Chapter 36: Julliette

The thought of sitting around doing nothing irked me,but what was I supposed to do.On one hand I am more than happy that this whole thing is finally coming to an end but on the other hand I'm scared it might get way worse.

But if it does go as planned does that make me a monster.

It wasn't my fault

It just happened and I couldn't control it,the situation.

"But you ran away"comes a small voice

What I ask blinking rapidly

"You ran away"it comes again this time behind me and I turned slowly and see no one there

I can't be having guilt now

I should be over this

"I went to therapy for this" I thought as my mind flashes back to the room where I laid on a sofa weekly to see the well paid psychiatrist.Mother had made sure I was there on time and every bit of it felt like torture.

My mother had tried to find the girl's family but it was almost like they were non-existent.

"You did it,you let me die"says the voice louder

This can't be happening.

I close my ears with my hands pressing them against my skull as a means to block out the madness then suddenly it stops and I can here a little pin drop.

I breathe out slowly

It's all in my head it's not real.

I hear the clock ticking loudly disorienting me a bit

I sit on the floor and hug my knees as tightly as I can,I am all alone again like I always end up.

I remain on the ground thinking how my life had been before this whole craziness.

I was successful, sophisticated and classy

I had everything I wanted

Now look at me scared alone and I'm going nuts

My mind goes back to the text I received and for some reason I feel more alone

My own parents left me

I feel a tear roll down my cheek and I wipe it off

It's funny how I've began to trust the man who broke my heart years ago I swore I'd never let him near me.

The thought of it makes my laugh as though I was mocking myself

It was then I start to recollect my thoughts

What am I doing?

I'm Julliette Wayne

Nothing can stop me I can get through this

I get up feeling a sort of determination like I was in a superhero movie

If Raphael Adams doesn't execute this I'll have a plan b.

All I need is my own lead, suddenly My mind flashes back to my paused investigation

"How could I forget?" I ask out loud

I walk out the front door and I'm immediately greeted by Raphael's garden like front yard the gates out of here is yards away.

I groan at the thought of it.

I should probably order and Uber I say as I teach for my pockets and I'm immediately greeted by the emptiness of my pocket as realization hits me

Oh I don't have a phone

Well I guess I'm going to have to walk

I walked, my steps echoing through the eerie stillness of Raphael's version of fairy topia. It was a picturesque place, with grand tress and lush gardens, a stark contrast to the turmoil swirling within me. The sun hung low in the sky, casting an orange glow on the cobblestone path beneath my feet. The world around me felt vast, as if the universe itself were conspiring against me. The tall trees seemed to stretch infinitely upward, their branches intertwined like the threads of an intricate tapestry.

As I continued on this long journey, I couldn't help but feel small, insignificant even, in the face of the challenges that loomed ahead. The weight of my past, the haunting whispers of regret, and the fear of what might come next pressed down on me, threatening to suffocate my resolve. But I was determined not to let it break me.

The morning air was cool against my skin, carrying a hint of the distant ocean, a scent that held both comfort and longing. I walked, lost in thought, retracing the steps of my investigation. Each corner, each shadowy alley, whispered secrets of its own, reminding me of the twists and turns that had brought me to this point.

The distant chirping of crickets and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind kept me company as I walked on, each step propelling me further away from Raphael's mansion. I felt a strange sense of liberation, despite my predicament. The absence of a phone, the void left by my parents' abandonment, the haunting voice of guilt – they were all threads in the tapestry of my life, intricately woven to create the person I had become.

I arrived at the imposing iron gates that guarded the entrance to Raphael's estate, my heart pounding with a mix of determination and anxiety. The daylight painted intricate patterns on the metal surface, making it look both forbidding and beautiful. My goal was simple: find a way out, an escape from the web of intrigue and danger that had ensnared me. I knew that beyond these gates lay the potential for freedom, but as I approached, I realized that they were firmly locked, the sturdy bars standing as a formidable barrier.

Frustration surged within me, knowing that my escape route was blocked, and I needed to find a way to unlock these gates. I glanced around, looking for any signs of a keypad or a mechanism to enter a code. But there was nothing obvious. It seemed like the gates were designed to be impenetrable, a fortress guarding its secrets.

I paced back and forth, my mind racing, trying to think of any clue that could lead me to the password. Raphael was a man of secrets, and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of code he might use to secure his property. My mind reached back to the time I had spent with him, the few moments when we were close, when I had glimpsed a side of him that was different from the ruthless persona he projected to the world.

What would Raphael choose as a password? Something significant, something personal, or perhaps something that tied to his interests or history. I thought of the few conversations we had shared, the subtle hints he had dropped about his life and past. I remembered the paintings in his mansion, the books on his shelves, and the conversations about his childhood.

I tried a few combinations, like the titles of his favorite books or significant years in his life, but the gates remained resolutely locked, unyielding to my attempts. Frustration turned into desperation as I realized that I was running out of ideas. My palms pressed against the cold metal of the gate, as if seeking some connection, some hidden mechanism that would respond to touch rather than a code.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, trying to steady my racing thoughts. There had to be something, some piece of information that could unlock this gate. I thought of the time we had spent together, of the moments that had defined our interactions. And then it hit me – a word he had mentioned, seemingly insignificant but resonating with him on a deeper level.

I stared at the gates, frustration building inside me like a pressure cooker about to burst. It seemed like every idea, every guess, every bit of knowledge I possessed wasn't enough to unlock this barrier to freedom. The initial rush of determination was now replaced with a sinking feeling of despair, as if the universe were conspiring against me.

I had tried everything I could think of – names, dates, words that had even the slightest connection to Raphael or his life. But the gates remained stubbornly closed, as if mocking my feeble attempts to escape. It felt like a cruel game, a puzzle with no solution, and I was running out of options.

A sense of sadness welled up within me, the weight of my situation bearing down on me like a heavy storm cloud. I felt like I was failing, that I was trapped in a never-ending cycle of frustration and hopelessness. I clenched my fists in frustration, my nails digging into my palms as if physical pain could somehow alleviate the emotional torment.

Unable to contain my frustration any longer, I kicked at the soft sand beneath my feet. It was a futile act, a small rebellion against the helplessness that threatened to consume me. The grains of sand scattered in all directions, a visual representation of my scattered thoughts and shattered hopes. I wanted to scream, to rail against the unfairness of it all, but the silence of the night around me seemed to suffocate any sound I could make.

As I stood there, surrounded by the vastness of Raphael's estate, I felt utterly alone, as if the world had abandoned me in this moment of despair. The gates, the mansion, the trees – they all seemed to be part of a cruel stage, a backdrop for the tragedy that was my life. The weight of it all was almost too much to bear.

But even in that moment of darkness, a spark of determination flickered within me. I couldn't give up, not now, not when I had come so far. I took a deep breath, wiping away a tear that had slipped down my cheek. I refused to let this defeat define me. I was Julliette Wayne, and I would find a way through this, no matter how impossible it seemed.

With renewed resolve, I took another look at the gates, my mind racing for any other clue, any other piece of information I might have missed. The day time was still, and the world held its breath, waiting to see if I could rise above this seemingly insurmountable challenge. I wasn't ready to give up, not yet, and I would keep trying, keep pushing forward, no matter how many times I was knocked down.