Chapter 11 Pregnant
Juliet unlocked the door to her apartment and stepped inside.
The familiar scent of vanilla candles and freshly laundered sheets immediately greeted her.
The apartment was small and simple, but warm in a way that expensive places rarely were.
Soft cream-colored walls surrounded a cozy living room furnished with a light gray couch that had seen better days.
A knitted blanket was carelessly draped over one armrest, while a small wooden coffee table sat in front of it, cluttered with magazines, a half-burned candle, and a few books she had never gotten around to finishing.
Near the window stood several potted plants, their green leaves stretching toward the sunlight that filtered through the white curtains. Most of them had been gifts from Amara over the years.
The open kitchen occupied one corner of the apartment. It was tiny, with white cabinets, a narrow countertop, and a refrigerator covered with colorful magnets, handwritten notes, and old photographs.
Beyond the living room was a modest bedroom containing a queen-sized bed covered with soft pastel bedding.
A small vanity sat against one wall, crowded with skincare products, perfumes, and jewelry trays.
Nearby, an overflowing bookshelf held novels, journals, and photo albums collected over the years.
Nothing about the apartment was luxurious.
There were no marble floors, crystal chandeliers, private elevators, or multimillion-dollar artwork decorating the walls.
Compared to Cassian’s mansion, the place was almost painfully ordinary.
Yet this place had once been her home.
Every corner carried memories.
Every piece of furniture had been chosen by her.
Closing the door behind her, Juliet stood silently for a moment before slowly looking around.
Her gaze traveled across the walls.
Photographs were everywhere.
Some were pictures of her with Amara. Others captured happy moments shared with close friends. But the overwhelming majority were photographs of her and Vincent.
The walls were practically covered with memories of him.
At one time, those pictures had filled her with happiness. She had smiled every time she looked at them. They had reminded her of countless memories she once treasured.
Now they made her stomach turn.
Disgust twisted violently inside her chest, so strong that she nearly felt sick.
Her eyes narrowed as they landed on one particular photograph hanging near the living room window.
In the picture, she was smiling brightly while Vincent stood beside her with his arm wrapped around her shoulders.
The sight immediately soured her mood.
"I can't believe I gave that asshole so much importance," she muttered bitterly.
A humorless laugh escaped her lips.
Shaking her head, she slowly looked around the apartment again.
Her gaze moved from one photograph to another.
"I practically hung him on every wall in this place."
The realization made her feel foolish.
Every photograph that had once represented love, trust, and happiness now felt like a reminder of how thoroughly she had been deceived.
The memories she had once cherished no longer felt precious.
They felt embarrassing.
Like proof of just how completely she had believed every lie Vincent had ever told her.
The moment Juliet's eyes landed on yet another photograph of herself and Vincent smiling together, her face immediately twisted with disgust.
"Oh, God."
The words slipped out under her breath as a shiver of revulsion ran through her.
Without a second of hesitation, she strode toward the wall and began tearing the photographs down one after another.
Her movements were sharp and impatient, fueled by irritation she could no longer suppress.
Frames rattled against the wall as she yanked them free, several pictures bending beneath the force of her grip.
Just looking at Vincent's face was enough to make her stomach churn.
One by one, she carried the photographs to the trash bin near the door and dumped them inside. By the time she finished, her breathing had grown slightly uneven from the effort.
Then, as though afraid she might accidentally catch sight of them again, she quickly slammed the lid shut.
"There."
The word left her lips in a satisfied mutter.
Stepping back, Juliet rubbed her forehead and released a long breath. The unpleasant feeling that had been weighing on her chest since the previous night finally eased a little.
Turning away from the trash can, she headed straight for her bedroom.
She had absolutely no intention of staying in this apartment any longer than necessary.
Walking to the closet, she pulled out several of her favorite dresses before selecting a few comfortable sets of nightwear.
She tossed everything onto the bed before gathering her laptop, charger, and several personal belongings she refused to leave behind.
Soon, the bed was covered with the essentials she planned to take with her.
She was halfway through stuffing everything into a large travel bag when the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly echoed from outside the apartment.
Juliet froze.
The zipper stopped moving beneath her fingers.
Her head snapped toward the bedroom door as her brows knitted together.
A second later, realization dawned on her.
"Oh, for God's sake."
She groaned and closed her eyes.
"Why didn't I change my password?"
Letting out an exasperated sigh, she tossed the half-packed bag onto the bed and headed back toward the living room.
She had barely reached the center of the room when the apartment door suddenly flew open.
"JULIET!"
The shrill scream nearly shook the walls.
Juliet winced and instinctively pulled her head back.
Alexa stormed into the apartment like a raging hurricane.
The moment her eyes landed on Juliet standing in the living room, she came to an abrupt halt.
Her chest rose and fell violently with every breath. Fury practically radiated from her entire body, and her eyes burned with enough hatred to set the room on fire.
Juliet slowly looked her over.
From head to toe.
For a brief moment, she genuinely struggled not to laugh.
Alexa looked absolutely terrible.
Mud coated her expensive heels. Dark streaks of dirt stained her arms and cheeks. Her designer dress was wrinkled, filthy, and hanging awkwardly from her body. There were even dried leaves tangled in her hair.
Judging by her appearance, she hadn't gone home to shower, change clothes, or even look in a mirror.
It seemed she had rushed straight here the second she managed to get back into the city.
"What the hell did you do?" Alexa practically screeched.
Her finger shot toward Juliet like an accusation.
"You sent me to a fucking cemetery last night!"
Juliet immediately pressed her lips together.
Her shoulders trembled.
A dangerous smile threatened to break free.
So the driver had actually left her there.
The image alone nearly destroyed her self-control.
Alexa stomped forward, her heels striking the floor with enough force to make them click sharply against the tiles.
"It took me all night and all morning to get back!" she shouted.
Throwing her arms dramatically into the air, she gestured toward herself.
"Look at me!"
Her voice rose another octave.
"Do you think this is funny?"
Juliet bit the inside of her cheek.
Very funny.
In fact, it was probably one of the funniest things she had ever seen.
Alexa looked seconds away from spontaneously combusting.
"The driver left me in the middle of nowhere!" Alexa continued, practically foaming at the mouth. "I didn't have my phone. I didn't have my purse. I had to walk forever before I found anyone!"
The more she spoke, the harder it became for Juliet to maintain a straight face.
Her lips twitched.
Then her shoulders shook.
Finally, she lost the battle completely.
A laugh escaped.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds, she doubled over laughing so hard she could barely breathe.
One hand pressed against her stomach while the other gripped the arm of the couch for support. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as uncontrollable laughter poured out of her.
Every time she looked up and saw Alexa covered in dirt and leaves, the laughter only grew worse.
"Oh my God," Juliet wheezed between breaths, wiping at the tears gathering in her eyes.
"So the ride really was that exciting?"
Alexa looked ready to commit murder.
"I bet you enjoyed it way too much considering how badly you wanted a ride in Cassian’s car."
Juliet burst into another fit of laughter.
Alexa's face twisted viciously.
"You did this because you're jealous!"
The laughter gradually faded from Juliet's face.
Alexa immediately pointed toward the designer dress she was wearing.
"You're angry because Vincent is paying attention to me instead of you!"
Juliet rolled her eyes so hard they nearly hurt.
"You know what?" Alexa continued arrogantly, smoothing her hands down the expensive fabric. "Look at this dress."
Her chin lifted proudly.
"This was the dress you wanted most, wasn't it?"
A smug smile spread across her face.
"But I'm the one wearing it."
Juliet simply stared at her.
Alexa mistook the silence for jealousy and became even more pleased with herself.
"Vincent doesn't care about you anymore," she declared. "All he cares about is me. So stop acting jealous and stop pulling stupid tricks like this. Otherwise, I'll make your life a living hell."
Then, as though suddenly remembering she was supposed to be the victim, her expression shifted.
Her face crumpled into a wounded look.
"How could you even do this to me?"
Her voice became dramatically softer.
"I'm your cousin."
Juliet stared at her for several long seconds.
Then her gaze slowly traveled over Alexa again.
The dirt.
The ruined dress.
The self-righteous expression.
The complete lack of self-awareness.
A soft laugh escaped her.
"What cousin?"
The smile disappeared from her face.
Her eyes turned cold.
Ice-cold.
"Last night, you stood in that club and mocked me in front of everyone."
She took a slow step forward, never breaking eye contact.
"Now suddenly you're my cousin?"
Alexa's expression stiffened.