Chapter 4

I was confined to the Thorne mansion by Julian.

Seeing Marcus's message that he had landed, the anxiety in my chest finally eased.

It seemed what he set out to do was successful.

Catching sight of the gentle expression on my face, Julian snatched my phone. He tried his birthday, then all our anniversaries, but it eventually locked itself.

"Julian Thorne, illegal detainment is a jail offense."

He toyed with my phone, then violently pinned me beneath him. "Aurora Vance! Would it kill you to just give in once?"

I froze, his bloodshot eyes reflected in mine.

"Yes, I hurt you back then, but if you hadn't orchestrated that car accident, I wouldn't have been blind for eight years trying to save you."

He sighed, a note of weariness in his voice.

"Aurora, why can't we ever just *talk* properly?"

"You know, for years, there's been a blurry figure in my mind. And Blair was the first person I saw when I regained my sight. I just wanted to figure out who that person in my head was, but you, you've hurt her time and time again."

"She's innocent. Nothing happened between us."

Sensing eyes outside the door, I met Julian's intense gaze and smiled.

"I believe you."

Julian's face lit up, his eyes instantly filled with lust, and he lowered his head to kiss me.

*This* was the man's 'punishment'? It was absolutely disgusting!

I closed my eyes, counting down from three. Before I could even reach one, a startled cry came from outside.

"Master, something's wrong! Ms. Sterling was agitated again and tried to kill herself!"

Julian released me with lightning speed.

As he opened the door, he hesitated, a conflicted look on his face.

"Aurora, it was your bullying in high school that left her with such severe trauma."

"I can't just ignore her."

I said nothing. This flimsy lie, only he would believe it.

In high school, I was rarely at school, spending every spare hour, 24/7, studying at the hospital. How would I have time to bully someone I didn't even know?

Soon after, crashing sounds came from outside.

Gradually, the noise subsided, replaced by the maids' suggestive whispers.

"Looks like Master and Ms. Sterling will be making things official soon. I wonder when we'll have a little master running around."

Recalling Julian's earlier closeness, a wave of nausea washed over me.

I looked around. The furnishings were the same, but there were more pill bottles.

Remembering Julian swallowing pills earlier, I sharply noticed something was off.

He was taking what looked like ordinary pain relievers, but these were for treating neurological conditions.

The only person who could have access to these was Blair Sterling.

"Julian Thorne, if that's how it is, then I'll send you a grand gift."

After swapping the pills, I walked to the window.

I knew this place well; even if I jumped, I'd only suffer a fracture.

My immediate priority was to get to the hospital.

I tied up my hair and opened the window. As I braced my arms and tried to hoist myself up, *clatter!* My body suddenly lost its balance.

I flexed my twisted ankle, getting back up. The air around me was abnormally cold.

Perhaps it was instinct, but I stepped towards the foul-smelling room ahead. Yet, just a step away,

A familiar, chilling voice came from behind me. "Aurora, what are you doing?"