Chapter 428/Escape Into the Dark Wine

Chapter 428

Robert’s point of view

Julie’s lips parted into a broken, venomous smirk. She cut her eyes toward me, her voice dripping with pure malice:

"Yes, Robert... what’s the problem?"

Time ground to a halt inside my head, and an inferno erupted through my ribs. I exhaled a poisonous breath, my voice turning to unforgiving iron:

"There is no sale period!.. The discussion is over."

Carlos tilted his head with a cold sneer, taking a step toward Julie to stand right beside her.

"Then Julie is just like every other girl here in the club..." he drawled ruthlessly. "...So I will buy her from you, and you’re forced to sell her to me!"

I yanked the gun from the holster beneath my jacket with lightning speed, driving the black barrel directly into the center of his forehead. My breath came in ragged, furious gasps as pure malice choked my throat:

"Listen to me, Carlos... Don’t make me blow your fucking brains out right now!"

Not a single flinch crossed his face before the weapon pressed against his skin. He simply let out a bitter, mocking laugh:

"Fine... At least my death will be over something actually worth it."

And in that insane, chaotic fraction of a second... Julie’s blood-stained hand reached out, wrapping her fingers gently around his hand—right before my eyes!

Her fingers entwined with his palm, her voice dropping soft and steady:

"That’s enough, Carlos..."

A sharp, unbearable agony split the center of my chest. I felt my heart shattering like glass beneath her feet. How could those very fingers that used to cling to me touch him with such gentleness?! How could this body find pleasure in burning me alive in front of another man?!

Carlos turned to her with a warm look, his voice rising intentionally so every word would hit my ears:

"It’s fine, Julie... If he’s asking a million dollars for you, I’ll pay him 10 million!"

"THERE IS NO SALE!.." I bellowed with a madness that rattled the very walls of the estate, my entire frame trembling violently under the weight of a lethal jealousy. "...THIS IS MY FINAL DECISION!"

Julie released Carlos’s hand with eerie calm. Turning around, she leaned her body into mine until the blood stains on her cheek brushed against my chest.

Her warm breath rose toward my ear, her voice dropping into a sharp, lethal whisper a final promise that shattered every doubt:

"You will sell me to him, Robert... Or I will make sure to confirm it was you who fucked me if you refuse."

-------------------+---------

Julie’s POV

Time froze inside the corridor. I kept stealing glances at his dark eyes, swollen with suppressed rage.

I awaited his answer through ragged breaths, my ribs aching under the strain. I know he’s going to ignite right now... He’ll flat out refuse to sell me because his twisted pride and possessive madness would never tolerate another man’s touch on my skin.

I closed the distance between us until the scent of his cologne washed over my blood-stained face.

"What’s wrong, Robert?" I whispered, my voice dripping with pure challenge. "...Not going to answer?"

A faint, strange smile touched his thin lips a cold curve that made my stomach knot, instilling a fear a million times worse than any relief.

He cut his eyes toward Carlos, uttering in a flat, ruthless whisper:

"I agree."

My heart stopped. The world beneath my feet seemed to spin into a bottomless abyss.

Ice surged through my veins. It was all a cheap illusion... Everything I built in my mind! For one foolish, emotional second, I actually thought he loved me. I thought he craved my presence beside him and couldn’t bear to let me go.

I stumbled backward with trembling steps until my spine hit Carlos’s chest. Carlos extended both hands, steadying my shoulders as I lost my footing.

"Are you alright, Julie?" he asked, his tone thick with worry.

I couldn’t answer. My throat locked up, refusing to form a single word. My vision blurred suddenly, colors smearing into wavy streaks while my legs buckled under the weight of my exhausted body.

"Take me to my room..." I rasped out, my voice breaking under the pressure. "...Please."

Robert took a firm step toward us, stretching out a massive hand to grab me.

I thrust my blood-stained palm up right in his face, shouting in weak defiance:

"Stay away from me!"

In the next breath, Carlos leaned down and scooped me up into his arms. Even as I loathed being lifted before Robert like a helpless weakling, Carlos saved me just in time from a humiliating collapse at Robert’s feet.

We descended the staircase at a quickened pace, my head coming to rest against Carlos’s shoulder against my will.

I raised my unfocused eyes to him, my voice raw with bitter regret:

"I should have loved you from the very beginning... Not him."

Carlos didn’t answer. He maintained a somber silence, his eyes fixed firmly on the end of the hallway.

He nudged the bedroom door open with his knee, carried me inside, and set me down gently on the edge of the mattress. Dropping to one knee before me, he searched my face:

"Are you alright now?"

"I’m fine..." I whispered, taking a quiet, labored breath.

He patted my knee softly. "Get some rest."

My trembling fingers reached out, gripping his hand tightly. Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes.

"I’m sorry..." I rasped.

He stared down at my fingers wrapping around his, his tone quiet and understanding:

"I know damn well everything that happened up there... You just wanted to make Robert jealous."

I squeezed his hand tighter. "I’m so sorry that I..."

"That you used my feelings?" he cut in gently before I could finish.

A broken, noble smile touched his lips.

"It’s fine, Julie... I understand completely. Maybe my heart is used to this pain by now, so... it’s really fine."

I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I threw myself into his arms, locking my hands around his neck as a gut-wrenching sob tore through my chest.

I know this embrace will only make things more twisted and ruined, but I found no other roof to shelter under, no other chest to cry on in this dark mess. How bitter and agonizing it was for a woman to weep over the man she loved while buried in the arms of another who adored her!

"I’m so broken, Carlos..." I sobbed, burying my face into his shirt. "...Fucking broken!"

He smoothed a gentle palm over my back and shoulders, patting softly as he whispered:

"Shh... Calm down, Julie."

I lifted my head, tears washing through the dried blood stains on my cheeks.

"I never thought he’d do this to me..." I choked out. "...I never imagined he’d sell me off to men like a piece of cheap merchandise!"

Carlos looked deep into my eyes, his tone surprisingly steady:

"I know he loves you."

"No!" I shook my head in violent denial, shouting out, "He doesn’t love me at all!"

He tilted his head, his voice heavy with sorrow:

"He just doesn’t know how to love you, Julie... That man knows nothing except possession and destruction."

I caught my ragged breath, the words spilling out of me:

"Four years ago... The day I ran away... I heard everything on that phone call!"

He furrowed his brows. "What did you hear?"

"I was in the office, and—"

The door burst open with a sharp, piercing screech. Robert barged into the room, draped in his dark suit and suffocating presence.

Leaning against the doorframe, he jammed his hands into his trouser pockets, his voice dripping with pure malice and audacity:

"I don’t think you two are in such a hurry to sleep together right now, Carlos!"

Carlos snapped up instantly, rounding on Robert completely. He pointed a sharp finger at him, his voice dropping into a deadly hiss:

"Robert... You better shut your fucking mouth right now!"

I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, looking up at Carlos with an exhausted gaze:

"Go, Carlos... We’ll talk later."

Carlos turned back to me. He brushed his warm fingers over my cheek with tender comfort, his voice dropping soft:

"Calm down now and rest... Alright?"

I offered a slow nod.

Carlos walked out, Robert following right behind him in rigid silence. The door clicked shut, abandoning me to the desolate quiet.

I forced myself up on shaky legs and walked into the bathroom. Turning on the hot water, I let it wash away the blood clinging to my skin and cheeks. I pulled on a simple cotton pajama set, but the suffocation pressed against my chest like an iron band.

How stupid was I to delude myself into thinking that old phone call was just a misunderstanding! How naive of me to think he ever actually loved me!

I didn’t even bother drying my wet hair, leaving it to drip onto my shoulders.

Stepping out of the room like a ghost, I made my way down the hallway toward the kitchen.

I began opening the wooden cabinets with sharp, erratic movements until my eyes caught what I was searching for three bottles of strong, high-end liquor.

I know damn well that a single glass is enough to make me lose my mind, and two could plunge me into total drunkenness. But tonight, I want the hell. I want to get violently drunk until this pain vanishes and Robert’s image fades from my mind.

I grabbed a wide crystal glass, tucked the three bottles under my arm, and retreated to my room.

I kicked the door shut and sat on the bed. Uncorking the first bottle recklessly, I poured a full glass to the brim and downed it in one single gulp!

The liquid burned a fiery trail down my throat and stomach.

Alcohol had always been my absolute enemy, stripping away my control and driving me to reckless acts without logic. But on this cursed night, I didn’t give a damn about the consequences... I just wanted to forget!