Chapter 426/I Know It Was You

Chapter 423

Julie’s POV

When the heavy door clicked shut and the echo of his footsteps vanished into the corridor, I remained frozen in my place, utterly stripped of the power to move.

My mind began retracing every touch, every burning kiss, and the terrifying, uncontrollable response of my body to every subtle slide of his fingers. It cannot be a simple illusion or a cursed coincidence... I am completely certain it was Robert. It was him beyond a shadow of a doubt.

He had simply realized at the very last second that I had uncovered his dirty game, and he had weaponized that bizarre Mexican accent to drive me into a mental breakdown to force me into believing I had turned into a whore submitting to complete strangers.

I lost all sense of time kneeling there on the cold floorboards, my hands bound tightly behind my back and darkness cloaking my eyes, until the door swung open once more.

His harsh, unforgiving voice reverberated through the empty space:

"Ah, Julie... Did he leave you like an animal again?"

I gritted my teeth, lifting my blindfolded face toward the sound. "Unbind my hands..." I commanded firmly, "...and take off this cloth!"

He closed the distance between us with heavy, measured steps, leaning down to untie the black fabric over my eyes. The sudden invasion of light blinded me for a split second, and as the cloth fell away, a rich wave of Royal Oud hit my senses that sharp, intoxicating fragrance that had intoxicated my mind in the past.

Julie... he is trying to trick you again! I warned myself in silent defiance. He sprayed his signature cologne just to make you believe he wasn’t standing here touching you moments ago.

He towered over me, sliding his hands deep into his trouser pockets as he looked down with icy detachment. "How I love seeing you like this..." he drawled coldly, "...naked, bound, and humiliated."

"Unbind my hands," I repeated, my tone as flat as stone.

He stepped behind me, undoing the fabric strap around my wrists. The moment my hands were freed, I pushed myself up from the floor, grabbed the cotton shirt and shorts from the mattress, and pulled them on with bold efficiency, refusing to grant him even a glance.

He tilted his head slightly, his lips curling into a sharp sneer. "I see you’ve grown quite accustomed to being a whore."

Fastening the last button, I locked my eyes onto his frozen gaze. "Are you upset?"

"Not at all," he shot back instantly, his tone devoid of any concern.

I took a step forward, my voice unwavering: "I know it was you who fucked me a moment ago."

His gaze widened for a fraction of a second before he let out a low, mocking laugh. "A truly hilarious joke."

"For God’s sake, Robert!..." I took another step toward him, cutting off the space between us. "...Do you really think I’m that stupid? Do you think I’d actually believe you weren’t the man fucking me just minutes ago?"

His lips twisted into a dry, cold sneer. "You have completely lost your mind, Julie. You’re spewing pure illusions."

"I am certain it was you!" I shouted, the fire rising in my chest. "Your touches, your kisses, your madness... I know every single detail by heart!"

He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, his tone dripping with blatant mockery. "Really? You remember my touches and kisses with such precision after four whole years?"

I raised my head, staring him down. "Yes. I remember them perfectly."

He let out an impatient exhale, his expression turning to pure steel. "How pathetic you are, Julie!"

A broken, defiant smile touched my lips. "All that matters... is that I know for a fact it was you."

He took a sharp step closer, his voice laced with stern authority. "You cannot remember something that happened four years ago, Julie. You are imagining things that don’t exist."

I stood my ground, staring into his sharp, unforgiving features. Does he genuinely think I forgot how he used to kiss me or touch me? Does he think four years are enough to erase my body’s memory?

Yet, in that exact second, a cold shiver ran through my chest. I felt an urgent, desperate need to be absolutely certain to prove it beyond a doubt to him, and to myself.

"What happened?" his provoking voice cut through my racing thoughts. "Were you wishing it had actually been me with you?"

He let out a soft, arrogant laugh, leaning in slightly. "I genuinely pity you."

I squeezed my fists tight, trying desperately to hold my composure against his relentless provocation. I know it was him. He was the one in this room, not a stranger!

Turning abruptly toward the bed, I climbed onto the mattress in a single motion.

His brows furrowed in complete bewilderment as he watched me. "What on earth are you doing?"

"I want to jump," I replied, forcing my voice to hide the surging tension inside.

I began bouncing on the mattress like a child. He stood there frozen, staring at me as if convinced I had lost my mind entirely. But my real objective was something else: I wanted to kiss him. I needed to reach his lips immediately, but the massive height difference between us would prevent me unless he lowered his head and I knew his pride would never allow him to bow down for me.

His irritation mounted, his tone sharpening. "Get down from there and stop this madness!"

"I won’t!" I snapped stubbornly.

He closed the distance to the edge of the bed, reaching out to grab me. "Come on... get down right now."

"No!" I shouted.

The second his hand extended to grip my arm and pull me down, I lunged forward with lightning speed, cupping his face as I locked my lips onto his in a fierce, burning kiss!

He froze in complete disorientation for a split second; I caught the flash of utter shock in his eyes before he regained his cold composure and shoved me back with brutal force.

"What do you think you’re doing?!" he barked out.

A mocking smile broke across my face. It was the exact same kiss... the exact same taste, and that same buried, explosive impulse I had memorized four years ago.

I held his gaze, my voice steady. "See? Didn’t I tell you it was you?"

His fingers clamped violently around my arm, dragging me off the bed until my feet slammed onto the cold floorboards. "If you don’t stop this nonsense right now..." he hissed in a low threat.

"So..." I interrupted, my voice laced with confidence and mockery. "...you’re still insisting you weren’t that man?"

He locked his icy eyes into mine, uttering with absolute finality: "Yes... It wasn’t me."

I yanked my arm from his grip. "Fine."

I stopped caring about anything else. My mind could only process one burning desire. Turning around swiftly, I made a run for the door, bursting out into the vast corridor with heavy, frantic steps.

Robert pursued me immediately, his heavy, decisive footsteps echoing behind me. I spun around to face him, my tone overflowing with bitterness and defiance:

"You are insisting right now that I’ve become nothing more than a whore... aren’t you?"

He offered a cold, ruthless response, his features completely devoid of mercy. "You already are."

In that exact split second, my eyes caught one of the guards standing at rigid attention by his office entrance. A reckless, final test flashed through my mind a single move that would tear down all his masks and shatter his steel pride right before my eyes: I would kiss that guard right in front of his face, and witness his reaction with my own eyes!

I lunged toward the guard with terrifying speed, grabbing the lapels of his dark suit jacket to drag him down and capture his lips.

Then... thunderous as a lightning bolt, a sharp gunshot tore through the air of the hallway!

Hot, thick blood splattered violently across my cheeks and eyes. The guard collapsed onto the marble floorboards, a lifeless corpse at my feet!

I remained frozen in place, my hands still suspended in mid-air in the exact same posture. The deep red liquid coated my face and skin, running down with a heat that froze the blood in my veins.

Robert stormed toward me with murderous, rapid strides, light wisps of smoke still curling lazily from the barrel of his drawn gun. He roared into my face with a voice like thunder that rattled the very walls of the estate:

"What the fuck are you trying to do?!"

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[I want to thank all my wonderful readers Crystal, Jennifer, Shawnnie, and Mary Thank you for your wonderful support and for believing in me every time. I am always surprised by your love and appreciation for this story. I want to say that every Chapter I write is thanks to your encouragement. Thank you again, I love you]