Chapter 29 Moving On
Several cars ahead, Cassian glanced casually into the rearview mirror. The moment he spotted the familiar car trailing behind them, the corners of his lips slowly lifted.
"So he followed us after all."
Juliet, who had been scrolling through her phone, looked up. "Who?"
Cassian rested one arm against the window while steering with the other.
"Vincent."
Juliet rolled her eyes and leaned back against her seat.
"He's ridiculous."
Cassian glanced at her briefly before reaching over and squeezing her hand once.
Inside Vincent's car, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
Neither man spoke for several minutes.
Vincent kept his eyes fixed on the car ahead, his expression growing darker with every passing second.
Eventually, Nolan looked out the window and frowned.
"Wait."
Vincent didn't respond.
Nolan sat up straighter and looked outside again.
"This isn't the direction to Juliet’s old apartment."
Juliet's apartment had been located in a modest middle-class neighborhood. But they had passed that area nearly twenty minutes ago.
The city scenery around them had changed completely.
The crowded streets had gradually given way to broad, tree-lined roads. Luxury boutiques, private clubs, and high-end restaurants appeared one after another. The traffic thinned considerably, replaced by expensive sports cars and chauffeur-driven sedans.
As they continued driving, sprawling estates and magnificent villas began appearing on both sides of the road.
Nolan slowly turned to Vincent, disbelief written all over his face.
"Vincent," he said carefully, "this is the luxury villa district."
Vincent's jaw tightened.
"No," he said immediately, his voice low. "Maybe she's just visiting someone."
But even he didn't sound convinced.
Because deep down, he already knew something had changed.
The designer clothes.
The expensive jewelry.
The luxury car.
The mysterious man.
And now this.
A few minutes later, the black car slowed as it approached the entrance of one of the city's most exclusive residential communities.
The security guards immediately recognized the vehicle.
Straightening their backs, they respectfully opened the massive iron gates without asking a single question.
Vincent immediately accelerated, intending to follow.
Unfortunately, before his car could pass through, a security guard stepped directly into his path and raised a hand.
"Sir, please stop."
Vincent was forced to slam on the brakes.
His expression instantly darkened.
"Open the gate."
The security guard maintained a professional smile.
"I'm sorry, sir. Entry is restricted to residents and approved guests only."
"I'm here to see someone," Vincent said impatiently.
"May I have the resident's name and authorization code?"
Vincent's fingers tightened around the steering wheel.
He had neither.
Seeing his silence, the guard shook his head apologetically.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't allow you inside without permission."
Vincent stared through the gates just in time to see the black car disappear farther into the private community.
The heavy gates slowly closed.
With a metallic clang, they shut directly in front of him.
Vincent's expression turned frighteningly ugly.
"Dammit!"
He slammed his fist against the steering wheel hard enough to make the horn blare.
Nolan flinched before rubbing his forehead tiredly.
"Vincent, let's just go home."
Vincent didn't respond. He remained sitting behind the wheel, one hand resting on the steering wheel while the other tapped absently against it. His gaze stayed fixed on the imposing iron gates in front of them as if he could somehow see through them.
Nolan let out a long sigh and turned in his seat to face him.
"Think about this rationally," he said, his tone patient.
"News about your canceled engagement is already spreading.
The media is watching your every move right now.
If paparazzi catch you lurking outside a private residential community in the middle of the night, especially after everything that's happened with Juliet, tomorrow's headlines will be a complete disaster. "
Still, Vincent said nothing.
The only reaction Nolan received was the slight tightening of Vincent's jaw.
"You and Juliet have already argued in public several times," Nolan continued, trying a different approach. "If the media starts digging deeper into your relationship, things will only get messier."
For a long moment, Vincent remained silent, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he stared through the windshield.
Then, without warning, he started the engine.
Nolan immediately straightened. "What are you doing?"
Vincent shifted the car into drive.
"I'm taking a look around."
Before Nolan could protest, Vincent stepped on the accelerator and drove away from the entrance.
"Vincent—"
Ignoring him completely, Vincent guided the car onto the road that circled the residential community.
The further they drove, the quieter it became.
The bright lights surrounding the main entrance gradually faded behind them, replaced by long stretches of dimly lit roads lined with towering trees and high stone walls.
Nolan's uneasiness only grew.
"Vincent, this is private property," he warned, glancing nervously out the window. "People who live here don't exactly appreciate strangers snooping around."
Vincent remained unmoved.
His eyes continuously swept over the walls and surrounding area as if searching for something.
A few minutes later, he suddenly slowed the car and pulled into a dark area hidden beneath a cluster of large trees.
The engine shut off.
Nolan stared at him.
"Why are we stopping?"
Vincent calmly unfastened his seatbelt.
Realization immediately dawned on Nolan.
His eyes widened.
"No."
Vincent pushed open the driver's door.
"No, absolutely not." Nolan quickly grabbed Vincent's sleeve before he could get out. "Don't tell me you're seriously planning to break into the community."
Vincent glanced down at the hand gripping him before calmly removing it.
"I'm not breaking in."
Nolan stared at him in disbelief.
"Then what exactly do you call climbing over a wall in the middle of the night?"
Vincent adjusted the cuffs of his suit jacket as if they were discussing the weather.
"I'm taking a walk."
Nolan nearly choked.
"Taking a walk?" he repeated incredulously. "Vincent, people who live here probably have enough money to buy this entire city. They definitely have security cameras everywhere. If you get caught, you'll be arrested."
Vincent merely closed the car door.
"Wait here."
"Vincent!"
Ignoring him entirely, Vincent strode toward the high stone wall surrounding the community. After briefly assessing its height, he grabbed the top, effortlessly pulled himself up, and swung over.
Nolan could only watch in horror as Vincent disappeared to the other side.
"Oh, he's definitely lost his mind," Nolan muttered, dropping back against his seat.
Inside the community, Vincent landed lightly on the grass.
The residential area was eerily quiet.
The villas were spread far apart, each occupying enormous plots of land. Carefully maintained gardens stretched around every property while elegant fountains and decorative lights illuminated winding pathways.
Vincent moved silently through the neighborhood, instinctively staying within the shadows cast by trees and hedges.
He wasn't entirely sure what he intended to do once he found Juliet.
All he knew was that he needed answers.
Who was that man?
Why was Juliet living here?
How had her life changed so drastically in such a short time?
After walking for nearly ten minutes, Vincent suddenly stopped.
Parked neatly in the driveway of one of the villas was the familiar black luxury car.
His eyes immediately narrowed.
It was the same car.
A strange feeling settled heavily in his chest.
Slowly, Vincent lifted his gaze.
The villa before him was breathtaking.
It wasn't merely a house.
It was a mansion.
A modern three-story estate surrounded by perfectly landscaped gardens, decorative fountains, and towering trees. Warm golden light spilled from the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, making the entire property look elegant and welcoming.
Vincent stared at it in silence.
This wasn't a place an ordinary person could afford.
Without thinking any further, he approached the garden wall. Gripping the stone ledge, he effortlessly climbed over and landed soundlessly among rows of carefully tended flowers.
Straightening, he moved deeper into the garden.
Then he froze.
One entire side of the mansion consisted of wall-sized glass windows.
And through them, he could see directly into the living room.
Juliet was sitting comfortably on a large cream-colored sofa, completely unaware that someone was watching her.
She had changed out of her clothes and into a soft pink nightdress that hugged her figure gently before ending several inches above her knees.
Her long blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders in loose waves as she sat cross-legged on the sofa, a bowl of ice cream balanced in one hand while her phone rested in the other.
Every now and then, she scooped a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth while scrolling through her phone.
A small smile played on her lips.
The sight made Vincent's gaze linger.
Then his eyes fell on what she was wearing.
A soft pink nightdress.
Short, cute, and familiar.
Vincent's expression shifted almost immediately.
He recognized it.
The memory surfaced so vividly that it felt as though it had happened yesterday.
Not long after getting engaged, they had gone on a trip with several mutual friends. They had rented a large villa together, spending a few days sightseeing and relaxing.
That evening, after dinner, Juliet had disappeared upstairs, only to come running back down a while later.
She had looked so excited.
"Vincent!"
He remembered turning around to find her standing at the top of the staircase, twirling happily in that exact same nightdress.