Chapter 31

Juliette's POV:

“I am going to get out of here,” I chanted the words like a mantra, pacing around my room dressed in a black button-up shirt and black jeans. I have been chanting the words since Zachary left the room.

Surprisingly, Mom was allowed to meet me, and she was disheartened to know how Zachary treated me. She even convinced me that she would talk to Zachary and let me out of the room, but then when she came for the second time, I knew that Zachary had clearly denied his own mother in regard to letting me out of the room.

“You are my little bird.”

His words angered me even more. The fact that looking at my state right now, it is true that I certainly am his bird, and he surely has locked me inside his cage.

“No!” I held my head and walked to the window.

“I need to get out of here!”

I looked outside of the window to find guards guarding the perimeter.

“No way I could ever get out without being noticed!” I muttered to myself.

“I need a plan!” I thought and closed the window.

First of all, I need to call my family. It’s not that I never tried. I tried every time I got a phone from the maids or Cosmina, but every time it was the same thing.

The number doesn’t exist!

What in the world is wrong with every phone number I know? All of a sudden number doesn’t exist?

I sighed and began to think about the ways to tackle those guards behind my room’s door.

“Think! Think!” I held my hair in frustration.

I was pacing around without even looking where I was going, and the next moment I hit my foot hard on the corner of the table. I yelped and limped, clutching the feet, and I knelt down on the floor, crying, seeing the blood oozing out from the edge of my nail.

The door swung open and from the corner of my teary eyes, I saw a man walk up to my side.

“Te simți bine Doamnă?” (Are you alright Ma’am?) he said.

“What?” I asked not understanding what he was speaking.

“Te simți bine Doamnă?” he said again.

I made a face while rubbing the sore area of my feet. “What?” I asked again, but this time irritated.

“Sânge?” (Blood?) he muttered, looking down at my feet.

“Huh?” I asked and he rubbed his forehead all of a sudden, looking frightened.

“Oh! Nu,” (No) he muttered.

“‎Boss este de gând să mă omoare,” (Boss is going to kill me) he said and before I could get even more frustrated and kick his ass, he turned around and left, leaving the door open.

“Door is open!” I muttered. Then the recognition hit me.

“Door is open!” I yelled, but soon clamped my hand on my mouth, stopping myself from shouting.

I got up and limped towards the dressing table, where I last saw a band-aid. I applied it on my now swollen feet.

I slid my feet inside my sneakers and limped towards the door. Carefully, I snuck out of the room. I saw the guard talking on his phone in his language. Before he could notice me, I slowly closed the door, so that he would think I am inside, and then tiptoed behind his back towards the stairs.

I saw some guards walking up, and I squealed a little before turning around and hiding under a table nearby. I clamped my hands on my mouth and watched as they passed by me. I took a sigh of relief for not getting spotted.

Slowly and cautiously, I walked down the stairs and towards the main hall. I saw Grandfather, Mom, and Dad sitting in the lounge, talking to each other. They didn’t really look happy.

“I will talk to Udolf about this. Something seems off with the way he treats his wife,” Grandfather spoke, to which Dad scoffed and crossed his arms across his chest.

“I told you from the beginning. Nobody really cared. I told you something is really fishy. Him in love? Please!” Dad said, to which Mom looked at him and glared.

“Stop judging my son!” she hissed.

“He is my son too!” Dad said, while Grandfather heaved a sigh and got up to get a drink from the mini bar.

“So they really don’t have any idea about my relationship with Zachary,” I thought and quietly passed by the door without getting noticed.

I was going to be freed today. I was keen on escaping this place today.

I walked towards the back, gradually looking here and there for anyone.

When I reached the door, I was going to open it, but stopped when I saw shadows of people standing behind the door.

“Eee!” I clicked my tongue and slowly backed off a little.

Please don’t open the door!

God help me!

Please! Please! Please!

If they opened the door, I would be busted. There was no way I could hide anywhere from where I was standing.

“I heard that Nicholas has been caught by the boss!” I was just ready to turn around and run, but stopped when I heard this.

Hearing about the Nicholas guy made me get goosebumps all over my body. I didn’t really know the guy, yet he's trying to kill me. I don’t even know the reason why he wants to see me dead.

Instantly, I took a step further and overheard their conversation.

“Yes! Our boss is really amazing. He caught him with ease,” the other one spoke.

“That man has really got himself into trouble. I don’t think the boss is going to let him leave this easily, after all Nicholas killed his sister.” The man said, and I clamped my hands over my mouth to keep from letting the gasp escape my mouth.

Nicholas killed his sister?

Is that why he was so keen on finding him?

But what did I do? Why am I involved in all this?

“Yeah! Boss is coming back. Let’s be at the gate,” the man spoke and the other hummed in response. I waited until I could no longer hear any voices from outside.

Slowly, I turned the knob and peeped a little before opening the door. I took a sigh of relief, finding no one nearby. I looked back and slowly closed the door not making any sound.

I walked cautiously towards the front gate. As long as I have stayed here, I have come to know that there was only one door to leave the mansion—the front gate. But I didn't know how I was supposed to get out of here without being noticed.

I stopped and hid behind a tree once I was outside. I saw a lot of guards guarding the area.

“Damn!” I cursed, and hid a little when saw a guard looking my way.

I waited for some minutes, but it was of no use. Nobody was leaving the space, nor was anyone doing anything so that I could use the moment as my time to escape.

I watched as the front gates opened for a sleek car that entered and pulled over. My heartbeat rose thinking about Zachary. As soon as the door opened, I was ready to run back in towards the room, literally scared of what Zachary might do if he found out I was missing.

But I exhaled out air when I saw Max coming out of the car.

He got out of the car and walked towards the house. All of a sudden, my eyes fell on my room’s window. There I saw the guard from before standing and looking everywhere.

“Shoot! He found out that I was missing,” I bit down on my lips and waited until he went away. I need to get out right now, or else I will be in trouble. I looked around frantically, and the only option I saw was the car’s trunk. It was open. The car was really close to me. Just a few steps away. If I made a run for it, I would definitely reach the car.

So, I counted to three and made a run for it, with closed eyes. As stupid as I looked, I was scared. Scared shitless!

I opened my eyes when I got closer, and in a flash, I got into the trunk, closing it after me. I made sure not to lock it, or else I couldn’t get away.

All of a sudden, I felt the car moving and I clamped my hands over my mouth, trying not to squeak or utter any words.

“Doamnă!” I heard people, but soon the voices faded; but I could feel the vehicle still moving.

Am I off of Zachary's territory?

I shifted in an odd position, feeling my back aching because of the small area. But somehow, I managed to adjust in the enclosed place.

Hours later, when I was sure I could no longer feel my back, the car stopped, making me hit my head hard on the back of the seat.

“Ah!” I uttered.

I heard the door of the car opening and slamming shut.

I took that the chance to open the trunk to look around.

“Where am I?” I thought.

I got out of the car and looked at my surroundings. I was surrounded by trees, and there was a house that looked like a warehouse. I turned around and saw some people walking towards me.

I narrowed my eyes and looked at the familiar faces.

“Oh my god! They are Zachary’s men!” I said, pulling my hair and running towards the house.

Great! Back to Zachary.

His men are everywhere I go.

Leave me alone already!

As soon as I made to the door, I saw another group of men walking, and I hid behind the door.

“Did you hear what boss did to Nicholas?” one of them said.

“Yeah!”

“Did you tie him back?”

“Yeah, I did. Boss ordered me to shift him to another room after he wakes up.”

Wait! Nicholas? He is here?

Oh my God!

I waited for them to pass by, and when they did, I came out of my hiding place and looked towards the stairs. I heard that Nicholas is here. So he has really been captured by Zachary?

“Why is that man after my life?” I thought and balled my fists.

Should I go and look for him?

I heard he had been tied up. He can’t harm me. Should I ask what I have done?

Nonsense! It’s dangerous! Just mind your own business and get out of here.

My subconscious was nagging me continuously to get out the place.

So I turned around and was ready to leave the place, but all of a sudden stopped.

“If today I get out of here and get myself free, then it doesn’t mean that this person and Zachary won’t stop searching for me. If he has been caught there must be a reason. He killed Zachary’s sister. Zachary wants to kill him, and he wants to kill me,” I spoke to myself and turned around back towards the stairs.

I might take the risk. I have come so far, and yet I am trying to take away from the truth. At least I can look at his face to know how he looks.

Slowly, I made up my way towards the stairs. I looked back to see if anyone was coming. Finding no one, I walked further and as the room got nearer, I found my heart beating vigorously against my chest in fear. I gulped down the lump that formed in my throat and stopped just before the door.

“C’mon Juliette. Just get a glimpse of his face!” I motivated myself and on the count of three, turned the knob.

When I did, I saw a man standing with his back facing me. He was undoing the rope from his hands and he shook his head.

“Is that Nicholas!?” I thought.

I thought he was tied up! Has he got himself free? Oh my God! Run Juliette!

“I am going to kill you Zachary Udolf Sullivan!” he spoke angrily and I stood paralyzed to my position.

That voice!

Memories of Emmett flooded back into my mind, and I began to think about the possibilities of me hearing that voice. My hands began to tremble, and I didn’t even realize when I took a step further inside the room towards the man.

“You made a great mistake. I am Nicholas Greer, and this time you are going to die for sure!” he spoke and I felt as the tears flooded down my cheeks.

As I took a step further, the wooden floor under me squeaked, and as if alerted he took the stool from the bedside and turned around to hit me. A loud scream escaped my mouth and I screamed numerous times, not because he was going to hit me, but it was his face.

It was Emmett.

My Emmett.

I screamed in horror, seeing him there after a long time. He is alive and the worst thing that I discovered was....

“Ju-Juliette,” he uttered my name once he recognized my face, and he lowered the stool and put it on the ground.

He took a step towards me, but I showed him a finger warning him to stop.

I cried my eyes out, but not because of happiness. If it would have been some other day, I would have thanked God and cried happy tears because the person I loved was alive and healthy in front of me. But today, I felt devastated. Because not only did I learn that he is alive, but I found out a shocking, yet ugly, truth about him.

I felt my legs wobbling and fell on my knees crying and sobbing hard.

“Y-You are N-Nicholas?” I stammered, feeling as if the ground slipped from under my feet.