Julia’s POVThe instant the words left my mouth, I knew I had struck a nerve. I saw something dark flash across Celeste’s face. Her eyes were gleaming with suppressed fury, she wanted to explode. Her fingers curled into first as she looked helpless. “Let’s leave here.” Celeste chimed in but her words fell on deaf ears.“You arrogant bitch!” Yvonne spat, lunging at me with sudden violence. Her hand came up fast, aiming for my face, but I caught her wrist mid-air before her slap could land.I tightened my grip on her wrist, forcing her to meet my glare. “Don’t dare,” I warned, my voice was low and dangerous.“This should be your first and last time you cross my path. Otherwise, you may likely go back home with a fractured bone. I’m only trying to be nice.” I said.“Celeste, please help me.” She cried.Yvonne struggled against my hold, but I didn’t let her go. Nicole, emboldened by her friend’s attempt, grabbed for the edge of my blouse as if to yank me off balance. She barely touched m
Julia’s POVThey all looked back, to the source of the voice as they saw Lucas strolling forward like a perfect gentleman. Then Yvonne whispered in a very low tone. “Oh my god! That’s Mr. Lynwood.” Yvonne’s gaze shifted to Nicole and then to Celeste and then to Lucas.His presence alone commanded fear in them. I could see how they flinched, taking a few steps away from me. He didn’t raise his voice, nor did he need to. His words were cool and calm.Now standing in front of them, he broke the silence. “Are you finished?” Lucas’s gaze swept across Yvonne and then to Nicole. There was a glint in his eyes, it was cold, penetrating, unforgiving. He took a slow step closer while they took a step backwards. “I was in the middle of an important discussion with Miss Wilson,” he continued, “but it seems you have a penchant for interrupting matters far beyond your understanding.”Celeste’s mouth moved but no words came. Perhaps she knew what Lucas was capable of. At least she has seen him multi
Julia’s POVThose words had barely left Alex’s lips when I caught the way Yvonne and Nicole shared a glance between themselves. It wasn’t just a casual look and then heir eyes flicked toward Celeste. She stood there, visibly stiff, her gaze fixed on Alex as though willing him to notice her. But he didn’t. He didn’t spare her even a glance, and I saw how Celeste tried not to feel embarrassed. Yvonne moved first. She crossed the small space between her and Celeste and then she spoke.“Oh, Celeste… He is here for Julia. I can’t wait to see how he teaches her a lesson.” Then Yvonne gave me a look that described she’s at the winning side.Celeste’s shifted uncomfortably, just for a second, but she said nothing. Nicole followed Yvonne’s lead. “Alex didn’t even give you a glance.” Her words made Celeste shoot her a deadly gaze that shut her up.I saw the way Celeste’s chest rose with restrained breath. She was feeling overwhelmed. She tried not to react, but her hands curled slightly at h
Julia’s POVLater that evening, we arrived at Mr. Sterling’s grand building. As soon as we stepped inside, the dining table was already set.From the staircase, midway down, Mr. Sterling caught sight of us. His gaze landed on me first, and a broad smile brightened his face as he called out my name. “Julia!”He began descending the steps eagerly. His arms opened wide, expectant, and I found myself moving toward him almost instinctively with my lips curving out a genuine smile. “It’s so good to see you,” he said, pulling me into a warm embrace. “How are you doing?” I asked softly as I stepped back, my hands still lightly on his arms as my eyes examined him. His eyes softened. “Stronger now that you’re here,” he replied.Carefully, I led him to the head of the table. He sank into his seat with a contented sigh. I took my place beside him, and Alex settled in the chair next to me.Dinner commenced. Mr. Sterling’s joy seemed to grow with every passing moment, his eyes flicking betwee
Julia’s POV“Now, I already saw what was coming. I could feel my heart, beating so fast.That bowl of soup that Grandpa specially left for Alex just now?We were deceived by Grandpa's little trick.“Alex…” I barely got the words out before he crossed the space between us. His fingers closed around my wrists, rough and impatient, his body pressing into mine as he pinned me to the wall. His lips sought mine hungrily, but I turned my head, catching only the corner of my mouth before I managed to twist away.“Stop,” I breathed, struggling against his grip, panic clawing at me. “Alex, please.”He staggered a few steps forward, trying to regain his stamina. “I want you Julia… You’ve been denying me for too long,” he said, his voice sounding almost drunken. “But not tonight.” He added.I fought harder, shoving at his chest, but it was like pushing against heavy stone that never moved. His drugged state made fear spiked through me. I wriggled free from his grasp with sheer, desperate effort
Julia’s POVScreaming, he fell to the ground and immediately, I didn’t hesitate. My legs moved swiftly as I rushed towards the door, yanking at the handle as I tried to pull it open but it didn’t open at first trial. Panic clawed through me as I pulled harder.It took me a terrible, frantic moment to realize I was pulling the door the wrong way. I was so overwhelmed.Immediately, I switched my grip, shoved the door the other way with trembling hands, and finally, it opened. Without sparing a glance backwards at Alex, I slammed it shut behind me and turned the key in the lock.I could hear him behind the door, spluttering and screaming my name, his voice was filled with rage. “You will regret this! I swear!”I didn’t dare respond as I quickly began to dress up while Alex continued banging the door, as if to break it. Gradually, his knocking stopped.Courageously, I moved slowly towards the bathroom door. Reaching there, I could now clearly hear the sounds of water, as if the shower wa
Julia’s POVAlex shot me a cold gaze, weighing whether to respond to me or head towards the door but I held his stare, unflinching.Suddenly, the knock came again.He didn’t say a word. He didn’t even glance my way as he turned and strode to the door. Pulling the door open. Celeste was standing at the door, her expression looking worried and shortly a dazzling smile plastered across her face, she threw herself to him, yet both hands placed around his neck.“Alex.” She called.Alex, still unmoved by her presence, broke the silence first.“Why are you here, Celeste?” Before she could react, she pressed a kiss to his lips but I kept his expression flat, unimpressed.Then suddenly, Celeste’s eyes found me.Her smiling lips froze mid-curve, her entire expression faltering cold. Now, she shot me a cold gaze.“Why is Julia here?” Celeste questioned as jealousy flashed in her gaze.“Grandpa had asked her to stay for the night.” Alex replied. “The both of you slept in grandpa’s house?” The j
Julia’s POVAlex rushed in, his eyes darting straight to Celeste who has dramatically slumped against the sink. Her hands were shaking slightly all of a sudden and her tears had somehow stayed perfectly in place, smudging her mascara just enough to make her look like a victim.“Alex!” she wailed, before he could even open his mouth, she spoke again. “She tried to attack me. And look!” She grabbed the hem of her dress, showing it toward him to reveal the soggy stain of tomato juice. “She splashed this all over me! I was only trying to make lunch.” She added, her voice sounding more like a whisper as she buried her face on Alex’s shoulder. I didn’t even try to defend myself. Not yet. I stood there, arms crossed, watching the scene. I wasn’t afraid of what will come next.Then Alex’s jaw clenched as he turned to me. “What the hell is wrong with you, Julia?” he snapped as he approached me, grabbing my wrist with force. “You’ve crossed the line this time. You’re lucky I’m even still tol
Julia’s POVSuddenly, Alex snapped, stepping in front of me.“Unbelievable, Julia!” Alex’s voice rang sharp. “You come here unannounced, and now you’re creating a scene?”My stomach dropped as I kept my eyes on him. “Excuse me?”He took another step forward, his glare never left me. “Julia, what exactly are you doing here? First, you show up without telling me, and now Celeste’s standing here with coffee all over her.” How low can you stoop, Julia?”I shook my head, a short unbelievable laugh escaping my lips. “Are you serious right now? At least ask what happened.” Celeste sniffled behind him, barely holding back tears. “Alex, please, don’t blame her. Everything is my fault. I shouldn’t have offered her the coffee in the first place. I was only trying to be nice and welcome her to her Fiancée’s company.” She said as she wiped her non stop flowing tears.“Celeste,” I snapped, stepping forward, “cut the act...”Alex raised his hand at me. “Enough, Julia.”“No, not enough!” I snapped b
Julia’s POVI am shocked.My brows rose, and I’m certain the confusion was etched clearly across my face and I could tell Celeste noticed that. My lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Celeste? Director? It didn’t make sense. Not even remotely. This was the same Celeste who majored in dance at college. How could she possibly be the director of Carter Corporations? Hilarious! Alex really did love her to had put her in this position.I stared at her as she approached further. Her hair was styled flawlessly, her lips the same seductive red as the receptionist’s, but more polished and beautiful. She was wearing a red short gown barely above her knees and a silver heel.She stopped in front of me and flashed a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Julia,” she called again. “What a surprise. You’re here… you look good.” She said.I wanted to say something, anything, but I was still trying to absorb what I’d just learned about her position here.The receptionist straightened and broke th
Julia’s POVIsabella is coming back soon. It's good news for me and also a bad one. I hadn’t told her about my life lately with Alex and if she comes and find out, it would not end well. She had always been against Alex and even if I try to explain reasons to why I accepted Alex back, she wouldn’t buy it. On the other hand, her words about Lucas rang continuously in my head. “Huh? A business partner? That’s all? You must be joking. Isn’t it obvious he likes you already? Are you blind?” Well I didn’t want it to bother me so I decided to take a bath to clear my head.I had just finished taking a shower when my phone rang again.Wrapped in a towel, I reached for the phone. The name on the screen made my heart pause for a beat. It was Mr. Sterling calling.I hesitated for a moment, then picked up. “Hello” I greeted.“Ah, good. You’re not asleep,” he said, his tone welcoming as always. “I won’t take long. How are you doing?”“I’m fine, thank you,” I said, brushing a damp strand of hair fro
Julia’s POVImmediately, I saw the confusion in Alex’s eyes and that of Celeste’s. Her smile faltered just enough for me to catch it before she could hide it again. A second ago, she’d been feeling happy about the broken necklace even though she didn’t make her joy obvious. Now, she’s puzzled.Alex opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came.“It’s not broken at all,” I said again softly, then he stepped forward.“What games are you playing, Julia?”I reached into my handbag and pulled out a small, elegant black velvet box. The moment I flipped the lid open, Celeste’s expression shifted. And this time, she didn’t hide it fast enough. I saw the shock in her eyes. There it was, the real necklace. Glimmering under the lights of the hospital room. “This…” I held it up by the chain, letting it dangle, “is the real necklace.”Alex’s mouth fell open. “Then what…”“I anticipated this,” I said coolly, cutting across whatever excuse or protest was about to fall from Celeste’s l
Julia’s POV“That’s not possible, Alex,” I said firmly, pacing the small living room while Jake watched me from the couch, his glass of water untouched. “I don’t owe Celeste anything. And I’m not giving her that necklace.”On the other end of the line, Alex exhaled sharply, his voice low and tight with frustration. “Julia, this isn’t about owing anyone. This is about basic humanity. She’s lying in a hospital bed, barely responsive.”“And what does that have to do with me?” I snapped. “I’m not responsible for her state, Alex.”“She kept mentioning that necklace. Do you not see how this is connected?” he said, voice rising. “All I’m asking is for her to hold it, not keep it.” He paused and continued. “I’m saying,” he replied slowly, “that you have the power to give someone a little comfort. Even if you don’t like her. Do it not for her, but for your own conscience.”Silence stretched between us. I hated how everything was turning out to be, making me look like a bad person. “…Fine,” I
Julia’s POVThe next day, while preparing for the day when suddenly, a voice called out to me from outside.“Julia!” a familiar voice called through the door, followed by a knock, firm, but not aggressive kind of knock. My breath hitched to realise whose voice it was. I knew that voice. It was Jake’s. Why is he here?I didn’t hesitate. Without a glance back at Alex, I walked past him and opened the door.There he was. He stood with one hand still raised from knocking, his brows furrowed the moment he saw me. He was dressed casually, in a plain grey hoodie and dark jeans, his hair slightly tousled as his eyes immediately scanned my face.“Jake?” I stared at him curiously. “Is everything okay at home? Why are you here?” I asked, surprised. “I came to check on you,” he said simply. His eyes didn’t leave mine. “Are you okay? Did Alex do anything to you?”“I’m fine,” I assured him quickly, glancing back at Alex only to meet his cold stare. “Nothing happened, Jake. Really.”Jake didn’t lo
Julia’s POV“What?” I said sharply, holding the phone tightly to my ear. “You want me to give the necklace… to Celeste?” My voice rose incredulously.I could feel my blood boil. “Are you insane, Alex? That necklace was gifted to me. Why the hell should I hand it over to your little sweetheart just because she batted her fake lashes and pouted her lips at you?” My voice was filled with fury. “You and Celeste can go to hell.”Before I could end the call myself, I heard Celeste’s voice , sounding so sweet and fake.“It’s okay, Alex,” Celeste cooed gently. “Let’s not cause a scene. The necklace is beautiful, but it belongs to Julia now. Really… it’s fine.”I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might get stuck. My grip on the phone tightened.Lucas, who had been quietly watching me with a lifted brow, leaned in slightly. “May I?” he asked, gesturing to the phone.I hesitated. My jaw clenched, fingers twitching over the phone, but finally, I handed it over. He gave me a nod, pressed the
Julia’s POV“Oh my God…” I gasped, staring at Lucas’s text. Lucas did this for me? A shiver ran down my spine as my throat tightened, overwhelmed by Lucas’s actions. Lucas hadn’t just helped me once. He had done that more than twice. Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars… I could hardly breathe just thinking about it.He did this intentionally, not like I forced him. Quickly, I typed a reply. “Thank you so much, Lucas. I don’t know how to express how grateful I am. I’ll pay you back as soon as I can, I promise.”Just as I was about to send another follow-up message, explaining my plan to set up a payment schedule, another text buzzed through.“Since you’re thanking me, then treat me to the meal we missed last time.”I was still smiling at my screen when a voice called out, “Miss Wilson?”I turned to find a man in a black suit standing nearby. He looked about thirty-five, clean-cut, and professional with sharp eyes and a kind smile.“I’m Ethan,” he introduced himself with a polite
Julia’s POV The crowd gasped. My heart lurched. Three hundred and fifty thousand? Who could? I glanced at Alex, whose smirk had vanished, replaced by a scowl. Celeste’s face was pale, her hands clenched in her lap.That was more than I could ever dream of, more than Alex could reasonably justify. He leaned back in his chair, his paddle lowering, his expression filled with fury and defeat. Celeste grabbed his hand as she whispered something to him.“Any more bidders?” The auctioneer said.Alex’s hand twitched, but he didn’t raise his paddle. The silence stretched. My chest ached for the realization that I'd lost the necklace to a stranger. Whoever was on that phone had outplayed us both.“Going once,” the auctioneer said. “Going twice… Sold! To the anonymous bidder for three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.”The gavel slammed down, and the room erupted in applause and whispers. I sat frozen, my paddle limp in my hand. The necklace was gone. Not to Alex, not to Celeste, but to some