Chapter 419/Mr. X’s gift

Chapter 419

Julie’s POV

My blood turned to ice the moment those words left his mouth. He knew every single detail! Was it possible that his father, Thomas, had broken our deal and fed him the news?

Taking a step back, I forced my trembling voice into a steady front. "What kind of nonsense is that?"

Robert tilted his head, a taunting smirk spreading across his face. "Oh, Julie..." he murmured with chilling indifference. "...there’s no need to play the denial game now. I also know that your dear brother went straight to Carlos."

My tongue tied completely. I stared at him in burning shock unable to process how he held every single thread in the palm of his hand without even blinking.

"Who told you this?" I whispered, exhausted and filled with dread.

His sharp gaze pinned mine in place. "I know everything, Julie."

"Did you catch Steve again?" I asked, terror squeezing my throat tight.

Curling his mouth, he offered a flat, dry response: "No... I let him go to Carlos. But I can kill your dear brother whenever I please."

Swallowing with great difficulty, I asked, "Does Carlos know that you know?"

"He doesn’t," he replied carelessly. "All that matters is that I know."

He took a wide stride toward me, his sharp features pulling into a serious glare. "What I care about right now is... why did my father help your brother escape?"

Looking directly into his eyes, I murmured softly, "Because he needs me."

Frowning, he demanded, "For what?"

"Your nephew is in desperate need of a liver transplant," I answered, my voice raspy.

His steel-like features froze for a brief second. A flash of genuine shock washed over his eyes as if he were stepping onto completely unfamiliar territory.

"What are you talking about?!" he asked, stunned.

I frowned slightly. "Don’t you know the background of the story?"

A flicker of tension crossed his face before he quickly masked it. "I don’t... But how on earth did my father think to come to you specifically?"

"I don’t know how he tracked me down," I said, remembering the past. "But he found me in that remote village before you did."

His pupils dilated further. "What?!" he whispered.

"I don’t know how he reached me," I continued, my heart racing. "But he begged me to donate part of my liver to his grandson."

Brushing off the final details of my sentence, he shook his head, instantly snapping back into his usual icy demeanor. "Now... get ready for tonight."

I lunged forward, grabbing his arms tightly as my ragged breaths hit his chest. "Listen to me, Robert!... I will do anything you ask of me anything you can possibly imagine! If you want me to organize those papers a hundred times, I’ll do it without a single complaint!"

With trembling fingers, I shoved my loose hair back, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes. "If you ask me to scrub your private bathroom, I’ll do it immediately! If you order me to stand in the corner without moving for an entire night, I will!... I’ll call you ’Sir’ or even ’Your Majesty’!"

He stood there, staring down at me with cold, detached eyes devoid of any human emotion.

"Just please..." I sobbed, breaking down completely. "...don’t do this to me, Robert. Please!"

He offered a ruthless glance, his tone devoid of a single grain of mercy:

"Your begging means nothing to me."

Wiping my face aggressively, I looked deep into his eyes, my voice dripping with raw agony and vengeance. "I will never forgive you for this, Robert... Never, ever!"

A harsh smile touched his lips as he turned on his heel toward the door. "Get ready... Let’s go."

He stepped out and closed the door, trapping me once again in the emptiness of the bleak room. Leaning my back against the wall, I gasped for air. I had never imagined that a man could be so completely immune to being broken or defeated not even once.

After an unknown amount of time, Patricia and Sam entered the room and went straight to work, while I remained submerged in a distant world of shock and numbness.

Their hands worked tirelessly, applying makeup and styling my hair, until Sam finally spoke:

"We’re finished."

Lifting my head, I caught my reflection in the large mirror. I was an exact carbon copy of yesterday’s look my hair straightened with slick perfection, wearing the same dark makeup palette from the night before. I found the exact repetition strange, but the heavy weight in my chest kept me from caring.

Patricia pointed to a sleek box resting on the table, her tone dry:

"What you’ll be wearing is inside here."

Gathering their tools, they exited the room in silent, mechanical harmony.

I dragged my feet toward the table, extending a hand to pop open the black lid. It wasn’t a dress this time... It was a deep crimson lingerie piece, designed with multiple straps meant to wrap tightly around the entire body.

As I pulled the piece out to inspect it, a small black card slipped out, fluttering down onto the floorboards.

Bending down slowly, I picked it up to read the words written in bright white ink:

"I bought this specifically for you, because you were so wonderful last night... — Mr. X —"

This was absolute insanity something beyond all reason!

How dare this man write such words to me? I had showered him with every form of insult and rejection yesterday! How could he possibly speak of my "wondrousness"?!

Clenching the card in my palm, I tore it into tiny pieces, scattering them across the floor. Then, I grabbed the disgusting piece of lingerie with its bloody-red straps, my fingers burning with rage as I ripped the fabric apart, shouting into the empty room:

"You bastard animal!... Do you really think I’m going to submit to you?!"

I stormed over to the wardrobe, pulling out a simple cotton pajama set. Slipping on the shirt and shorts, I threw the long red silk robe included in the box over them. Wrapping the silk tightly around my waist, I tied the fabric belt into a firm double knot to ensure the pajamas were completely hidden underneath.

I left the room without waiting for Robert’s permission. I rushed up the stairs with breathless strides, shoving his office door open without even knocking.

Looking up, I found him sitting alone behind the massive mahogany desk. He turned his fiery gaze toward me, his voice tauntingly cold:

"You seem eager for tonight."