Chapter 23
I was still shaken from the events of the past hour. Alexander’s assistant had called us an Uber, making sure we would reach our destination in one piece.
Lily faced the window, probably deep in her own thoughts. I covered her palm and squeezed lightly, hóping she could sense the love I was trying to communicate.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
Lily turned to face me with a small smile on her lips.
“I’m sorry, too. This shouldn’t happen to anyone.”
I was tired and bruised, but my heart responded to her kind words. “You’re an angel, Lily,” I said.
In response, Lily sat closer and gave me a hug. Right then, I felt so lucky to have met her, and I was grateful too. It was so strange that I would meet someone this kind hearted in just a matter of a few hours. And there was another part of me that hated the fact that she’d faced this situation because of Julian’s spite against me.
“What do you think they’re going to do to those guys,” Lily asked.
I shrugged. “They’d probably get arrested. Maybe thrown in jail for a while. You know Alexander. He’s got a lot of power around here.”
“Right. That man. I should thank him with a call or something. Do you have his contact?”
I wanted to dissuade her from reaching out to him, but that would just sound suspicious.
“Why would I have it? I’ll try getting it for you though.”
“How?”
could u
“Somehow. I don’t know. I bet getting his assistant’s contact would be much easier. We could try that instead,” I didn’t want to go around asking about him.
I half-hoped she would agree. The last thing I wanted was letting my friend be involved with that man. Already I had a sketchy past with him. It was better to let him stay far away.
“Hm.”
“I don’t like the sound of that. Hmm, what?” I said.
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Chapter 23
“Nothing. You’re right. Let’s reach out to the assistant instead. It’ll save us a lot of stress.”
I narrowed my eyes on her. She’d turned her face to the window but there was a small smirk dancing on her lips that made me roll my eyes.
My gut told me she must have noticed something back there. But if she was able to deduce that Alexander and I probably knew each other from somewhere, to what extent was it? Anyway, I crossed my arms and faced my window too.
Soon, we reached Lily’s home, dropped her off and then we got to mine. I staggered up the stairs, my bones aching against the weight of my fatigue. I found Julian sitting on the couch in the living room. Hopefully, that had nothing to do with me.
“Where have you been?” His voice boomed as hot off the chair and hurried closer to me.
I was tired, jeez. I just wanted to push him out of my way and head back to my room to freshen up and then lay in my bed. I said nothing to Julian anyway and tried to pass by him, but he held me back again, eyes scanning my body.
“You reek of alcohol. What have you been doing, Zelda?”
The audacity of him to even look concerned. But I was already at the stage where I knew none of that was
real.
“I’ve told you to stop getting drunk. You always lose touch of your mind and end up harming yourself whenever you do.”
I scoffed. “Want to know where I went? And what I’ve been doing? Well, I was busy getting harassed and groped at the business meeting you sent me to Like and I. Enough info for you?” I spat.
He frowned, “What? Tell me exactly what happened?”
“Need I explain how we were treated like trash? Or how your employees got molested by your so-called business partners. Hell it could have been worse had a knight in shining armor not come to our rescue. So yeah, what are you going to do about it?”
I watched his jaw tick. Somewhere at the back of my mind, I wondered if it was actually him who asked Melinda to send me on this task, doing it to spite me. There’s no way he didn’t have any idea about this.
“Those bastards,” he spat angrily, “I’m going to make them pay. I’ll make sure of it.”
His sudden show of concern threw me off balance. After months of manipulation and gaslighting, this display of care felt like another one of his tricks.
“Come here,” he commanded, pulling me toward the couch with a gentleness that made my skin crawl. “Where are you hurt?”
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Chapter 23
His fingers skimmed my skin and searched for injuries. When his thumb brushed the bruise blooming on
my cheek, I saw something dark flash behind his eyes. The gesture might have seemed caring to an outsider, but I knew better now.
“I’m fine,” I yanked my arm away. “I don’t need your pity, Julian. I can take care of myself.”
He reached for me again, but I turned away.
“Stop. I said I’m fine. I need to go in.”
“You’re bruised,” he insisted, that familiar controlling edge creeping into his voice. “Let me take care of
that. Allow me.”
I matched his stubbornness with my own. “I said no. I can handle myself, I’m not a child.”
A few tense seconds passed before he spoke again. “Fine, but you’re not attending any more work
meetings. It’s too risky for a woman.”
His words ignited something volatile inside me and I let out a bitter laugh.
“Oh? Then why is Chloe allowed at those meetings? Am I suddenly too delicate for you?”
He dismissed me with a flick of his wrist. “Chloe’s just a cheap slut. She means nothing to me, and I’ve
made that clear, Zelda.”
His hand reached for my chin but I jerked back.
“You’re more important. Why can’t you see that?”
Nausea rolled through my stomach and I stood up quickly. “I’m going in. I need some rest.”
Everything about Julian felt toxic now-the way he used people like chess pieces, how he’d sell his soul for a profit margin. I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the shower, letting scalding water wash away the night’s grime. But no amount of soap could cleanse the disgust I felt.
Later while I was lying in bed staring at the ceiling, and trying to make sense of my churning emotions, the door to my room was opened. I knew it was Julian. He walked closer to my bed before his weight dipped the mattress. His arms then snaked around my waist.
“I’ve missed this,” he huffed against my neck.
My stomach turned. “Oh, now you remember I exist?”
He stiffened. “You always do that.”
“Do what?”/
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Chapter 23
“Ruin the mood.”
“What mood? I just survived hell tonight. The least you could do is let me recover.”
“You seem fine to me,” he purred, his palm sliding over my breast. “And I need satisfaction tonight.”
The entitlement in his voice made me want to vomit. “No, Julian. Not tonight and not ever.”
His voice dropped dangerously. “Are you rejecting me?”
“I’m saying tonight isn’t happening. What part of that is unclear?”
Suddenly he was on top of me, straddling my hips and pinning my arms. “Playing hard to get, huh?” He ground against me suggestively.
“Julian, back off,” I warned, fighting the urge to knee him where it would hurt most.
“Why should I? You clearly want this. You’re just too emotional to admit it.”
His hands roamed more insistently now, his breathing heavy as he pressed himself against me. Each touch felt wrong and invasive. The weight of him pinning me down brought panic clawing up my throat.
Before his lips could claim mine, I blurted, “I’m on my period!”
He froze instantly. That was my one reliable weapon against his advances. With a frustrated groan, he
rolled off.
“I’ll be in the gym if you need me,” he muttered before slamming the door behind him.
I bolted for the bathroom, locking myself in. My reflection showed wild eyes and trembling hands.
“How did everything get so twisted?” I whispered to the mirror.
The hot water helped calm my racing heart as I splashed my face. Experience told me he’d be gone for hours, working out his frustration on gym equipment. Just then stomach growled to remind me I was
hungry. Besides, I hadn’t even eaten properly in days.
I went downstairs to the kitchen to make myself some hot cocoa, it was my comfort drink. But I found some hot cocoa already steaming on the counter. Julian must have made it for me before heading to the gym. Don’t fall for any of this, Zelda, I told myself. He was only trying to get in my good books again and nothing more. The man I used to know was gone.
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