfaced in her mind after she had buried it for quite some time.
Just as Robbin finished speaking, footsteps could be heard approaching them down the hall. When Juliette and Robbin turned, Aldrich greeted them with a flat, cold face filled with emotion: “Mr. Eduardo.”
“Have you completed the task I gave you?”
“Yes, my Lord.”
Robbin glanced at Juliette before saying, “Meet me in my office. I want to talk to you about something.” Then, Robbin turned, opened the door, and pushed Juliette inside.
“I’ll show you our room. After that, we can go to the dining room for dinner,” he told Juliette. Then Robbin showed her each room. Juliette concluded that the part of the building reserved for the Anthony family looked more like a mansion within a mansion-if that described what she saw, with valuable antiques scattered everywhere.
When they were done, Robbin instructed Juliette to change clothes, and then they walked to the main dining room, where dinner would soon be served. Upon entering the standard room where the other De Lavigne family members were, Juliette immediately made eye contact with Daisy before glancing at William, who was standing in the corner of the room sipping wine-one of the habits that was inappropriate before dinner.
Juliette sighed softly as Robbin’s arm slipped from around her body, and he walked over to his cousin, Christian. She was surprised Christian was present at this dinner but held back from asking. After all, it was Christian’s right since he was also a part of the De Lavigne family. Seizing the opportunity that came her way, Juliette ensured Robbin focused on talking to Christian and not watching her before walking toward the large window near William.
She stood before the window, gazing at the clear night sky illuminated by the bright moon. Without turning her head to William, Juliette said flatly, “Every step we take will determine the future.”
The corners of William’s mouth lifted into a condescending smile. Then he raised his glass, sipping the wine while hiding that smile from the eyes of others with his movement. “You’re right,” William said in agreement.
“It seems like the taste between father and son is the same.” He mocked while glancing over Juliette’s body before turning his gaze elsewhere.
Juliette pursed her lips and ignored William’s taunts, instead saying, “Are you really going to do it?”
“Of course, but remember my conditions, Juliette. If you cannot meet my conditions, then all of this is void, and everything you told me is a lie.”
“But why all of a sudden…?”
William said nothing, but his eyes were fixed on one point. Juliette, noticing the silence of the large, fifty-something man, turned and found him staring at something-or, more precisely, someone. Juliette followed William’s gaze and murmured understanding as she realized the reason behind it all.
Daisy.
“You understand now, don’t you?” William asked quietly, then he placed the glass in his hand on a nearby small table and continued, “You have one week, young lady. More than that, I will conclude that you are unable to do it.”
After saying that, William walked away, leaving Juliette alone with her tumultuous thoughts. She didn’t know how to fulfill the conditions set by William without raising suspicion at the same time.
Juliette sighed softly and muttered, “Does he think it’s easy?”
Lost in her thoughts, Juliette didn’t realize Robbin was standing behind her. Her breath caught as a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her body, and his broad chest pressed against her back. Juliette felt her body tremble as she thought Robbin’s warm breath brushed against her face.
“What were you talking about with Uncle William?” the man whispered suspiciously. If only they hadn’t been in a public place, Robbin would have interrogated her until she opened her mouth and told him everything she had discussed with William.
Juliette cleared her throat softly and replied, “Just light conversation. He said the best view of the mansion’s garden is in the morning.”
“Is that so?” Robbin whispered in a hoarse voice, then he nibbled Juliette’s earlobe sensually and said, “But I’m sure you’re lying to me.”
“Robby…”
“I understand you very well, Julie. I know you better than you know yourself. You know that.”
“I didn’t say anything to him.”
Robbin placed a quick kiss on the nape of Juliette’s neck and her cheek. With his eyes fixed straight at their reflections in the window, Robbin spoke in a terrifying, chilling tone that made Juliette shiver in fear.
“I will find out what you’re planning in that little head of yours, and if you’re proven to be planning to betray me, Kitten, don’t blame me if you end up facing the real monster. Keep that in mind.” Juliette clenched her hands, suppressing the emotions swirling within her.
“Dinner is ready; everyone has entered the dining room. You don’t want to go hungry, do you?”
….