Chapter 6
1307 Words
To execute the "contractual couple" plan, a total transformation was required. Eidelweiss Quinzel had to re-emerge not as a victim fresh out of prison, but as a resurrected woman, accompanied by a man far more captivating than her ex-husband. That morning, Eidelweiss and Julian Manchineel entered one of Jakarta's most exclusive shopping malls.
Julian acted as Eidelweiss's image consultant, his role perfectly logical and devoid of emotion.
Eidelweiss tried on various outfits at high-end boutiques. Each time she stepped out of the fitting room, she found Julian standing tall, his violet eyes analyzing her appearance with the precision of an art critic.
"This dress?" Eidelweiss asked, showing a navy work gown.
"Suitable. Strong, professional," Julian replied curtly.
"How about this one? Too bold?"
"Odd. Change it."
"This one?"
"Unsuitable. Too many details," he decided coldly.
The process continued for hours. Eidelweiss’s shopping pile grew higher, encompassing clothes, accessories, and shoes. Finally, Eidelweiss gave up. Her brain, accustomed to rapid corporate decisions, felt exhausted by the endless fashion choices.
"I need a break," Eidelweiss complained, seeking the nearest bench. "I have to sit down for a minute."
Julian nodded in understanding. He stacked the luxurious shopping bags beside Eidelweiss.
"I'll be quick; I’m going to the restroom. I’ll leave the purchases with you," Julian said.
Eidelweiss agreed. However, after five minutes of sitting still, boredom set in. She took a few of the shopping bags and decided to get a coffee from the automated machine located in the corner of the mall.
While waiting for the machine to dispense the hot coffee, Eidelweiss's gaze unintentionally fell upon the open area near a large window. She saw Julian, who was supposed to be in the restroom, kneeling near a pillar.
In front of Julian was a limping dog with dull, brown fur. The dog seemed to be in pain as it tried to shift its hind leg. Eidelweiss could only watch him from a distance.
Julian appeared to be talking to the dog, his voice soft and soothing, much like when he treated the kitten at his clinic. Julian then extended his long right hand, gently holding the dog's injured and painful leg.
The dog initially whined softly, but then fell silent. Eidelweiss observed—in that instant, the dog stood up. It shook its body briefly, and then, with fluid movement, it trotted away without the slightest limp. The dog was healed.
Eidelweiss's hazel eyes widened. She was stunned and suspicious. That... that couldn't have been just ordinary veterinary skill. It happened in a matter of seconds.
Suddenly, the automatic coffee machine in front of her beeped loudly, signaling the coffee was ready. The sound snapped Eidelweiss out of her racing thoughts.
Julian turned from the pillar and walked toward her, his face serene and casual, as if he had just done the most normal thing in the world.
"Finished?" Julian asked, gesturing to the coffee in her hand.
Eidelweiss swallowed. She intended to ask, to demand an explanation for the miracle she had just witnessed. However, she stopped herself. Her mind, accustomed to seeking logical explanations, immediately found a justification.
It must be because Julian is an incredibly skilled veterinarian, she convinced herself internally. There's no other explanation.
**
A soft drizzle accompanied the drive home from the luxury mall. Julian Manchineel opened the door of the two-seater sports car for Eidelweiss Quinzel with a polite gesture that starkly contrasted with the growing awkwardness between them. Eidelweiss was still haunted by the vision of the miraculously healed dog, and Julian, with his increasingly agitated violet eyes, focused solely on the road ahead.
The car sped down the wet city streets. Eidelweiss was starting to settle into her new jacket and the pile of shopping bags in the back seat. But that calm vanished instantly.
Julian, who normally drove with measured caution, began to intensely scan the night sky through the windshield. The heavens were growing darker, and through the thick clouds, a nearly perfect full moon shone with a cold, silver light.
Suddenly, cold sweat broke out on Julian's forehead, and his grip on the steering wheel became so vice-like that his knuckles turned white.
"Julian? What is it?" Eidelweiss asked, sensing the sudden surge of panic.
Julian didn't reply. Without warning, he dramatically increased the car’s speed, making the sports car slice through the road.
Eidelweiss was startled and shoved back by the sudden acceleration. "Julian! What is wrong? Why are you driving like this?" she demanded, her suspicion flaring.
Julian only gave a rushed answer, his voice tight and strained. "I... I need to get home immediately. I need to use the restroom."
Eidelweiss looked at him skeptically. "The restroom? Again?" she quipped. "You just came from the restroom before we left. Are you ill?"
Julian offered no further explanation, only a clipped excuse. "My stomach hurts. I have to hurry." The car hurtled faster and faster, as if Julian were being pursued by a desperate deadline.
Upon arrival at the apartment, the car stopped with a harsh jolt. Before Eidelweiss could utter a thank you or ask another question, Julian flung open his car door. He completely disregarded Eidelweiss, who was still reeling inside the vehicle.
Julian grabbed a few shopping bags in a frantic rush and bolted toward the apartment door. Eidelweiss, accustomed to high-level courtesies, was bewildered by Julian's extremely unprofessional and rough behavior.
"Hey, wait for me—" Eidelweiss's words were cut short when she realized Julian wouldn't even hear her.
Eidelweiss finally got out of the car and followed him. As soon as Julian was inside, he headed straight for his bedroom. The sound of his door slamming shut violently echoed, startling Eidelweiss. It sounded like frustration, or perhaps fear.
Eidelweiss Quinzel stood frozen in the living room, the residual shock from Julian’s reckless driving now mingling with a fresh suspicion. The slamming door felt like a danger alarm. She stacked her new purchases on the sofa and, with cautious steps, approached Julian’s locked bedroom door.
Eidelweiss tapped the door with her knuckles, a formal and measured knock, yet tinged with worry.
"Julian?" Eidelweiss called, her voice slightly raised. "Are you alright? I heard a bang. Did something happen inside?"
Behind the thick door, Julian stood rigid, allowing his transformation to begin. The shirt on his body began to tear, and thick hair started to sprout on his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut, holding back a growl. Eidelweiss's voice, soft and seeking reassurance, only intensified his agony.
Julian did not answer. Eidelweiss's voice forced him to fight harder to control his werewolf body, which was screaming to be released under the moonlight. He could only stand there, staring at the silhouette of the full moon outside the window, ignoring the repeated knock on the door.
Eidelweiss knocked again, a little louder. The silence, answered only by her own heartbeat, intensified her suspicion.
Why wasn't he answering?
After waiting a moment longer, Eidelweiss concluded that Julian either didn't want to be disturbed or, worse, was unable to respond. Even though she was a woman who had just been the victim of a calculated betrayal, she chose to respect Julian's privacy—a decision driven by both gratitude and an unwillingness to pry.
Eidelweiss sighed. She stepped back, returning to the guest room Julian had provided. However, before entering the room, she paused, turning back toward Julian’s tightly shut door.
"Thank you for the clothes, Julian," Eidelweiss said, her voice soft but clearly audible in the apartment's stillness. "I'll change immediately."
She then entered her room, closing the door gently. Behind the now-closed door, Eidelweiss began preparing herself for her revenge plan, while in the next room, Julian Manchineel completed his transformation into a creature Eidelweiss could never imagine—a dark secret that now shared a roof with her.
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