Chapter 2 A Burden
Juliet stared at the card in disbelief. For a moment, she looked convinced she had misheard.
"Really?"
"Really."
Stella laughed softly at her expression. "You can use it to go inside."
Juliet accepted the card carefully, almost as though it were something precious. Her fingers immediately tightened around it.
"You don't even know me."
Stella shrugged.
"You seem harmless enough."
Amara looked personally offended.
"Only her?"
Stella's smile widened.
"You look like the one who came up with the break-in plan."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did," Juliet said without hesitation.
Amara gasped and placed a hand over her chest.
"Traitor."
The three women laughed, and even a few of the security guards seemed amused by the exchange.
Stella shook her head before raising a finger.
"One condition."
The laughter faded immediately.
"Only one person can enter with this card. It won't allow multiple entries."
Juliet's smile disappeared.
She slowly turned toward Amara.
Amara looked back at her.
Guilt immediately appeared on Juliet's face. She had dragged Amara here, dragged her into a private club, and nearly gotten both of them arrested. Now she was the only one who could go upstairs.
Amara saw the guilt instantly.
"Go."
Juliet blinked.
"What?"
"Go surprise your fiancée."
"But what about you?"
Amara rolled her eyes.
"I'll survive."
Juliet still looked hesitant.
Amara sighed and grabbed both of her shoulders.
"Juliet."
Her voice softened. She gave her a gentle push toward the elevators.
"You came here for Vincent. Stop worrying about me."
Juliet bit her lip.
"I'll make it up to you."
"I know."
Amara smiled.
"Now hurry before the party ends."
Juliet's eyes softened. Without warning, she threw her arms around Amara and hugged her tightly.
Amara groaned dramatically.
When they finally pulled apart, Juliet looked excited again.
Amara pointed toward the elevators.
"Go."
Juliet nodded and hurried away, clutching the access card tightly in her hand.
Just before she reached the elevator, Amara suddenly called after her.
"And don't forget to call me afterward!"
Juliet stopped and turned around.
"What?"
Amara grinned.
"I want every single detail."
Juliet laughed.
"Of course you do."
"I'm serious."
"I know."
Amara pointed at her.
"All the gossip."
Juliet shook her head, smiling.
"Deal."
A moment later, the elevator doors slid open with a soft chime.
Juliet stepped inside and gave one final wave before the doors slowly closed.
Amara watched the elevator disappear, completely unaware that the surprise waiting upstairs was about to change everything.
Juliet couldn't stop smiling as she stepped out onto the exclusive upper floor of the Blue Orchid Club. The black access card Stella had given her was still clutched tightly in her hand, and if anything, her excitement had only grown during the ride upstairs.
She couldn't wait to see Vincent's face.
Pulling out her phone, she checked the message Alexa, her cousin, had sent earlier.
Private Room 5.
A smile spread across her lips.
Perfect.
Tucking her phone away, she made her way down the elegant hallway.
Warm wall lights cast a golden glow across dark wood panels and expensive artwork, while thick carpeting softened her footsteps.
The deeper she went, the quieter the club became until the noise from downstairs faded into little more than a distant murmur.
A few moments later, she stopped outside Room 5.
Her pulse quickened.
This was it.
Taking a deep breath, she smoothed her dress, reached for the handle, and slowly pushed the door open.
The private lounge immediately came into view. Large leather couches were arranged around a low table covered with bottles of expensive liquor, beer bottles, and half-finished drinks.
Vincent sat comfortably on one of the couches, surrounded by several friends.
Dressed in a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top few buttons undone, he looked every bit the charming man he had always been.
His handsome face carried its usual lazy confidence, and a careless smile played on his lips as he listened to the conversation around him.
Under the dim lights, his striking features and effortlessly polished appearance made him look exactly like the wealthy heir society magazines loved to obsess over.
Seated nearby were his two closest friends, Griffin and Nolan.
Griffin, with his broad shoulders, sharp features, and perpetually serious expression, looked as intimidating as ever.
Beside him, Nolan appeared far more approachable, his warm smile and relaxed posture softening his equally handsome features.
Three other men and two women occupied the remaining seats. They were all stylishly dressed, their expensive clothes and easy laughter making it obvious they belonged to the same privileged social circle.
And sitting directly beside Vincent was Alexa.
Her long chestnut hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, framing a delicate face enhanced by flawless makeup. Dressed in an elegant white dress that perfectly accentuated her slender figure, she looked graceful and refined—the picture of the perfect socialite.
Juliet's smile dimmed.
Alexa was practically pressed against his side, leaving barely any space between them. Vincent didn't seem bothered by it in the slightest.
He held a glass of whiskey loosely in one hand while Alexa casually drank from a bottle of beer.
Around them, conversations flowed easily. Everyone looked relaxed. Comfortable.
Juliet was about to step fully into the room when she suddenly heard her name.
She froze.
"So, Vincent," one of the women said teasingly, "you've become a big boy now. You actually have a fiancée."
Laughter immediately erupted throughout the room.
Alexa giggled.
Several others laughed as well.
Instinctively, Juliet stopped moving.
Her hand tightened slightly around the door.
For some reason, she didn't announce herself.
Instead, she remained hidden behind the partially opened door.
Her heart beat a little faster.
She wanted to hear what Vincent would say.
Inside the room, Griffin pointed toward one of the women sitting near Vincent.
"Don't sit so close to him, Maria."
Maria rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Oh, please."
She immediately scooted closer and deliberately wrapped both hands around Vincent's arm, pressing herself against his shoulder.
The room burst into laughter.
Juliet's smile disappeared completely.
Maria smirked.
"What?" She glanced around innocently. "Will Juliet come flying through the wall if I sit here?"
More laughter followed.
She squeezed Vincent's arm.
"What a nightmare. Imagine getting married and having someone police who you can sit next to."
Nolan laughed immediately.
Leaning back against the couch, he grinned.
"It's actually the opposite."
Several people looked at him curiously.
Nolan pointed toward Vincent.
"Juliet is completely wrapped around his finger."
The room erupted again.
"Seriously. That woman would do anything he asked."
Several people nodded.
"You've all seen it."
Nolan shook his head.
"The way she looks at him is insane."
He laughed.
"She treats him like he's the center of her universe."
Juliet's grip on the door tightened.
Inside the room, nobody noticed.
"If Vincent wants something, she gets it for him," Nolan continued. "Remember that business deal she stole from that billionaire a while back?"
Several people immediately nodded.
"I honestly thought that guy was going to kill her."
The room filled with laughter again.
"But somehow she survived."
Nolan raised his drink.
"Still don't know how she pulled that off."
Then he looked at Vincent.
"You've got yourself one hell of a woman."
Juliet's heart skipped.
Hope immediately flickered back to life.
Everyone's attention shifted toward Vincent.
Juliet waited.
Waited for him to defend her.
Waited for him to tell them to stop.
Waited for him to say something that would make all of this worth hearing.
Instead, Vincent remained silent.
One leg rested lazily over the other as he leaned back against the couch. The whiskey glass hung loosely from his fingers as he took another slow sip.
A faint smile lingered at the corner of his mouth.
The sight made Juliet's smile falter.
"You know what she reminds me of?" Griffin suddenly asked.
Nobody answered.
"A piece of chewing gum."
The room erupted once more.
Juliet felt something twist painfully inside her chest.
Griffin shrugged.
"No matter what happens, she always comes back."
He swirled the liquor in his glass.
"And she knows Vincent will eventually marry her anyway."
The laughter softened.
Griffin glanced toward Vincent.
"Let's be honest. The only reason this engagement happened is because Vincent's parents adore her."
Several people exchanged knowing looks.
"Juliet is basically the golden girl in their eyes. They think she can do no wrong."
Then he laughed.
"Poor Vincent."
A few others chuckled.
"Now he has to deal with her for the rest of his life."
The room filled with amusement.
Outside the door, Juliet stood perfectly still.
The excitement that had carried her all the way to the club was gone. The warmth in her chest had slowly turned cold.
Yet her eyes never left Vincent.
Alexa let out a soft sigh and shook her head as though the topic itself weighed on her, her expression carrying practiced disappointment
Alexa drew in a slow breath before releasing a soft sigh. Shaking her head, she brushed a strand of silky hair behind her ear, looking genuinely troubled.
"Is that so?" she said softly. "I really thought she had some shame, but I guess that's the downside of not having parents."
A faint smile touched her lips.
"My parents taught me so much growing up. They always reminded me to be gentle and kind, especially around boys. Men tend to look down on girls who don't know how to behave properly."
The smile on her face faded as disgust flickered through her eyes.
"I've told Juliet countless times to behave herself, but she never listens. All she does is get into fights and create trouble wherever she goes."