Chapter 1
My husband had a private villa and the basement was off–limits. He didn’t allow anyone to enter, including me.
Driven by curiosity, I installed a surveillance camera in the basement while he was away.”
When I clicked on the surveillance video, I saw him pinning a beautiful girl beneath him. Her ankles were shackled with iron chains.
With each thrust of his body, the iron chains made bursts of noise.”
‘Uncle, please let me go.” Carly Leonard was about to cry and said with a pitiful look.
His deep, magnetic voice was laced with possessiveness. “Carly, you’ll never marry anyone else. You’re mine for life.”
“But if we keep doing this, you’ll betray your wife.”
Julius Jacklin scoffed. “I only married her as a cover. In my eyes, she’s always been just a tool. You’re the one I truly love.” My heart ached and went numb in an instant. I immediately applied for permanent residence in France.}
Julius, I didn’t want you anymore.
***
The moans of pleasure and his heavy breathing continued.”
My trembling hands turned off the surveillance video and the lewd voice stopped abruptly.
ེ ༣ ག
A bitter taste filled my mouth.
Carly was Julius’s adopted niece. So, the so–called “forbidden area” was nothing more than the place where he kept her. No wonder Julius never touched me during the year we were married.
His excuse was that a fortune–teller had told him he needed to abstain from sex for a year, or he’d face terrible misfortune.
1 foolishly believed it and struggled through every night, hoping this year would pass quickly.
Now I knew that he used such a ridiculous reason because he didn’t want to touch me. He was keeping his body for Carly.
Only then did I realize that he was madly in love with Carly. After marrying me, he hid her from everyone and kept her in his private villa.
He had always appeared calm and composed before me, but today was the first time I saw him so out of control.
I was utterly hopeless at this point and my heart was icy.
I left the villa immediately and headed to the immigration office to start the process of moving to France.”
But it would take ten days to get my French residency permit.}
When I walked out of the immigration office, I felt a sense of relief I’d never experienced before.}
I didn’t want Julius anymore. There would be no more of him in my world in the future.
Only at noon the next day did Julius return to our home.”
He still looked abstinent and cold, which made it difficult for me to associate him with the one who lost control and occupied Carly in the
video.
When I thought of the scene of the two people entangled and his words that I was just a tool for him, I felt so heartbroken that I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t help but recall the scene of my first meeting with Julius.
He was a friend of my friend.
I had been kidnapped and my best friend was at a party. Julius came to the rescue, bringing along his bodyguards.}
The kidnappers held a sharp knife against my neck and no one present dared to act rashly. It was Julius who single–handedly saved me from the kidnappers‘ knives.
He wore a black suit with a bead bracelet wrapped around his wrist. His features were sharp and sculpted and he radiated an aura of coldness and mystery. He was the kind of man who commanded attention.”
That was the moment I fell helplessly in love with him.”
My friends couldn’t help but warn me. “Danielle, Julius Jacklin is notoriously aloof. No woman has ever gotten close to him. People in the circle even wonder if he’s gay. You should give up. Pursuing him will only waste your time and energy and won’t end well.“}
I simply didn’t believe it. Everyone said he was abstinent and aloof. He didn’t allow women to get close and he didn’t even have emotions or desires.
Still, I thought everyone had desires.
As long as I worked hard and persevere, I would use my sincerity to crack open his heart.
When he had a car accident, I acted as a caring caregiver, taking care of his food, clothing, shelter and transportation.
He said he didn’t like meat, so even though I was a meat lover, I went vegetarian for him.
When his plane crashed, I prayed for him every day, climbed 999 steps on my knees, until they were raw and bleeding.
I even took a bullet for him. It missed my heart by only inches and I nearly died.
Everyone said I was crazy, obsessed and loved Julius terribly, but would be toyed with and abandoned by him sooner or later.
Still, I believed that Julius wasn’t that kind of man. He wouldn’t toy with my feelings.”
13
17%
4.38 PM dd
When his plane crashed, I prayed for him every day, climbed 999 steps on my knees, until they were raw and bleeding.
I even took a bullet for him. It missed my heart by only inches and I nearly died.}}
Everyone said I was crazy, obsessed and loved Julius terribly, but would be toyed with and abandoned by him sooner or later.
Still, I believed that Julius wasn’t that kind of man. He wouldn’t toy with my feelings.”
On the day I was discharged from the hospital, Julius proposed to me.”
He knelt before me and presented me with a custom–made ring from overseas.
“Julius, if you’re only proposing out of gratitude for what I’ve done for you, then I can’t accept.“}
I knew that gratitude wasn’t the same as love.
I wanted genuine affection, not a pity proposal.
Julius’s gaze was steady and clear. “No one can force me to do anything. I’m in control of my own marriage and I’m marrying you because I love you.”
“Julius, I knew it. My efforts finally touched your heart.““]
I accepted his proposal without hesitation.
I wanted to prove to everyone that Julius truly loved me and that our marriage would be wonderful and last forever.
But I lost the bet and I lost badly.
I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up at him. “Where were you all day yesterday?“}]
Julius’s eyes were icy. “I was resting at the private villa.”
I smiled contemptuously and didn’t expose his lie.D
“Invite Carly for dinner here tonight. After all, she is your niece and I should treat her well.”
Julius’s usually placid expression finally flickered. “Don’t provoke her.“]
T’hadn’t done anything yet, but he was already so protective of Carly. My heart ached.§
“I only want to invite her for a meal.”
“It’s not necessary. Just focus on your own responsibilities and don’t interfere,” Julius said coldly.” My gaze turned cold.”
What were my “responsibilities” in his eyes?!
Was it to be a puppet wife, turning a blind eye to his affair with Carly?
I wasn’t that generous. I wasn’t about to give my husband away to some mistress.
After Julius went upstairs, I called my father.
“Dad, I want to divorce Julius.”
My father sounded like he’d been expecting this. “I’ve always felt Julius wasn’t someone you could rely on, but I know how stubborn you are. Once you make a decision, no one can change your mind. That’s why I never try to stop you.”>
“It’s good you left him. Now you can come back to France and inherit my business. Your mother in heaven will be pleased to see you become my right–hand person.”
“Okay, Dad.”
