William’s words kept echoing in Juliette’s head, making it impossible for her to sleep at night; she couldn’t even close her eyes. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out a way to reach William’s study at 11 p. m. without any of Robbin’s men or Aldrich noticing her absence. Juliette glanced at the door, aware that behind it, two of Robbin’s men were on guard. Not to mention the CCTV cameras installed at every corner of the mansion.
Juliette’s relationship with Daisy’s parents and other De Lavigne members was not good, so if she spoke to or even met with William, suspicion would definitely arise. That was evident from Aldrich’s glance at William and her earlier that afternoon.
Giving up on trying to sleep, Juliette finally sat up. She leaned her back against the headboard, automatically reaching for the TV remote. She intended to watch late-night TV shows or a movie on Netflix, hoping it would distract her enough to close her eyes, even if only for a short while.
For the first few minutes, it worked. She watched a movie playing on one of the TV channels. Still, the thoughts quickly returned, now accompanied by excessive anxiety. Juliette hated herself during moments like this. She always overthought things and ended up feeling anxious about outcomes that hadn’t even happened yet.
Maybe many people experienced the same thing as her. Still, in the situation she was currently facing, anxiety could become a hindrance, and Juliette absolutely didn’t need that. She wanted everything to go according to plan, and if she failed, her fate would be sealed. Robbin would never forgive her and would do precisely what he had constantly threatened to do.
Juliette shuddered in fear at the thought of that possibility. Then, the image of the dead woman she had found in the hotel came to mind, reminding her of the state of the woman’s body and her condition. Juliette wondered if she would end up like that woman-dead, in a horrible state, and all alone. No. Juliette shook her head. She wouldn’t let that happen. She had to trust herself and fate. She believed fate was on her side this time, as failure should not be an option-only success.
A sigh escaped her lips, and her hazel eyes stared at the TV screen displaying an exciting scene. Juliette straightened her back and watched the scene in silence, but her mind was racing. A small smile slowly appeared on her lips as an idea formed in her mind.
The scene in the movie helped her piece together possible scenarios. With this idea, Juliette realized she didn’t need to meet William in his study to discuss their plan. A video call would suffice, and she could do it from the walk-in closet, or… she could do something even more straightforward. A wide smile spread across her face.
Without wasting time, Juliette jumped out of bed and grabbed the laptop that Robbin had conveniently given her under the pretense of “shopping for wedding dresses online.” Even if Robbin was monitoring the computer, Juliette had anticipated it. She immediately began typing out her thoughts until she was done, ignoring the pain and strain in her hands.
After that, Juliette opened FaceTime and checked if Daisy was online. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Daisy was online. Without hesitation, she called Daisy. It didn’t take long for the call to connect. Daisy looked at her with a questioning expression, tilting her head to the side like a kitten. Juliette smiled widely and said, “Keep me company. I’m bored and can’t sleep.”
Daisy quickly typed on her tablet and held it up to the camera so Juliette could read the message: *How about we have a glass of warm milk in the kitchen?*
Perfect! “Sure, I think that would help.” Hearing Juliette’s response, Daisy nodded and ended the video call. Juliette did the same and then slipped the letter she had written into her pajama pocket. After making sure the laptop was off, Juliette walked out of her room.
As soon as she opened the door, she was greeted by two pairs of sharp eyes, which she recognized as Aldrich and… Dion. “I’m not surprised to see you here,” Juliette sneered, her eyes glaring at Dion with hatred.
Dion gave a wry smile and said, “It’s past bedtime, Miss. Why aren’t you asleep?”
“And where are you going, Miss Juliette?” Aldrich added with a probing gaze.
Juliette crossed her arms over her chest, her face clearly showing annoyance. Being interrogated just for leaving her room was irritating and completely unnecessary. After all, wasn’t it up to her when she wanted to sleep? But she responded anyway, “The kitchen. I’m going to have a glass of warm milk before bed. Satisfied?”
Dion rolled his eyes and replied, “In that case, you could ask a servant to bring you a glass of milk.”
“It’s up to me. Besides, since when did the deputy director of the De Lavigne family hotel become a doorman? Is your salary not enough that you decided to work as Robbin’s lackey?”
“Why not? The pay is great,” Dion replied nonchalantly.
“I’ll let you in on a little secret.” Dion leaned in closer, bringing his lips to Juliette’s ear and whispering, “I work there because the Boss asked me to keep an eye on things. What’s the word? Ah! A spy. If even one employee steps out of line, the Boss knows, and…” Dion deliberately left the sentence hanging, allowing Juliette to fill in the ending herself.
“Leo…” Juliette concluded, her voice pained as she whispered.
“You were spying on Leo.” She regretted being happy that Leo had gotten a job at the hotel through Dion’s help.
“Yes… that’s part of it. Keeping an eye on that naive, foolish man,” Dion said, glancing at Aldrich.
“Isn’t that right, Richy?” Aldrich, as usual, said nothing and maintained his signature emotionless expression.
Juliette clenched her fists tightly, and if Aldrich weren’t between them, she would have punched Dion for mocking Leo, who was no longer alive. Didn’t the man know the phrase, “respect the dead”? She shot a murderous look at Dion before brushing past him, bumping his shoulder hard enough to make him stumble slightly.
Juliette walked quickly, her feet stomping on the marble floor. She glanced over her shoulder occasionally and saw the two men following her. Although they kept a reasonable distance, giving her some privacy and preventing her from feeling too awkward, their presence still annoyed her.
When she reached the kitchen, she saw Daisy waiting on a tall stool with two glasses of warm milk on the counter. Juliette immediately approached the young woman and greeted her, “Hey D, sorry to keep you waiting.”
As she called Daisy by that nickname, a thought crossed her mind. Why did Robbin call himself Master D? If it were Daisy, it would make sense since her initial is “D,” but Robbin? His initial is “R.” If “D” stands for De Lavigne, doesn’t that fail to emphasize his identity? Should she ask him about it?
‘It’s okay. The milk was just prepared by the servant,’ Daisy answered through writing on her tablet screen. ‘So? I’m sure you brought me here for a reason.’
Juliette gave a quick nod. She glanced toward the entrance and sighed in relief, seeing the two annoying followers standing with their backs to them. Juliette moved the high stool she was sitting on closer to Daisy and spoke very quietly. “I can’t meet your father tomorrow night at 11 because Robbin is watching me so closely that there’s no opening, but-” Juliette discreetly handed Daisy the letter she had written. “-with this, I don’t need to meet your father.”
Daisy quickly slipped the letter into her jacket pocket. ‘Alright. I’ll tell my father. Hopefully, he agrees with the proposal you’ve made in this note.’
.
.
.
Two days later, Juliette decided to spend time alone in the sitting room. While she had isolated herself in her room the previous day, today, she chose to come out just to change the scenery. She stood at one corner of the sitting room, her eyes once again gazing at the portrait of Robbin and the late Anthony.
In truth, Juliette was waiting for William’s response and whether he could carry out the plan, but the man had yet to give her the answer she had been waiting for these past two days. Although Juliette had been communicating with Daisy, even though she rarely left her room, none of her conversations with Daisy provided any sign that William had agreed or not to her proposal.
Lost in her thoughts, Juliette didn’t notice the door to the sitting room open, and someone stepped inside. The person stood beside Juliette, also staring at the portrait of Robbin and the late Anthony.
“I know what you’re planning with William.” Juliette immediately turned and found Christian standing next to her.
Juliette laughed nervously. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Uncle William told me.” Juliette’s eyes widened.
“You don’t have to worry. He explained his reasons, and if it’s all proven true, then he should face justice. Even so, I won’t interfere.”
“Why not?”
“Have you forgotten whose side I’m on? I respect Robbin and hold him in high regard. After all, he’s the best among all of us, but that doesn’t mean what he’s done-attacking his own family-is right. Daisy may just be another cousin to me, but she… I’ve always seen her as my sister. We grew up together before I moved to London. While Robbin chose to isolate himself and cause trouble, we chose to play and avoid it.”
“Oh, I see…”
“But there’s one thing I need to warn you about, Juliette.”
“What is it?”
Christian glanced at the door, making sure no one was eavesdropping, and then, in a shallow voice, he said, “You may be able to imprison him, but not his trusted people.”
Christian reached into the pocket of his blazer, pulled out a small object, and handed it to Juliette before walking out of the room.
Juliette paled at Christian’s words. He was right. Even in prison, Robbin would still be able to act, and Juliette would be in danger. The only solution would be to go as far away as possible, though eventually, they would find her. Or, the most extreme option, she would have to die.
Juliette lowered her gaze and examined the small object in her hand. William had agreed to her proposal and had asked Christian to act as a go-between. It was a smart move. Robbin’s men-especially Aldrich-wouldn’t be suspicious of their interaction. It seemed Daisy had explained her situation in detail to William until he understood and finally agreed.
She quickly tucked the item into the pocket of her cardigan, which luckily had pockets in its design, taking care not to damage it. Then, with a sad look, she turned her gaze back to the portrait of Robbin.
The Golden Child of the De Lavigne family. Robbin, who had once been so praised and loved by the other family members, had now-indirectly-become the family’s enemy. If William decided to reveal the facts he knew to the other family members, the situation would become even more complicated. Fortunately, William understood this and chose to keep quiet until the right time.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow, she had to start acting. Juliette didn’t know what consequences she would face from Robbin or what punishment the man would give her, but she had to accept it. She couldn’t be selfish; after all, all the problems that had arisen were her fault-her fault for being part of the De Lavigne family.
Her fault for appearing before Robbin. For making the man obsessed with her-a blind obsession, one that erased his rationality and imprisoned his conscience. Juliette didn’t want to sound arrogant, but she understood that Robbin’s love for her was real. He, indeed, had fallen in love with her, loving her with all his heart. Still, it was all overshadowed by his overpowering desire to possess her. This desire ended in dangerous and terrifying actions.
She bowed her head, tears falling. After everything that had happened, Robbin was still an important person to her because, at one point, he had been sincere toward her as a brother. He cared for her and prioritized her above others. Robbin’s presence had healed his loneliness-her quiet, cold, temperamental, and reserved brother.
Juliette had to sacrifice herself for a good ending. She was willing to sacrifice herself if, in the end, everyone would be freed. She had to do this to ensure that the real plan during the company’s anniversary party would go smoothly. Everyone would believe the evidence, and this was the only way.
Tomorrow, she had to raise the flag of war against him, and no matter what happened, Juliette had to win. It wasn’t just her life and future at stake but also those who had helped her. Robbin would not stand idle once he learned of her betrayal and that of others.
Juliette knew that the man would seek vengeance on everyone who dared to stab him in the back. If that happened, he would inflict suffering multiple times over, just as she had seen in the latest terror video from Master D, broadcast on television on her birthday. The video was not just about their intimacy but also showed horrific torture, forcing her to witness the agony and screams of others. That video had haunted her with nightmares. The mere thought of it made Juliette shudder.
Then she smiled bitterly and thought, perhaps… perhaps… Juliette took a deep breath, tilted her head back, and gazed at the ceiling with a sorrowful look. Tears streamed down her cheeks. A small sob escaped her lips. Her entire body trembled at her final thought. Her breath felt tight as if something were choking her. Then she closed her eyes and repeated her final thought.
Maybe it would be better if she died at Robbin’s hands.
Yes, this was her last option.
To finally be free.
From Master D’s obsessive grip.
….