CHAPTER FIVE

Juliet’s POV

I froze in place, staring at his furious eyes, my breath catching in my throat.

That hoarse voice… it had come from him.

He had spoken.

For a split second, I couldn’t move, my fingers still hovering near the waistband of his pants. Then, reality slammed into me like a wave.

I scrambled off the bed, the motion knocking over the water basin. The sound of it crashing to the floor was drowned out by the roar of my heart. Cold water seeped through my slippers, but I barely noticed.

"Marie!" I gasped, spotting the housekeeper at the foot of the stairs. "He... he spoke! He’s awake! He actually spoke!"

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What? Are you certain?"

"Yes!" I nodded frantically, gripping her sleeve. "He looked right at me and asked who I was. He’s awake, I swear!"

A sharp intake of breath was the only response before Marie turned on her heel and pulled out her phone.

"I need the doctor. Now." Then, without missing a beat, she called Della. "Madam... he's awake."

Within minutes, the entire house was in an uproar. The doctor arrived first, clutching his medical bag, followed closely by Della, who rushed upstairs as if her very soul depended on it.

I followed behind them but stopped at the doorway, my feet refusing to go any further. From there, I watched anxiously as the doctor and Marie moved around Nickolas’s bed like a well-oiled machine.

Nickolas was still in bed, but his eyes were sharp and alert, flickering across each of us like a predator sizing up its prey.

That same look... the one he gave me before he shouted.

"Nickolas!" Della choked out his name, her voice trembling before she burst into tears. She rushed to his side, grabbing his hand tightly. "Oh, thank God! You’re awake! You’re really awake!"

He didn’t react immediately. The doctor quickly stepped in, checking his pulse, lifting his eyelids, and performing a series of small tests.

"It’s a miracle," the doctor murmured, astonishment lacing his tone. "His vitals are stabilizing. If we begin rehabilitation, there’s a high chance he’ll recover with time."

Della sniffled, wiping her tears. "You hear that, Nickolas? You’re going to be okay!"

Gently, she helped him sit up against the headboard, adjusting the pillows behind his back. He let her, but his gaze remained alert... searching.

Then his eyes found mine.

And in that instant, it felt like the floor vanished beneath me.

His stare sharpened, cutting through me like a blade.

Then his voice... hoarse, yet burning with fury... shattered the fragile silence.

"Who is she?!"

Should I introduce myself?

Was I supposed to say “I’m your wife,” like it meant something?

My heart pounded as I stared at his face twisted in anger. I struggled to open my mouth, but no words came out.

Marie stepped forward with an awkward smile. "Sir, she’s Juliet, your wi... ”

"Get out!"

His voice erupted like a violent storm, raw and furious.

His bloodshot eyes burned with a wild rage, his chest rising and falling sharply, like a predator about to strike. All that handsomeness was gone, replaced by a monster. This was supposed to be my husband? The father of my unborn child?

I flinched in shock, stepping back.

Della tried to soothe him, gently patting his arm. "Nickolas, calm down. She’s not a stranger... "

"Get. Her. Out!" His voice was like thunder, each syllable dripping with venom.

My hands clenched at my sides, nails biting into my palms.

I try to understand his reaction... waking up after being unconscious for so long, only to find a stranger in his room about to undress him… it had to be a shock.

But the sheer hatred in his eyes made my skin crawl.

Della gave Marie a nod and she stepped forward to me hesitantly. "Juliet, perhaps you should..."

"I’ll leave," I muttered, swallowing down the lump in my throat.

Turning on my heel, I walked out of the room, my heart still pounding against my ribs.

The moment the door shut behind me, my legs wobbled, and I braced myself against the cold wall of the hallway, sucking in a deep breath.

So, that was my husband.

Conscious for barely a minute… and he already hated me.

Della stepped out a few minutes later, her eyes barely grazing over me. "Make sure she’s settled appropriately," she said to Marie, her tone brisk. “So the baby can rest." Without another glance, she walked away.

The baby…

That baby was the only reason I was still standing in this house.

I stared after her, stunned by her coldness.

Marie turned to me with a gentle smile, her tone a soft contrast. “This way, please. You really are a lucky girl, you know?" she said kindly, guiding me to the guest room.

I blinked in confusion. "Lucky?"

She gave a small chuckle. "You married into the family, and right after, Mr. Ries woke up. It's almost like fate."

Fate?

It felt more like a cruel joke.

I forced a bitter smile. "He clearly doesn’t see it that way. He looked at me like I was his worst enemy."

Marie's expression softened with sympathy. "Mr. Ries has always been… guarded. But he’s not heartless. He just needs some time to get used to you. For now, you need to get some sleep." She gestured. "It’s been an overwhelming day for you."

I nodded numbly and lay on the bed, but sleep refused to come.

I tossed and turned, haunted by his voice. By the hatred in his eyes.

I could still hear him shouting in my ear.

Get. Her. Out.

I’d escaped the Greenfield family, yes.

But this?

This place was a different kind of prison. 

But one thing was certain though…

I had no intention of dying here.

Not as Juliet Greenfield.

And certainly not as Mrs. Ries.