Chapter 416/I bought you, Julie

Chapter 416

Julie’s POV

I spun around quickly, terror squeezing my ribs, only to find Robert standing right behind me, his expression as cold as stone.

Max froze where he stood, stuttering in sheer panic. "Sir... I was just—"

"You’re just doing the things that irritate me, Max," Robert interrupted, his low voice dripping with venomous venom.

I took a sharp step forward, glaring at him in utter disbelief. "What is he doing?! What?!"

Robert tilted his head with a twisted, cynical smirk. "Are you going to tell me he turned ’like me’ again?"

I shook my head in fury. "Stop the damn nonsense!"

Robert turned his gaze toward Max, issuing a dry, unyielding command. "Max... get out of here. Now."

Max moved instantly without uttering another word, making a swift exit out of the gym.

I locked my eyes onto Robert’s dark pupils, shouting in sheer frustration. "Are you going to follow me everywhere I go now?!"

Leaning his broad frame against the iron frame of an exercise machine, he responded with frigid detachment. "I’m not following you at all... Don’t forget that this entire club belongs to me."

"I just don’t understand why you speak so horribly to Max like that!" I snapped, my chest heaving.

"Because Max’s job here is a security guard, nothing more," he replied, his tone flat and void of any warmth.

I let out a bitter, heartbroken scoff. "Does it bother you that he’s my only friend in this damned prison?"

Curling his lip, he murmured softly, "Really?... Your friend?"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" I demanded, stepping closer.

He took a few slow, deliberate steps toward me until his towering shadow enveloped me entirely. He leaned down, his voice dropping into a dangerous whisper laced with dark mockery.

"You scream upstairs with fake pride *I’m not a whore, I’ll never be a whore* and now I find you throwing yourself into Max’s arms, holding him in such a disgraceful way?"

"Max is literally like my brother Steve!" I exploded, tears of rage springing to my eyes. "You’re just imagining things in your sick, twisted mind!"

He let out a short, humorless laugh. "Really? I thought Steve was your only brother."

"Stop with the ridiculous jokes, for God’s sake!" I cried out, turning away.

His jaw hardened like iron, his tone cutting through the air like a sharp blade. "Any man who wasn’t born from the same womb as you is *not* your brother, Julie. Not in any way!"

Lifting my chin in defiance, I yelled back through burning tears, "And what the hell do you care?! Tell me, what business is it of yours who I hug or who I stay with?!"

A cruel smile stretched across his lips. He lowered his head close to mine, his breath brushing against my cheek.

"Because I bought you, Julie... Not just once, but three times already."

"I am not your damned slave!" I gasped, the bitterness tearing at my throat.

"Yes..." he replied with icy certainty. "...you are."

I squeezed my eyes shut, my breath coming in ragged gasps. "Does that mean you’ll only allow the person who pays you money to touch me?"

Fixing his gaze squarely on mine, he answered, "Exactly."

"You’re a disgusting man... damn you," I whispered in pure revulsion.

Turning on my heel without waiting for a response, I bolted out of the gym. My feet pounded against the steps as I rushed up the stairs and burst into my room. The clock on the wall read ten in the evening, and the food cart was parked neatly in the corner.

I cast a dead, hollow look at the cart, feeling as though the tragic reel of my miserable life was playing on a loop. Collapsing my exhausted body onto the mattress, I sank into a heavy, nightmare-plagued sleep.

The next morning, the soft squeak of the breakfast cart’s wheels woke me. I opened my eyes to see the cook silently swapping the plates. I dragged myself out of bed lazily, headed to the bathroom, and splashed cold water over my face to regain my senses before sitting down at the small table to eat.

Suddenly, the wooden door swung open without a warning bump. Thomas rolled into the room in his wheelchair.

Pulling the door shut behind him, he spoke in a low voice. "Good morning, Julie."

I stood up from my chair warily, my heart pounding against my ribs. "Did you save my brother Steve?"

He nodded immediately. "Of course I did."

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Are... are you serious?!"

"Of course, Julie. Absolutely," he replied with firm composure.

"But how?" I asked, suspicion gnawing at my chest. "I need to verify it myself!"

Reaching into his coat pocket, Thomas pulled out his phone and dialed a number. He held the device to his ear for a few seconds before instructing the person on the other end, "Give the phone to him immediately."

He extended his arm, offering the phone to me. My trembling fingers snatched the device, pressing it tightly against my ear.

"Hello... Julie?" a voice called out through the receiver.

Tears spilled over my cheeks, and I cried out in desperation, "Steve!... Is that you?! Steve, are you okay?!"

"I’m okay, sis..." his exhausted voice came through. "...How are you holding up?"

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I forced out, "Don’t worry about me at all."

"How can I not worry, Julie?!" Steve shouted, pure panic and agony in his voice. "That monster kidnapped you and—"

"No!" I interrupted quickly before he could finish. "He’s actually being nice to me."

"You’re lying to me, damn it!" Steve barked in anger.

"I’m not lying at all, I’m telling the truth!" I insisted, pressing the phone closer.

"I’ll save you from that hell no matter what it takes!" Steve vowed sternly.

Terrified, I yelled into the mic, "Don’t you dare do that, Steve!... Listen to me carefully, you must stay as far away from this place as possible!"