Chapter 2 Am I Going to Die?
1589 Words
"Answer me! Do you understand?" The boy's voice quivered with an agitated edge as he pressed the blade closer to her major artery, barely concealing his fury.
"I do," she whispered.
"Then why? Why would you steal her man if you knew?" His face twisted with madness, his scream filled with venom.
"Do you have any idea how much she suffered over the years? All the happiness that was meant to be hers, you stole it, you homewrecker."
"Without you, she wouldn't have ended up like this, wouldn't have attempted suicide in the middle of the night, nearly losing her life!"
The shouts reverberated in Julia's head, leaving her speechless.
Why did Flora have such insane fans? And why did she have to encounter one?
It felt like an ill twist of fate.
The boy's sinister laughter nearly drove Julia to madness, his grin widening as he hissed, "Since you took Flora's man, your death will suffice."
She was dragged to the balcony, the cold wind slapping her face.
"No!" She screamed uncontrollably, "I'll break up with Albert right now, is that what you want?"
Panic coursed through her. This life, painstakingly saved by another, couldn't end here.
But a madman listens to no reason, adhering to their twisted logic. "You need to die," he insisted.
He tightened his grip around Julia's neck. "It's because of women like you, full of lies, that men are so easily deceived. Because of you, Albert abandoned Flora."
"No... I didn't..." Air escaped Julia as the grip tightened.
"You just need to die," he repeated, his words shattering her world. Fear took hold.
As she was pushed, her mind went blank. Her body felt light, the breeze warm, and death drew near...
Was this her end?
Such an abrupt death, to meet that person...
In a way, it seemed fitting; after all, she missed him.
But then, a wave of dizziness hit her, she felt enveloped by something, her fall halted, yet she felt no pain.
Her eyes opened to find herself in an embrace, gazing into deep eyes.
"You..." That familiar sensation, why did this man...
"Are you okay?" Rupert frowned, his distant gaze on her, but his arms provided an unexpected warmth.
"I'm..." Julia began, but a clamor interrupted them.
Reporters.
Rupert's cold gaze hardened as he swiftly carried Julia away.
Elsewhere, a handsome man smirked from a balcony, "Thought you wouldn't save her, huh? Men."
...
Outside the Hilton building, Rupert placed Julia in his car.
Glancing in the rearview mirror, Julia seemed lost. "Where to?" he inquired.
"Drive anywhere," she responded, still in a daze.
Without a word, Rupert started the car, merging into traffic.
Julia, pensive, asked, "Were you a soldier? You move well."
He hummed in affirmation.
The night breeze cooled as Julia gathered her coat around her. Rupert closed the windows and increased the heater.
She turned to him, "Thank you."
"For what happened... thank you."
His reply was calm, "It was nothing."
Julia paused. A simple act?
Such an understatement for the night's event seemed like boasting to her.
She smiled, shaking her head, observing the man.
Under the yellow light, his profile was striking, a man of cool elegance yet exuding a sensual aura.
She had only seen such a combination in one other person.
No wonder she was momentarily confused, almost believing he was the one who had saved her.
Yet, something felt familiar about him.
"Have we met before?" she suddenly asked.
Rupert's lips tightened as he replied, "If your memory serves."
They did know each other?
Impossible, she would not forget such an extraordinary man.
Then it hit her.
"You're not...?" she stammered, disbelief in her eyes.
"Remember now?" he turned to her.
She was speechless.
The man was Rupert, her former fiancé, Rupert Kent.
She recalled the engagement arranged after that incident, her heart belonging to another. Marriage was inevitable, a business transaction. She chose to fight for herself, to apologize for the hurt caused, offering to make amends with three deeds.
Rupert chuckled, "Quite the negotiator."
“What else could I do? Sell me to soothe your troubled heart?” Julia joked, though her humor was met with an unexpected nod from Rupert. “That's not entirely off the table,” he said seriously.
For a few seconds, Julia was speechless, then quickly put some distance between them. Rupert, with a wry twist of his lips, added, “If I intended revenge, I wouldn't have saved you.”
She pondered his words and conceded the point. “Alright, three conditions then, as long as they’re within my power.”
His gaze settled on her. “We’ll see,” he said, noncommittal.
With the terms settled, silence once again enveloped the car. But then Julia’s phone vibrated. She pressed the answer button. “Julia, where are you?” came Albert’s brooding voice.
“Out,” she replied tersely.
“Come back immediately.”
The call ended and Rupert, having heard it all in the confined space of the car, raised his eyebrows visibly.
Julia murmured with a hint of embarrassment, “Sorry for the scene. Could you please drop me off at the Hilton?”
Rupert scoffed, “A princess shouldn't degrade herself so.”
She countered, “You don’t understand. It’s just a tactic in love.”
“Is it now?” Rupert remarked, a faint smile on his lips.
"Anything else?” Julia asked.
After a deep look, Rupert turned the car around and headed back.
Meanwhile, at the Hilton building, an assistant clutched his phone. Despite the comfortable temperature inside, a chill ran down his spine as he watched his boss's face darken, forcing sweat to coat his palms.
“Mr. Wilde, we still can’t reach Ms. Flora, but her agent implied she's nearly distraught over that video…” he reported, trying to mitigate the brewing storm.
But seeing the boss’s mood worsen, he quickly added, “However, the press conference is under control, and the waiter has agreed to cooperate. Once Ms. Julia arrives, we can defuse this crisis.”
Albert's cold glance was enough to send the assistant scurrying to fetch Julia.
Following the plan, Julia left the car in the parking lot and followed the route given by Albert, bypassing the journalists and arriving at the venue smoothly.
The impromptu press conference was in the Hilton's grand hall. Julia made her way through the crowd, soon spotting the towering figure of Albert.
Albert, too, saw her. The assistant parted the throng, rushing towards Julia, who coolly asked, “Is Flora dying, or otherwise in distress, that we need such a hurried press conference?”
The assistant was taken aback. Julia had always shown respect for Albert's ex-girlfriend in public. Now, her sarcastic tone was unexpected.
Albert watched Julia approach, her elegant LV suit accentuating her figure and her long black hair styled in large curls. Her usually makeup-free face was done up, casting a different charm.
Julia was a vision, shining amidst the crowd.
Albert, lost in thought, felt a moment of turmoil, maybe even guilt.
“I’m sorry, Julia,” he said when she reached him, regretting that it had come to this, that she had to clean up the mess.
“You mean to clarify that the waiter, not Flora, is involved?” she asked, her gaze piercing.
Albert’s expression grew more complicated. “There’s more,” he began, but Julia’s demeanor turned cold.
After a pause, she questioned, “And if I had actually died just now?”
Albert’s grip tightened, his eyes darkening. “Julia, there are no 'ifs'. You’re alive and well.”
She detected the coldness in his tone but persisted, “My life is precious, Albert. I don’t intend to lose it over nothing. Do you understand?”
While Albert’s face meant a lot to her, it wasn’t worth her life.
He paused, then assured, “I’ll handle this. Until then, I’ll assign a bodyguard to you. As for Flora, she won’t affect our engagement. I promised to marry you, and I’ll keep my word.”
“Can you guarantee her people won’t harm me again?”
“Yes.”
Satisfied, Julia finally relented. As long as her bottom line wasn’t crossed, she would maintain the façade.
“Alright, I trust you,” she said, smiling gently before turning and heading to the podium.
Taking the microphone from an attendant, she faced the reporters. “Let me be clear: my fall was an accident, unrelated to anyone else. So, let’s not point fingers without cause.”
The crowd murmured with the news.
Outside, Rupert stood with a handsome man who was casually smoking. “Not bad,” the man teased, “took the lady for a spin and now returning her to the scene.”
Rupert’s response was dry. “Why are you still here?”
“To watch the drama unfold. After all, such blind devotion is rare.”
“True, such foolishness is rare as well.”
“Feeling sorry for her, Rupert? Or could it be that you fancy her?”
With a smirk, Rupert replied, “If I did, do you think she’d be someone else’s fiancée?”
The man flicked his cigarette ash. “Regardless, you can’t win her over from Albert. Better to give up.”
Without another word, Rupert walked past him and settled into his Rolls-Royce.
The next morning, Julia awoke in a hospital bed, overwhelmed by the previous day's events and the press conference's strain.
Julia had fainted.
- Writer
