Chapter 28 Don’t Cross The Line
Juliet walked out of the restaurant with a bright smile on her face, her shopping bags swaying gently against her legs as she made her way toward the exit. A soft breeze brushed against her cheeks, carrying away the warmth from the restaurant, but it did nothing to diminish her good mood.
After spending the entire evening shopping with Jasper and Amara before ending the day with dinner, she couldn't remember the last time she had felt this relaxed. It had been such a long time since she had laughed so freely without worrying about anything.
Unfortunately, the evening had come to an end sooner than she would have liked.
Jasper had been distracted for most of the night.
Although he had tried his best to hide it, she could tell that something serious was going on with his family business.
He had spent half the evening checking messages on his phone, his expression growing more troubled with each passing minute.
Eventually, he had excused himself and left first, saying he needed to get things under control.
Not long after, Amara had also received a call from Elias.
Apparently, there was an important business party that she had to attend with him.
Amara had looked utterly reluctant to leave and had apologized at least five times before finally giving in.
"Come with us," Amara had insisted while hooking her arm through Juliet's. "Elias can drop you home first."
But before Juliet could even consider it, she remembered Cassian's warning from earlier.
‘Call me the moment you're done. Don't even think about going home with someone else.’
The memory of his stern expression made her lips twitch.
The man had looked only a heartbeat away from locking her inside the house with him for the entire day if she dared to refuse.
In the end, she had no choice but to shake her head.
"Cassian is coming," she had said helplessly.
Amara had rolled her eyes dramatically. "Your man is way too controlling."
Juliet had pouted at that, though she couldn't deny it.
Now, standing outside the restaurant alone, she watched as Amara and Elias's car disappeared into the traffic. The lively chatter that had surrounded her all evening was suddenly gone, leaving the street feeling strangely quiet.
Adjusting the shopping bags in her hands, Juliet made her way toward the roadside where she planned to wait for Cassian.
She had barely taken a few steps when someone suddenly grabbed her arm.
The unexpected force startled her so badly that she nearly lost her balance. Several bags slipped from her fingers, and she hastily tightened her grip before they could hit the ground.
"What the—"
Juliet jerked around, irritation already rising inside her.
The words died in her throat.
Standing in front of her was Vincent.
He was dressed in a dark charcoal suit, his usually neat appearance slightly disheveled as though he had been in the middle of something. His brows were tightly furrowed, and there was obvious confusion mixed with irritation on his face as he looked down at her.
Vincent was the first to break the silence.
"Are you following me?"
Juliet blinked.
For a second, she honestly thought she had misheard him.
"Huh?"
Her expression slowly shifted from confusion to complete disbelief.
"What did you just say?"
Vincent glanced around the upscale shopping district before looking back at her, his frown deepening.
"Don't pretend." His voice carried a trace of impatience. "You know I come here often. What are you doing here?"
Juliet stared at him as though he had suddenly gone insane.
"Stop making a fool out of yourself," Vincent continued, crossing his arms over his chest. "If you're here because of me, you can just say it."
Juliet let out a short, incredulous laugh.
"You've completely lost your mind."
She immediately tried to pull her arm free, but Vincent refused to release her.
"Let go of me."
Instead, his fingers tightened around her wrist.
"No."
Juliet's temper instantly flared.
"Vincent, are you crazy? Let go!"
Ignoring her protests entirely, Vincent started leading her back toward the mall.
Juliet stumbled after him, nearly dropping her bags again.
"Vincent!" she snapped, trying to wrench herself free. "What the hell are you doing?"
He didn't answer.
His expression remained dark and impatient as he continued dragging her through the corridor.
People occasionally glanced in their direction, making Juliet increasingly uncomfortable. Just when she was about to cause a scene, Vincent pulled her into a secluded corner hidden behind a decorative marble wall.
The noise from the crowd immediately faded.
Vincent finally stopped.
Juliet jerked her hand away so forcefully that she almost stumbled backward.
Before she could leave, Vincent stepped directly in front of her.
His tall frame blocked her path completely.
Juliet frowned.
"What is wrong with you?"
"I don't have the patience to play games with you tonight."
Vincent's voice was low and tense.
His jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscles visibly flexed beneath his skin. He stared at her intently, almost as though he was afraid she would disappear again if he looked away.
"My friends are all waiting for me inside," he said. "Come with me. We'll talk tonight at home."
As he spoke, he unconsciously took another step closer.
Juliet immediately stepped back.
Her back nearly brushed against the wall.
"Talk?" she repeated, folding her arms across her chest defensively. "Vincent, there is nothing left for us to talk about."
"Then explain where you've been."
Juliet frowned.
"What?"
"You disappeared." Vincent's voice rose slightly. "You left without saying anything. No one knows where you're living now. You changed your number. And when I called earlier, some man answered your phone."
His eyes narrowed.
"Who was that?"
Juliet simply stared at him.
The audacity of this man truly knew no bounds.
"That's none of your business."
She moved to leave.
Vincent immediately grabbed her wrist again.
"Juliet."
"Let go."
"No."
Juliet looked down at his hand before slowly raising her gaze to meet his.
"Are you deaf?"
Vincent ignored the icy look in her eyes.
"I know why you're acting like this," he said, his tone softening as if he had finally figured everything out. "You're trying to make me jealous."
Juliet looked genuinely horrified.
"I'm sorry?"
"You disappeared on purpose." Vincent spoke with complete confidence. "You're angry with me, so you're trying to punish me."
A laugh escaped Juliet's lips.
"Vincent," she said, shaking her head in disbelief, "you really are delusional."
"These tricks won't work on me," he continued stubbornly. "Stop being childish and come with me."
Juliet's patience finally snapped. With both hands, she shoved him hard.
Vincent had clearly not expected it. He stumbled back two steps, surprise flashing across his face.
"Stop touching me!" Juliet hissed, her chest rising and falling rapidly.
Vincent quickly regained his footing after stumbling back from her shove. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply as he steadied himself. Instead of getting angry immediately, he took another step toward her, his gaze fixed entirely on her face.
"You're still angry about what happened at the club," he said softly.
Juliet folded her arms tightly across her chest, putting another step of distance between them. "Of course I'm angry!"
Vincent stopped in front of her, close enough that she could catch the familiar scent of his cologne. His eyes lingered on her face for a moment before slowly dropping to the suit he was wearing. He brushed a hand over the expensive fabric as though only just remembering it.
"This suit..." he murmured, his voice lowering. "You bought it for me on my birthday."
He took another step closer, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he tried to soften her mood.
"Didn't you always want to see me wear it?" he asked gently. "Look, I'm wearing it now." He spread his arms slightly, as if presenting himself to her. "So now you know I do care about your feelings. Stop being angry already, hmm?"
There had been a time when that expression, that tone, would have made Juliet's heart race. Vincent knew exactly how attractive he was, and he had always been skilled at using that charm to get his way.
Unfortunately for him, that version of Juliet no longer existed.
Juliet simply stared at him, her expression unreadable.
For a brief moment, memories surfaced uninvited.
The countless stores she had dragged Amara through while searching for the perfect birthday gift. The excitement she had felt when she had finally found the suit. The way she had imagined his reaction and eagerly waited for the day he would wear it.
She had waited for months.
He had never touched it.
And now, after everything that had happened, he was wearing it to win her back.
The irony was almost amusing.
A soft laugh escaped her lips.
"You're right," she said quietly.
Relief immediately flashed across Vincent's face. His tense shoulders relaxed, and he reached out instinctively, as though he wanted to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Juliet took a step back before he could touch her.
The smile on Vincent's face froze.
Then Juliet smiled.
It was cold. Mocking.
"I regret buying it so much now," she said calmly. "Can you take it off right now and give it back to me? I think I wasted my money on an ungrateful dog."
The warmth in Vincent's eyes vanished instantly.
His outstretched hand slowly lowered to his side.
"Juliet—" His jaw tightened, the muscles visibly flexing. "Don't cross the line."
His expression darkened as he took another step toward her, the last of his patience finally beginning to crack.
"Stop being unreasonable," he said through gritted teeth. "I'm trying to talk to you."
Juliet let out a disbelieving laugh and folded her arms across her chest. "Talk? You dragged me here against my will and have been interrogating me ever since I arrived."