Three days had passed, and during that time, no significant incidents or issues occurred at the De Lavigne residence. Juliette chose to remain either in the sitting room or her bedroom, engrossed in a book. At the same time, Robbin, as he had said himself, was busy with business matters that consumed most of his time. Sometimes, he would return home so late that Juliette had already fallen into a deep sleep. Of course, his absence presented an excellent opportunity for Juliette to be alone without Robbin’s presence bothering her. Juliette sighed softly as she stared blankly at the steaming cup of coffee.
Sitting still without doing anything didn’t mean Juliette wasn’t thinking. Her mind raced, pondering the first step she needed to take. Time was not on her side. If she didn’t act quickly, her only chance would slip away. Where should she start? At the same time, all of Robbin’s men watched her like hawks, as if she were a prisoner who needed to be monitored 24 hours a day. Her lips pressed into a thin line, showing her displeasure. Juliette’s movements were severely restricted, and at the same time, she had to fulfill the condition set by William.
Juliette’s entire body tensed when she heard footsteps followed by the sound of a door opening. The familiar scent and dark, dominant aura that always accompanied Robbin enveloped her like a cocoon. Juliette’s hand clenched tightly, and she flinched when she felt Robbin’s hand stroke her head, followed by a light kiss on the top of it.
Juliette immediately looked up, her hazel eyes meeting Robbin’s dark gaze. She swallowed and asked softly, “You haven’t left for the office?”
A small smile appeared on Robbin’s face. Seeing that smile, Juliette felt as if there was nothing wrong with their relationship. The gentle caresses, the small smiles, the soft gaze-Juliette had always received these from the older brother she cherished, even though there was no blood relation between them. Remembering all of that made Juliette’s heart ache with unbearable pain. Could she ever return to the past, to the time when she was blind to Robbin’s true intentions?
Juliette longed for the brother who gave her gifts, who comforted her with Pure when she was feeling down, who soothed her after bad dreams, who laughed with her, fought with her, and worked on assignments together-all the trivial things that now seemed like a dream. “I’ve been so busy these past three days and could only see your sleeping face. So, I decided to leave later today and spend a little time with you. I’ve missed you, Kitten.”
Juliette exhaled slowly. She hated that nickname when it came from Robbin’s mouth, as it reminded her that the man standing in front of her was the one obsessed with her-Master D. Her eyes observed Robbin, who was now sitting beside her. The dining room was occupied by just the two of them, though the rest of the De Lavigne family could arrive at any moment. “You could do that on the weekend, couldn’t you?” Juliette said nonchalantly.
Immediately, the smile on Robbin’s face faded, replaced by a thin line, indicating he was displeased by something. Robbin reached for a piece of bread from the table, spread some jam on it, and said, “Unfortunately, I can’t.”
Juliette looked at Robbin, her eyes filled with curiosity and, perhaps, a little excitement. Her heart raced, and she tried to suppress a smile. “What do you mean?”
Robbin glanced at Juliette with suspicion but answered nonetheless, “I have a business trip to Singapore for a few days.” He took a sip of the coffee the servant had prepared for him before continuing, “I’ll be flying out on a jet tomorrow night.”
Juliette restrained herself from shouting with joy. As soon as Robbin finished speaking, the dining room door opened, and Daisy stepped inside. A polite smile formed on her lips as she saw Juliette at the table. Still, that smile disappeared instantly, replaced by a mix of fear and anger when she noticed Robbin seated at the head of the table. Juliette took a deep breath and greeted Daisy, “Good morning, Daisy.”
Daisy nodded and typed something on the tablet she carried as her communication tool, then showed Juliette the screen: ‘Good morning, Julie. I heard from Chris that your health is improving.’
Juliette read the words on the tablet, smiled, and nodded at Daisy. “Yes, thankfully. It’s expected that my casts can be removed by next week.”
‘Really? How about we go shopping today? After my session with the psychiatrist, we could head out.’
“No.” Robbin’s cold, baritone voice answered Daisy’s suggestion. Juliette immediately turned to Robbin and shot him a disapproving look.
“If I say no, then it’s no. I haven’t given you permission to go out yet.”
“Why not? Wouldn’t it be good for-”
“Don’t argue with me, Julie.” Robbin’s tone was full of warning.
Juliette clamped her mouth shut and lowered her head. Her eyes welled up with tears, but she fought to keep them from falling down her cheeks. She heard the sound of a chair being pushed back. When she looked up, she saw Robbin giving Daisy a deadly glare before focusing his attention back on Juliette. “After breakfast, meet me in my office,” Robbin said, then turned and left the dining room.
After Robbin left, Juliette turned to Daisy and asked, “Did your father say anything?”
Daisy shook her head and responded to Juliette’s question by typing on her tablet, ‘No, he hasn’t said anything to me. Be careful, Julie. You won’t be the same if you become the target of his anger.’
“Daisy…”
‘What I’ve experienced won’t compare to what you’ll face if he finds out you’ve betrayed him, Julie.’
Juliette read Daisy’s words and took a deep breath, her eyes closing for a moment. Of course, she had prepared herself for the worst if everything went wrong. Robbin had discovered her intentions, but she couldn’t think negatively now. Juliette had to stay optimistic if she wanted to free herself from Robbin’s obsessive grasp. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and a small smile appeared on her beautiful face. “I know, Daisy. I’m ready for the worst.”
Taking a deep breath, Juliette raised her hand, preparing to knock on the door to Robbin’s office. As he had instructed, she made her way to his office, where he was waiting. She paused for a moment when a thought crossed her mind-a worst-case scenario immediately took over her. Juliette’s body trembled, and cold sweat dripped down her neck. Still, she couldn’t allow herself to think negatively or reveal her anxiety. After regaining her composure, Juliette knocked three times on the door.
After hearing Robbin’s voice from inside granting her permission to enter, Juliette turned the doorknob, opened the door, and stepped inside. She swallowed hard upon seeing Robbin standing, leaning against his desk with his arms folded across his chest. His jacket was draped over his desk chair. Juliette bit her lower lip as she noticed the smirk on his handsome face. “Why did you ask me to meet you here?”
Robbin didn’t answer Juliette’s question. Instead, he rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows and loosened his tie, eventually taking it off. Juliette wondered, wasn’t he supposed to be going to work, albeit a bit late? So why was he taking off his tie? A sense of foreboding filled Juliette, and it grew stronger when she noticed the lustful gaze so clearly visible in Robbin’s dark eyes. Juliette cleared her throat softly, trying to distract Robbin from his intentions, but she had no idea what she could do to divert his attention. She looked around the room, searching for a clue. The only option she had-her eyes stopped at one particular spot.
Juliette squinted, and yes, she wasn’t mistaken. The bookshelf behind Robbin’s desk seemed out of place. She noticed a slight gap between one shelf and the next, though it wasn’t obvious and could only be seen by someone with a keen eye. Juliette’s heart raced. Could there be a hidden room in Robbin’s private office? So Daisy-no!
Juliette had to find out, but she had to do it when Robbin wasn’t around. Whatever was hidden there, it must be important. But the question lingering in Juliette’s mind was whether Robbin was aware that the bookshelf was out of place or if it was intentional. She observed his face but couldn’t find an answer to her question.
…