Chapter 025
As he sped down the road, Atlas‘ grip on the steering tightened.
“If it wasn’t me, would things have been different?”
The car pulled to a halt and he turned to look at me. “Excuse me?”
“If I didn’t ‘make‘ Ryle kill himself,” I air quoted “and we met on different stakes,” I licked my lips. “If we were just two people who met, would things be different?”
The car started and silence filled it as he continued driving.
“You need to pick a side, Atlas-”
“You did it “he finished for me, his voice strained as he struggled not to break the steering. Our eyes locked. “You killed him, Julia You abandoned him and drugged me-
1-1 stopped myself when I realized I was about to defend myself again. “it doesn’t matter. This, what happened back there, it doesn’t,” my heart twisted in my chest. “Because in the end, I will always be your culprit, right?”
“You must hate me a lot, right? So, why are you trying to help me? Why are you fighting Damien-
“To get my company back Atlas retorted and I rolled my eyes
“Then why did you stop beating him when I asked you to? You could have let him leak the videos and save your company. You could have won, Atlas but you chose not to. Why?”
The car pulled to a halt and I raised an eyebrow when I realized we were parked inside Volkan Estate.
ay tears that dared to fall at the sight of flowers adorning the mansion, and all the
I slacked against my seat, blinking away
decorations
Of course, how could I forget?
Atlas was getting engaged to Lovie in a day. In less than forty–eight hours, he would become hers forever and I would be free. It shouldn’t hurt, but it does.
“Come on.”
I blinked as s Atlas opened the door of the car. I hadn’t even registered when he got out of the car.
I got out and frowned as Lovie marched forward. The first thing she did was smash her lips against his. I looked away, my stomach churning at the sight
“You’re back, baby‘ That too, just in time!” She giggled, cupping his face. “You know what? Mother was just talking about our
fust dance and-
“What are you doing here. Lovie?” Atlas asked, scrunching his nose.
“Uh, what?” she stumbled over her words
“You said you weren’t going to be back until tomorrow.”
1 did but – what is Julia doing here?”
between the two of us, she had seen me all along
Atlas wiped his lips and I bat back the urge to laugh if he was so disgusted, why get engaged?
Didn’t you hear me? What are you doing with my fiance? You little slu
She raised her hand to hit me but it never came
+25 BONUS
I opened my eyes to see Atlas holding her hand “What is wrong with yo
you, Lovie? Can’t you see the condition she is in?”
Lovie’s eyes widened at his reaction, heck, I froze at his reaction. The entire world stopped because Atlas just he defended again. Not between the two of us, not privately, not below a whisper, he did it publicly and in front of the one person he’d always supported
“She is your sister, Lovie I’m sure you’ve seen the news. How can you attack her after all of that?”
“Why are you defending this wretched woman? What is wrong with you, Atlas!”
We turned to see Mrs. Volkan standing there She matched over
r and removed Atlas‘ hand from Lovie’s
“She is your fiancee and that snake is
“She is still my wife”
How do you hang on to a rope that has been cut and yet somehow, not fall? How was he still clinging to that title yet, mbracing someone else?
I glanced around and the mansion closed in on me. Without a second thought, I turned and started walking away, I wasn’t welcome there. I wasn’t welcome anywhere.
I was tired of being humiliated and pushed around because I didn’t belong. I had to figure out how to stop Damien and reclaim
Dulia
I didn’t
have t
to mourn a love that
ver mine, right?
Until now, all I have done is react. I’ve taken hits, I’ve asked questions, and never gotten answers. I’ve allowed everyone to walk all over me and I’ve swallowed every insult, promising myself I would flip the situation but I never did
I kept making excuses to keep them from leaving and they always left, taking a piece of me along, and now? I’m skin and
bones.
I wasn’t losing again No. This time, I was going to fight back. I pulled my phone out and hit record. It was time to set things
straight
My bottom lip quivered as I held it to my face, my eyes were reddened and my lips were blistered from how hard I’d been biting on them Tears clouded my eyes and my hands shook as I held the phone.
I had never felt so broken I’d never been so freaking broken and tired.
“My name is Julia
Julia Knight and I have been molested and threatened. All I wanted was to start my company and I trusted my partner My voice cracked. “But he took explicit photos of me and a video after drugging me, He stripped me down, set up a camera, and is now blackmailing me to forget my company if I don’t want it to leak,”
A sob escaped my throat “I haven’t asked for much I haven’t asked for anything. But today.” My bottom lip quivered as tears gathered at the corner of my eyes and my heart ached 1 want to ask everyone to please, please help me make hum pay. I was cared before but someone told me that I didn’t do anything wrong. I shouldn’t be scared, ashamed, or hiding, he should be.”
I wiped my tears furiously and continued “This man has ruined my life and used me to ruin someone’s company as well. So, today, I am going to share the name of this monster. His name is “I held my breath, shutting my eyes for a second before speaking, “Dam-
I didn’t get to finish because something covered my nose and as I kicked and flailed my hands for help, the phone slipped and Traught sight of Atlas from the window above, speaking to someone
but no matter how loud, or hard I cried or called, he didn’t once as the stranger pulled me away.
