He Caged Me, Just to Guard His Lover

Chapter 4

Late at night, the woman's sickly-sweet moans pierced through the walls, loud and unrestrained, leaving me writhing in bed, clawing at my sheets in frustration.

Even though I'd already given up on Julian, the sounds shredded my nerves like a cheese grater. My head throbbed as if it might split open, and my stomach churned with acid. I had no choice but to call the butler to fetch the family doctor.

Thud. "What's your damn problem now?" Julian kicked the door open with a bang, dismissed the doctor with a wave, and strode in.

Dizzy, I stared at the spinning ceiling. The moment I opened my eyes, nausea threatened to overwhelm me, so I kept them shut, silent.

Fresh from the shower, the familiar scent of his body wash clung to him as he invaded my space, his weight sinking the mattress. His lips sought the curve of my neck.

I shoved him away with all my strength, my voice sharp with defiance. "Get your hands off me."

But Julian only saw it as a tantrum. He gripped my chin roughly, his tone icy. "Weren't you the one who just lured me here?"

I forced the words out, shaky but clear. "Julian, I'm not playing games. I truly don't care about you and Winnie—a lie that would haunt us both. But I will never be the other woman."

His dark eyes raked over me, a sneer twisting his lips. "Mia, cut the holier-than-thou crap. You're a born homewrecker, aren't you?"

Ice flooded my veins. Rage quaked through me like a volcano. Never had I imagined he'd say such a thing.

Then again, he wasn't wrong. I was, after all, the child of an affair.

At four, after my birth mother died, I was brought to the Carter household.

As the illegitimate daughter, my early years there were a nightmare. Every time stepmother laid eyes on me, she'd curse and lash out.

Pinches. Slaps. Sometimes the c***k of a stick. Before I turned eight, my skin was a canvas of bruises.

Eventually, I learned to survive. Knowing she despised the dog in the yard, I hid in its kennel, curling up against its mangy fur, stealing scraps from its bowl.

Maybe I stank too much for her liking. Disgusted, stepmother gradually stopped coming for me.

But then—Howard brought Julian and his mother home.

When I first saw Julian, he was the golden boy of the Carter family—the prodigy Howard boasted about to everyone.

I gaped at him, even forgetting to fight the dog for scraps. My cheeks burned with shame. So, like a fool, I hit the dirt and bared my teeth, growling like the dog I'd become.

Ten-year-old Julian didn't flinch. He c****d his head with playful curiosity, putting on a grown-up air as he asked, "So you're my little niece?"

He was like a ray of sunshine, brightening my darkest days.

"I'll be your uncle now," he declared, "and I'll take care of you forever."

Overnight, I moved into a princess-worthy pink bedroom, decked out in fancy dresses. Anything I wanted, he'd hand to me with a smile before I even asked.

For once, I felt like a real princess—protected and cherished behind his unwavering strength.

Tears spilled into my mouth, bitter as medicine. I bit down hard on my lip to choke back a sob. "It's been almost seven years, Julian. I've paid back every ounce of what I owed you."

Even when I'd been forced to whip him like a dog, treating him like dirt, he'd paid me back tenfold over the years.

Julian paused for just a second before gripping my chin, his voice a dominant snarl. "Keep dreaming, Mia. I decide when this ends—not you."

His thumb brushed away my tears as he sighed. "Behave, and I might go easier on you."

I shut my eyes, overwhelmed by despair.

The truth haunted me—if I'd just shown him the proof of my betrayal years ago, this torment could've ended.

But six lives still crushed my soul. My existence was nothing but penance.