The sound of birds chirping could be heard from a distance. Sunlight seeped through the gaps in the closed curtains, illuminating the room that had been pitch dark. Juliette slowly opened her eyes and stretched her entire body, wincing at the uncomfortable pain in her intimate area. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she gradually sat up on the large bed that she occupied alone. Juliette glanced at the left side of the bed where Robbin had slept, neatly made and already cold to the touch. A sign that the man had woken up before her.
Juliette certainly felt relieved to be free from the man’s grip after spending a torturous time.
Since yesterday, Robbin had not let her go at all. At least the man had the awareness to move from the study to the bedroom, but it was still annoying, and Juliette had to hold back when dealing with him. A man like Robbin, who was a sex maniac, could not be satisfied with just a few rounds. He kept torturing her with touches and orgasms until, eventually, Juliette felt like she was going to faint.
For some people, having sex with a stepbrother might be seen as a unique challenge and enticing, but not for Juliette. After all, Robbin had a familial relationship with her, even if it was only through their parents’ marriage, and that was something that should never happen.
‘Well, after his mother’s departure, he doesn’t have to worry about their forbidden relationship, right? Besides, soon he’ll be free from that psychopathic man,’ she thought sarcastically in her mind.
Speaking of psychopaths, Juliette recalled the discoveries she had made in that secret room. All the paintings, including the one she had destroyed, must have been Robbin’s work. Juliette wasn’t surprised by that. Robbin’s madness and obsession with her had gone beyond what was expected. What sane woman would want her body painted like that? Then there were the documents she had seen. The photo of that woman… Juliette remembered her face. The woman she had found was lifeless and in a tragic state in the hotel room. Remembering that sent shivers down Juliette’s spine, and the thought of blood made her nauseous.
She shook her head and wiped the bad memories from her mind. If Juliette could retrieve those documents, she could prove one of Robbin’s crimes. With that thought in mind, Juliette concluded that she had to return to Robbin’s study. This time, she needed to search for that item-a piece of evidence that would allow her to demonstrate that the man whom everyone praised was merely wearing a mask, hiding the true face of a monster.
Juliette grimaced when she heard her stomach growling, demanding to be fed. It seemed her unfortunate belly was impatient after being filled only meagerly the night before. She had been given the opportunity to have dinner. Still, it was hard to feel appetized when the dinner itself was filled with touches that made Juliette forget about reality.
Her traitorous body was starting to get used to Robbin’s touches, as just a caress was enough to elicit a response. Juliette rolled her eyes in annoyance at her body’s reaction; if this continued, she couldn’t guarantee her sanity when her body, heart, and mind were constantly at odds regarding Robbin.
Ignoring all her thoughts, Juliette got out of bed. She stretched her arms wide, loosening all her tense muscles before walking to the bathroom to start her morning routine and prepare to face Robbin before her short four-day freedom.
Ten minutes later, Juliette appeared refreshed and strolled toward the dining room. She shot a sharp glance over her shoulder, catching sight of two of Robbin’s men walking behind her with flat, cold expressions. She was indeed Robbin’s captive, but wasn’t this excessive? After all, if Juliette decided to escape, her efforts would be futile. She would be caught before she even made it past the gate.
What an outrageous situation.
When she arrived at the dining room, the first thing she did was say good morning. Juliette tried her best not to look at William and his wife, Adalyn. She chose to sit in the chair she always occupied at the De Lavigne residence. Although Robbin had forced her to sit at the far right end of the dining table next to him, who sat at the head of the table, that chair still felt like her mother’s place and that of Robbin’s wife. Oh, wait! He was going to be engaged and married to Robbin, which meant she would become the wife of that psychopathic man. Yup. Why was she being so foolish?
Juliette let out a soft sigh and smiled gratefully at the waiter who served her a glass of orange juice and her breakfast. Glancing at Robbin, she found him already watching her with his dark, sharp, and intense eyes. She quickly diverted her gaze to her plate and began eating her breakfast in silence. Juliette chose not to say anything, nor did anyone else. The dining table, which should have been filled with family warmth and laughter, was instead filled with tension and sharp glances that were entirely inappropriate for the dining table.
She felt an itch to comment or choose to leave and eat outside, but she was in a position where she couldn’t do anything. Breakfast continued for a while in silence, with only the sound of cutlery clinking against plates breaking the quiet until it all ended when the dining room door opened. Daisy walked in, tablet in hand, ready for communication.
Juliette’s heart ached to see Adalyn welcome her child with a gentle smile and a loving gaze, reminding her of the bitterness that had occurred in her life. She missed the smiles, the voice, even the chatter of her mother, which sometimes made Juliette feel embarrassed. Unconsciously, her grip on the cutlery tightened, and her jaw clenched.
Her eyes felt hot, and her vision began to blur with tears pooling at the corners. Juliette lowered her head, hiding the expression of pain that was so clear on her face. Luckily, she had let her hair down, allowing it to serve as a curtain to shield her from the watching eyes.
When breakfast ended, Juliette hurriedly walked away from the dining room, choosing to isolate herself in the sitting room. She didn’t want anyone, not even Robbin, to disturb her. Confusion filled her mind and heart. The impatience to resolve everything happening in her life grew more robust. Juliette couldn’t afford to act recklessly, but how could she not when her only parent was far away from her?
Her eyes landed on a large portrait hanging on the wall-a portrait of Robbin alongside the late Anthony. The portrait was deliberately displayed because Anthony was the head of the De Lavigne family while Robbin was his successor. At first, Juliette always enjoyed admiring that portrait, thinking how gallant and handsome the man she proudly called her brother was, but all of that had been shattered and was gone without a trace.
Juliette cursed herself internally as she faintly heard footsteps approaching the room where she was. Of course, her desire for solitude would never be fulfilled because a few minutes after she noticed the sound of footsteps, the door to the sitting room opened, and a dark, dominating aura along with the familiar masculine scent filled the room.
Juliette shifted her gaze from the portrait to the figure of the man in the portrait, standing tall near the entrance with both hands in his pants pockets. “What do you want?” Juliette growled, annoyed that her solitude had been interrupted.
One of Robbin’s eyebrows arched perfectly upward. He ignored Juliette’s unfriendly demeanor and walked closer. He stopped right in front of Juliette before pulling one hand out of his pants pocket and reaching into the pocket of his jacket. Juliette wondered what the man was planning, but her question was immediately answered when Robbin pulled out a flat object she recognized all too well-a cell phone. Juliette fell silent and stared at Robbin skeptically as he offered her the phone.
“Robby?” Juliette murmured doubtfully.
“Call your friend.”
“My friend? Hannah?”
“Yes, Hannah. She keeps trying to contact me and this residence to check on you because you haven’t reached out to her, so I’m giving you the chance to talk to her. You wouldn’t want to make her worry, would you?”
Juliette quickly nodded and took the phone without thinking twice. She needed someone to talk to, even if it was about something trivial like gossip, and Hannah was the best option. At least she could pretend everything that was happening was a nightmare and that she would wake up from it, considering it all unreal was a temporary escape. “Are you sure you’re letting me talk to Hannah?”
“Yes, I’m letting you, and don’t waste this opportunity.” Robbin paused for a moment before continuing, “I don’t need to say what’s unnecessary to you, do I?” Robbin said in a probing tone. Juliette quickly responded positively, fearing Robbin would change his mind.
She stood up and walked to the other side of the room, far from the man’s radar. Juliette unlocked the phone, which turned out to be her phone, and searched for Hannah’s name in her contacts. After finding Hannah’s name, without much thought, Juliette pressed the green button, and the ringing tone welcomed her. She waited for a few moments, her heart racing with excitement as the call was answered and Hannah’s voice greeted her. “Hello? Julie? Is that you?”
A sigh of relief escaped her lips. She stole a glance at Robbin, who was sitting on the sofa, watching her closely, before saying, “Hannah? Oh my gosh, I miss you…”
“Julie, where have you been? I’ve been worried about you.”
Juliette smiled widely, and for the first time in a long time, she laughed. “I just returned from a fantasy world, meeting werewolves, vampires…”
“Shut up, Julie! I’m serious! Are you okay? Is something wrong?”
Juliette let out a soft sigh; Hannah’s familiar voice felt like home to her. A smile never left her face as she replied, “I’m fine, and no. Everything is normal for me. So how is everyone over there?”
“Everyone is healthy. How about Aunt Meryl?”
Juliette cleared her throat and replied, “She’s fine too.”
“Julie, when are you coming to Colorado? There’s so much I want to tell you. Since Tamara’s death, this town feels so empty. You’re far away in New York and can’t meet me.”
“Hannah, I…” Juliette glanced at Robbin again and found that he was no longer watching her and was busy talking to Aldrich, who had entered the room at some point. Juliette backed herself into a corner, turning her back to both men. Her eyes focused on the view of the garden presented by the large window dominating the room. “… I can’t go right now; there’s something important I need to do.”
“What important thing? Julie, I’m sure something is wrong. I can tell by the way you’re talking. I know you would never hide anything from me. So?”
“I’ll tell you after everything is over. I promise.”
.
.
.
That afternoon, Juliette stood on the terrace with her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on Robbin, who was talking to Aldrich while standing next to a running car. The luxurious vehicle would take the man to the airport, where the private jet is waiting to fly Robbin to Singapore. Juliette’s lips thinned as Robbin stopped talking to Aldrich and walked toward her. The flat expression on his handsome face was laden with emotion and as cold as ice.
“I’m leaving, and while I’m not here, Aldrich will take my place.” Robbin leaned closer, bringing his lips to Juliette’s ear and whispering, “Don’t mess with me, Kitten. Just once, if you step out of line and I hear a bad report about you, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Hearing that warning, which was also a threat delivered in a chilling tone, sent Juliette shivers of fear and trembling. She couldn’t imagine what Robbin would do to her if he found out about her intentions, and it made her heart race even faster. Robbin pulled back and observed Juliette’s pale face.
He smiled softly at her, cupping her face with his large hands. “I’m going to miss you, Kitten. Be a good and obedient Kitten until I return.”
“I understand,” Juliette whispered fearfully.
Robbin smiled gently again, giving her a loving, adoring look before he leaned down and kissed her forehead and lips tenderly. After that, Robbin released her and walked toward the car. Soon after, the car carrying Robbin drove away from the De Lavigne residence, followed by two vehicles behind it.
Juliette’s expression of fear slowly faded, and her eyes remained fixed on the direction where the car-carrying Robbin had disappeared. Her solitude didn’t last long when she realized someone was standing beside her. “Has he left?” she asked.
Juliette turned abruptly to see William, the man standing next to her. With a friendly smile, Juliette answered his question, “Yes, Uncle, he just left.” She glanced at Aldrich, who was still standing in the mansion’s courtyard, busy talking to one of his men, but Juliette was sure the man was keeping a watchful eye on her like a hawk.
William snorted upon noticing the direction of Juliette’s gaze. “Robbin is really lucky to have such a loyal man by his side. What the hell is he doing to make a man like Aldrich his puppet?”
“I’ve never asked. A man like Aldrich?” Juliette asked curiously.
“Yes. In short, Aldrich is no ordinary man. He’s a former FBI agent known for his tracking skills. He attended military academy and was the top graduate of the school he studied at. He’s also a skilled fighter.” William paused for a moment.
“Looking at it again, his intelligence and cunning are not much different from my troublesome nephew.”
Juliette chose to keep her comments about Aldrich’s slyness, like Robbin, to herself. Still, upon reflection, it was highly likely, especially since that man was helping Robbin terrorize her. “How do you know all this, Uncle?”
“Don’t underestimate me, Juliette. I may not be like Robbin, but I have my trusted sources.” William pursed his lips when he saw Aldrich walking toward them and quickly stated his purpose for talking to Juliette.
“Tomorrow night, at 11. Daisy and I will be waiting for you in my study.”
“But how can I do that when all of Robbin’s men and Aldrich are watching me?”
“Think of a way. You’re a smart woman. I’m sure you can.” After saying that, William turned and walked into the mansion, coinciding with Aldrich arriving at his side. The man looked at William’s back with suspicion.
…..