The whip fell harder and harder every time.No matter how much Juliette braced herself for the next one, it still stole her breath away, made her whimper, and wish for this torment to end. But Isabella and Sophia were monsters born in human flesh. Quite literally. They didn’t have a heart or the need to even pretend that they did.Juliette gritted her teeth, swallowing the cry Isabella and Sophia were so desperate to rip from her throat. She couldn’t—she wouldn’t—give them the satisfaction. Maybe that was why, even after more than fifty lashes, they refused to stop, their cruelty relentless. It wasn’t until the door burst open and someone threw themselves between the whip and Juliette’s broken body that the torment finally paused.“You’re going to kill her!” Grandma Maple sobbed, her frail frame shielding Juliette as best as she could. One of the lashes struck her instead, making her flinch and cry out in pain. “Just… just let her go, Isabella. Show some mercy. She’s only a child.”Is
After meeting Madam Garret, when Juliette reached home, she found Aunt Isabella and Sophia in the dining room. As she walked past them, she heard her name being called.“Where are you coming from?” Aunt Isabella asked in a stern voice, as if she had been waiting hours just to say it.Juliette stopped. Turned. And flashed a fake smile. “Where do I always come from at this hour? From work, obviously.”“What’s with that tone?” Sophia dropped her fork as loudly as possible, making Juliette almost wince. “Do you have a death wish?”Did she? Juliette shook her head. “Not really. Is that all? Can I go now?”She was almost free to mind her business when Aunt Isabella’s voice cracked through the air.“Stop right there!”Juliette wanted so badly to groan, but she held herself back from provoking them further. Not that she needed to try—just existing seemed to piss these women off. Speak a single fact, and they would blow up like a volcano.“Sure.” Juliette turned back around, smiled, and tilted
On the rooftop of the Blue Diamond restaurant, James Garret sat with his cousin, Declan Davidson. A tumbler of whiskey rested in his hand as he looked down from the building, his dark eyes fixed on a certain car.“How long has she been in there?” James asked, swirling the glass slowly, almost lazily.Declan looked up from his phone, confusion etched across his face. “Who?”James turned his head, giving him a single, cutting look.Declan straightened instantly. “Oh. Her.” He checked his watch. “Almost half an hour. Why?”“Hmm. Something seems odd,” James muttered, turning his gaze back to the car.“Why do you say that?”“Grandma would never waste that much time on anyone,” James muttered, his voice low and flat. “Something’s off.”Declan set his phone on the table and leaned back. “What else would they talk about? The marriage, of course.”“But why talk to her?” James mused, frowning. “Why not come to me?” As if the thought struck a nerve, he glanced back at his cousin, those dark eyes
Juliette nervously threaded her fingers through her hair, her heart pounding like a drum. She looked out the car window at the posh road, where a fine building loomed over her and her ride.She swallowed for what felt like the hundredth time, her fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “It’s okay,” she whispered, trying her utmost to assure herself. “It’s all going to be okay. All I have to do is walk in there, greet her, and when Madam Garret looks calm enough… just speak my heart out.”Yeah. That sounded easy enough.If only it were in reality.When Juliette had called the Garret residence, a heavy male voice had answered. From his tone, she had guessed it was the family’s butler. What was his name again? Allistair… something, right?Either way, she’d asked to speak with Madam Garret. He had politely put her on hold, then returned exactly five minutes later with instructions. She was to meet Madam Garret at the Blue Diamond restaurant—a place only the truly wealthy, families l
“Those people are so damn heartless!” snarled Cheryl, her beautiful face twisted in frustration. “How do you even live with them? Do they have no shame at all? What kind of twisted world are they living in?”“Don’t even get me started,” groaned Juliette, burying her face in her palms. “But that’s not the point.” She looked back up, taking a deep breath. “The only way I can honor my mom and dad’s last wish is by getting this marriage cancelled.”“There’s no way they’ll agree, Jules. From what you just told me, those money-greedy people will do anything to get their hands on the Garrets’ wealth. And you’re the perfect lamb for them to sacrifice. It’s absolutely hopeless to expect any sort of kindness from them.”“You think I don’t know that?”“Then how do you plan to cancel the wedding?”“By taking this matter straight to Mrs. Elizabeth Garret, of course.”The coffee Cheryl had just sipped sprayed out violently as she choked on a series of coughs. “What? Are you serious?”Jules winced a
“They said yes!”Juliette’s uncle screamed from downstairs, jolting her awake.At first, she didn’t understand what was happening. Her head was still groggy from staying up too late and waking too early for her own good. She rubbed her eyes, drank a glass of water, and ran her fingers through her messy hair before stepping out of her room.She didn’t have to go far to hear what all the excitement was about so damn early in the morning.“What?” Her aunt’s eyes widened so much it looked like they might fall out. “Are you serious? Did they really say yes? Oh my God, Liam, that’s absolutely wonderful news!”“Did they really?” Sophia piped up from where she sat on the couch, her voice tinged with bitterness. “That bitch is lucky.”“Oh, darling,” Aunt Isabella cooed, sliding closer to her daughter and pulling her into a hug. “Why are you upset about it? It’s a good thing, isn’t it? Now we can finally get rid of that cursed girl.”“But Mom, she’s going to marry into one of the richest famili