Chapter 15 The Agreement #2
Each word landed like a slap across Vincent's face.
"The only thing left for you to do is sign those papers so we can both move on."
She gave a casual shrug.
"You can go back to spending your nights partying, drinking, and surrounding yourself with a thousand women."
A bright smile spread across her face.
"And I can go find a man I actually like, fall in love, get married, and spend the rest of my life being happy."
The moment those words left her mouth, Vincent's entire body froze.
The smile disappeared from his face.
His jaw tightened.
Something dark flashed across his eyes.
Juliet noticed.
And smiled even wider.
"Sounds like a great plan, doesn't it?"
Without waiting for an answer, she turned on her heel. Her long hair swayed behind her as she walked away, her posture relaxed and confident. The sharp click of her heels echoed through the hallway with every step.
"Juliet!"
Vincent's furious shout echoed through the hallway behind her, bouncing off the marble walls as his voice chased after her retreating figure.
Juliet didn't stop.
She continued walking away with steady, confident strides, her spine straight and her chin lifted high. Not once did she glance over her shoulder.
Vincent's expression darkened even further, but Juliet never saw it.
By the time she pushed through the doors and stepped outside the building, her face had already twisted into one of pure irritation.
The cool evening air brushed against her skin, but it did nothing to improve her mood.
Immediately, she began brushing her hands over her arms as though trying to scrub away something unpleasant. A disgusted shudder ran through her body.
"Goddammit."
Her brows furrowed as she rubbed the wrist Vincent had grabbed moments ago before wiping at her cheek where his hand had touched her.
"Who knows how many women he's touched before putting those hands on me?"
Her nose wrinkled in disgust.
"What a disgusting piece of shit."
Rolling her eyes, she let out a frustrated groan and threw her head back for a second.
"I seriously don't know why I ever thought being friends with him was a good idea."
The more she thought about it, the more annoyed she became.
Her expression darkened.
"He didn't deserve my friendship at all."
Muttering under her breath, Juliet continued down the stone pathway winding through the garden.
Soft golden lights hung from the trees overhead, casting a warm glow across the manicured hedges and colorful flowers surrounding the venue. The gentle sound of water splashing from nearby fountains filled the air, creating a peaceful atmosphere that slowly eased some of her irritation.
Then suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.
Almost instantly, her mood improved. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. If Vincent had ruined her mood, then there was an easy solution.
She simply needed something much more pleasant to look at.
She reached into her purse and pulled out her phone. The moment Cassian's name appeared on the screen, her smile widened.
Her finger immediately pressed the call button. The phone barely rang once.
"Juliet."
Cassian answered almost immediately.
His deep voice flowed through the speaker, low and rich, carrying that familiar roughness that somehow always softened whenever he spoke to her.
For reasons she couldn't quite explain, the moment she heard his voice, a wave of relief washed through her chest. The lingering irritation Vincent had left behind seemed to disappear almost instantly.
A smile appeared on her lips before she even realized it.
"Hello."
The smile in her voice was impossible to hide.
On the other end of the line, Cassian's expression softened slightly.
Then his brows drew together.
"What's wrong?"
The question came immediately. His voice sharpened ever so slightly.
Juliet blinked in surprise.
"Nothing's wrong."
A soft laugh escaped her as she glanced around the garden.
"Why would you think something's wrong?"
Cassian remained silent.
He knew her far too well.
Even over the phone, he could hear the subtle difference in her voice.
Juliet laughed again before changing the subject.
"Where are you, anyway?"
She turned slowly, looking around the venue.
"I couldn't find you anywhere at the party." A small pout formed on her lips. "I've been waiting for you for so long."
High above the ballroom, standing in the exclusive VIP section overlooking the entire venue, Cassian's gaze softened.
The pout was invisible to him.
Yet somehow, he could hear it.
"I'm already here."
Juliet blinked.
"You are?"
"I'm in the VIP section." Cassian rested one hand against the railing while looking down at the crowd below. "That's probably why you couldn't see me."
"Oh."
Juliet's shoulders immediately drooped.
"That makes sense."
Then she let out an exaggerated sigh.
"I'm not allowed up there."
A trace of amusement flickered across Cassian's face.
The image of her pouting somewhere below unexpectedly softened something inside him.
Before she could continue complaining, he spoke.
"Stay where you are. I'll come get you."
Juliet had already started walking toward the building when she suddenly stopped.
"No, wait."
Cassian paused.
Juliet turned toward the garden again.
The outdoor area had been decorated beautifully for the event.
Strings of glowing lights hung from the trees like stars.
Elegant fountains sparkled beneath the moonlight.
Small tables covered with desserts, pastries, fruit platters, and expensive drinks were scattered throughout the garden.
An idea immediately formed in her mind.
"Actually..." A smile spread across her face. "Let's meet outside instead."
Cassian frowned slightly.
Juliet continued cheerfully.
"There's a drinks and snacks area out here."
She nudged a small pebble with the tip of her heel as she wandered farther down the pathway.
"I want to try some of the desserts."
Her smile widened.
"And besides..."
Her voice softened.
A warmth entered it.
"What's a better way to spend some alone time together?"
For a brief moment, silence filled the line.
Juliet waited.
Then she smiled mischievously.
"I don't think you're enjoying the party very much anyway, are you?"
The instant those words left her mouth, something shifted inside Cassian.
His entire body went still.
The warmth in his eyes vanished.
A dark memory surfaced without warning.
Another party.
Another smile.
Another drink she had handed him with those same innocent eyes.
A drink he had accepted without hesitation because it came from her.
A drink that had left him violently ill for three days.
A drink she had convinced him to take because she wanted Vincent to win a development project during the auction.
The memory hit him harder than expected. His jaw slowly tightened. The hand holding his phone clenched. The muscles in his forearm visibly tensed.
Below, the laughter and music from the ballroom suddenly felt distant.
Juliet continued chatting happily, completely unaware of the thoughts racing through his mind.
Cassian didn't answer immediately.
Several long seconds passed.
When he finally spoke, his voice sounded calm.
"You can eat and drink whatever you want first."
Juliet blinked.
"Then I'll come get you."
Before Juliet could respond, the call ended.
Back in the VIP section, Cassian slowly lowered the phone from his ear.
Yet he didn't move.
His gaze remained fixed on the dark screen long after the call had disconnected. The expression on his face was unreadable.
Nearby, Xavier watched the entire exchange. A knowing look crossed his face. Then he let out a dry laugh.
"So she's asking you to go have drinks with her?"
Cassian remained silent.
Xavier folded his arms across his chest.
His expression immediately darkened.
"The last time you went drinking alone with her at a party, she handed you something that made you sick for three days."
His voice carried obvious irritation.
"All because she wanted that bastard boyfriend of hers to win an auction."
Cassian's jaw tightened slightly. The subtle reaction didn't escape Xavier.
"You haven't forgotten that, have you?"
Cassian said nothing.
Xavier sighed heavily before continuing.
"I honestly don't know how many times she's manipulated you over the years."
His eyes narrowed.
"But every single time she asks for something..."
A frustrated laugh escaped him.
"You give in." He shook his head. "No matter what she does to you."
Cassian didn't answer immediately. A faint frown appeared between his brows as he shot Xavier a warning look.
"Drop it."
His voice remained calm and controlled, but there was enough threat beneath the surface to make most people immediately back off.
Unfortunately for him, Xavier wasn't most people.
Leaning casually against the railing overlooking the ballroom below, Xavier folded his arms across his chest and smirked, completely unfazed.
"So are you going to go?"
Cassian remained silent, his jaw tightening slightly as he looked away toward the crowd below. The lack of an answer only made Xavier's grin widen.
"She asked you to come meet her."
"No."
The answer came instantly. His expression remained cold and indifferent, as though the question itself wasn't worth discussing. He slipped his phone back into his pocket before turning toward the stairs without the slightest hesitation.
Xavier watched him leave, his eyebrows slowly rising.
"I'm going outside to get some air," Cassian said dismissively over his shoulder.
For several seconds, Xavier simply stared at his retreating figure before a laugh escaped him.