Chapter 155 LEAVING

Chapter 155 LEAVING
Eli's POV

By the time I got home my eyes were blurred with tears.

So the rumors weren't completely baseless, Julian and Lovia did have something going on. Maybe Julian simply got tired of pretending, maybe this marriage was always temporary, or maybe he really did force me into this marriage with some twisted intent but grew fond of me midway. Whatever it was, he's not into me enough to not want Lovia, and I would be a fool if I stayed long enough to completely lose Julian's favor before leaving. I’m not staying long enough to become the forgotten spouse.
Maybe Julian and Lovia are like Mr Devon and Victoria Thorne. But I won't be the Evelyn Devon in Julian and Lovia's story, so I'm going to leave.

I rushed upstairs. I needed to pack up and leave before Julian or Anton gets back; because I might stupidly change my mind if Anton asks me to stay.
As I stepped into the closet, the familiar scent of our mixed colognes hit me; there's Julian, Anton, and me, and the mix is almost intoxicating. I hadn't realized how tangled together we were until now. But instead of breaking down, I became strangely calm. I opened the wardrobes and started throwing clothes into a suitcase.

I packed as much as the suitcase could hold. Then I zipped up and dragged it into the bedroom.

Time to leave.

But before I go, I need a gun. In case those guards try to stop me.

I started searching for Anton’s gun. I'd noticed he always carries two handguns, while Julian doesn't carry any… I searched till my eyes landed on one of Anton's handguns. I hesitated… remembering Damien teaching me safety and trigger discipline. I still didn't understand why Damien would do something like that after being my only friend.

“Damien… what a corny snake you are.” I muttered to myself as I picked up the gun, checked the magazine exactly the way Damien taught me, and then tucked it in my waistband.

If anyone tries to stop me... I won't hesitate to shoot.

Dragging the heavy suitcase downstairs, the house suddenly feels unfamiliar, like I never belonged. I couldn't help but wonder if there was ever a time I roamed around this house with happy smiles, or if I ever stayed up late waiting for Julian and Anton to come back. Did they ever spend so much time with me…

As I reached the last staircase, I met Julian standing there. Almost as if he'd been waiting.

“Where are you going?” Julian asked, his eyes falling to the suitcase I'm holding.

“Leaving your house,” I replied, staring daggers at him. “So there'd be space for Lovia to move in.”

“That wasn't what it looked like.”

“Ohh, no need to explain anything Mr Thorne. I swear I'm not blind. Also, now you wouldn't have to do it in your office.”

“You can't leave.” He said, his voice so firm it almost annoyed me. “You have forgotten, but I own you.”

I almost burst out a laugh. “Funny fellow, get out of my way.” I said instead of laughing.

“I don't have anything inappropriate with Lovia, go back upstairs and let me explain.”

“Wow. If it isn't the wholesome listener asking to be listened to, you almost strangled me for getting drugged and sexually assaulted. You want me to listen to you? Why couldn't you listen to me when I tried to explain that I wouldn't ever consciously make out with my bodyguard in the dirty ass bathroom of a club, huh?”

Julian’s hand moved like he's about to touch me, and his face looked like he's about to apologize… but instead, he said: “If you don't go back upstairs, I'll make you.”

I chuckled, and pulled out the gun. “I'd like to see you try.” I pointed the gun at Julian's forehead.

“Eli, you're pointing a gun at me?”

“Get out of my way, else I'll shoot you. And trust me, I will shoot you.” But no, at that moment I wouldn't have been able to shoot him, I just wanted to leave.

“Do you think there's anywhere you could run to that I wouldn't find you?” He asked, giving me a smug.

I held the gun still.

Julian continued, “you signed away yourself to me. You belong to me.”

I let out a bitter smile. “So it is true. You forced me into this. Tell me, what's all those property documents you have in your office, of me and my grandpa signing over a bunch of properties to you?”

Julian replied, with no hesitation. “Those are my father's properties. Your father stole them, and I only recovered what belonged to me.”

“Recovered with force, I see. You needed to cut my thumb and sign them with my bloody thumb print?”

“I didn't want to do that. But at the time I did, you wouldn't have understood if I explained.” Bullshit. Coercion. I don't care what happened between him and my father, I'm done.

“Well, I'd say it was nice being with you, thank you for giving me the best time of my life even if it was all a twisted lie. Extend my gratitude to Anton too, he was nice to me and spent a shit load of his money.”

Julian took one step closer and I immediately cock the gun. “Stay back.” I warned, but he kept walking. He thinks I'm bluffing.

“Don't come any closer, Julian, get out of my way.” I warned one last time, but Julian ignored me.

I pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The gun fires, and glass explodes as a decorative vase shatters across the room.

I missed. I didn't hit Julian. I missed, and I almost let out a sigh of relief.

There's silence as we both stared at the broken vase.

Julian's face looked like he genuinely didn't expect me to pull the trigger. I didn't expect myself to either.

I lowered the gun, picked up the suitcase, and walked past Julian.

Julian didn't stop me.

I walked straight to my car and threw my suitcase in the car before getting in behind the wheels.

I drove off, convincing myself it was nice while it lasted and I lost nothing but gained a bunch of money and expensive clothings.

As I pulled into the free way, I winded down my windshield to feel the air. At first, all I felt was anger blocking the guilt of shooting at Julian. He almost choked life out of me, why should I feel guilty for pulling the trigger? And I tried to make it up, I bought matching couples watches for him and I, but…

…the realization slowly formed. All that anger I felt over Julian and Anton spending time with Lovia, it was jealousy. What I felt walking in on Julian and Lovia, earlier, was pain. Tears gathered in my eyes again as it hit me: I'd fallen in love with those vicious men. I wasn't pretending anymore… I actually loved them.

My hands tighten on the steering wheel, and I let out a broken laugh.

“I fell in love with those bastards, I'm an idiot.” I whispered to myself. The sentence hurts to say, but there's no better way to describe how I didn't even realize I was in love. I only knew my heart had opened up when my heart got hurt. And now I'm crying over a man.

My vision blurred, and before I could blink away the tears, a vehicle suddenly appeared beside me.

I wiped my eyes to focus better on the road. And then the SUV deliberately rammed my car.

Metal screams as my car spinned from the impact. My airbag deployed and darkness rang in my ears.

Blood trickles down my forehead. I can barely breathe.

Then the door opened and someone crouched beside me. My vision struggled to focus… but that face…

Damien.