Chapter Thirty Four

Ray's POV

The plan was to record a tape of Isabella with that man and release it on the internet. Jackie said that the drug was supposed to make her more… cooperative, but I should have known that Jackie was lying again. I was getting the report from this guy now, and I was so disappointed to learn that she was actually fighting him off. That wasn't going to look good for the rumor I was trying to spread.

Everyone was supposed to see her being a slut, not resisting like that.

What were the odds? The one time I needed her to be a pick me girl, she disappointed.

That left me sitting on my bed and editing the video on my laptop. The earlier I sent it out, the earlier everyone could see the sort of person she was. The earlier JULIAN LAKE could see the sort of person she was. Then he would break up with her, and the coast would be clear for me to win his heart. At least that was what Jackie promised me when she came up with this plan. Hopefully, she wasn't lying this time.

My hands paused on the keyboard as I reflected back on how things had gone that day. Everything had been perfect when she took the drugged lemonade without any questions and drank it. It had all been going according to plan, but the one thing I couldn't have possibly predicted was Julian arriving in person to pick her up. I tried my best to distract him, to keep him away from the house, but he forced his way in anyway and, instead of being disgusted, chose to rescue her like a knight in shining armor.

I sighed in frustration, banging the laptop shut. I grabbed my phone and checked for messages from Jackie, but she still had not responded. She had been leaving my messages on read since I told her that the plan failed, and I really didn't have time for this nonsense. I needed a backup plan right away, and this honestly wasn't the time for her to start pulling these selfish stunts.

I was about to throw the phone far away from me when it began to ring. I glanced at the screen, and my spirit nearly flew out of my body. Why was Julian Lake calling me?

I didn't even know he had my number. I, on the other hand, have of course had his number for a very long time, after I found it on the internet. My heartbeat picked up speed, and my hands trembled so hard I nearly dropped the phone. I felt like pinching myself just to be sure this was real. I was sure I had stopped breathing by the time I finally picked the call.

"Hello?" I said.

"Rachelle Farmer?" he spoke, and I nearly melted from the sound of his sexy voice.

"Yes," I said quickly, "yes, that's me."

"This is Julian—"

"I know!" I squealed. "Omigosh, of course I know who's calling. What can I do for you, Mr Lake… um, Julian? Can I call you Julian?"

I knew I was rambling, but I couldn't help it.

I was so excited. Could it be that I actually made a favourable impression on him when he showed up at my picnic? Well, I made sure to be very polite…

"We have something to talk about," he replied. "I'll see you outside your neighborhood's internet cafe in three hours."

He ended the call before I could respond, and I was left staring at the phone as butterflies fluttered about in my stomach.

I couldn't believe that Julian Lake had just spoken to me. THE Julian Lake just spoke to me!!!!!

I let out a very loud shriek of excitement as I rolled onto my back and kicked my legs in the air. This was hands down the best day of my life. Even if I dropped dead right this instant, I would have zero complaints.

I sent Jackie a quick text: "off to meet Julian Lake cos he ASKED for me!!!!!!!"

Then I sprang up and practically ran to my walk-in closet to pick out an outfit.

……

I ended up wearing my sexiest jumpsuit. It was a burnt red shade and clung to my body like a second skin, outlining my lovely figure. I made sure to go a whole thirty minutes earlier, so that I could see Julian immediately when he arrived. Since he had said we would be meeting outside the internet cafe and not inside it, I leaned against a wall, doing my best to look like a hot, mysterious woman. My Prada sunglasses added more to that effect, and I let a smile play on my lips as I watched for his arrival.

It wasn't very long before a majestic black Porsche drove into the premises. The window of the backseat slid down, and Julian crooked a finger at me. I hurried to him immediately, and slid into the car beside him.

"Hi," I said breathlessly.

He didn't respond. Only after he signalled the driver to continue driving did he turn to acknowledge my presence. I had to bite back the urge to shiver from the ice in his gaze. Why was he looking at me like that?

This wasn't what I had expected.

He looked… angry with me. Like "I would kill you, but you're not worth going to jail for" kind of angry.

"Rachelle Farmer, was it?" he said coldly. "Now I know why you kept babbling about privacy. You didn't want me to enter that house, because you didn't want me to find out that you tried to get Isabella raped."

Goosebumps coated me when he said that. It was a struggle to get my lips to move, to form words.

"I…" I stuttered. "Th—that was… I mean, I was—"

"Before that day, I never even knew you existed," he said. "But you should be happy now, because I plan to give you a lot of attention."