CHAPTER 14

Julian's POV

"It's not a crime to be here before you," Ruby said to Sophie, her voice steady but her smile clearly forced.

I watched as Ruby tried hard to keep that fake smile on her face. It was obvious we were going to have to act like we came here just for the party, even though something darker hung in the air.

Logan’s eyes locked on me, and I couldn’t quite read the look on his face, but it was intense.

His brow furrowed deeply, and I knew he was wondering why I was here. His confusion was clear, but so was something else,something heavier.

“I thought you didn’t want to come?” Logan asked, his voice louder than it needed to be.

He wasn’t even looking at Ruby when he said it. His eyes stayed glued to me, sharp and piercing, like he was trying to figure me out or see through me.

The way Logan stared at me was enough to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I could feel his hatred,thick and heavy, almost suffocating. It wasn’t just in his eyes, it was in the way he stood, the tension in his jaw, the barely controlled anger simmering beneath his calm exterior.

"I didn't say I wouldn’t come. I..." Ruby began, her voice soft, but Sophie quickly interrupted her.

"Wait... did you come early to leave me a surprise gift?" Sophie asked, her eyes lighting up with excitement, completely unaware of the tension swirling around us.

Ruby turned her head and looked at me. We didn’t say a word, but in that brief moment, it felt like we were having a whole conversation with just our eyes.

I couldn’t help but let out a short, bitter laugh as I turned back toward Sophie and Logan.

“Yes, it’s a big gift,” I said, my voice steady but hiding something underneath. “And I promise, you’ll get it soon.”

Logan’s cold stare didn’t waver. “What are you doing here? How did you and Ruby even meet?” he demanded, his tone sharp and filled with suspicion.

His eyes were dark and full of questions, none of which I was ready to answer.

I paused, letting the silence grow heavier. I could feel his gaze burning into me, searching for some kind of explanation.

The truth was, I didn’t even know what Ruby and I had talked about before, not clearly. My mind was a blur of fragmented memories and twisted emotions.

But even if I did remember, I wouldn’t say a word to Logan. No matter how hard he stared at me, I wasn’t going to give him any answers. His expression grew harder, colder, as if he was trying to read my thoughts.

"Is it so bad for your cousin to be here?" Ruby said, her voice cutting through the thick, uncomfortable silence between us.

"After all, he’s part of the family now." Her words seemed casual, but I could sense the tension behind them.

She was trying to ease the awkwardness, but it only added to the weight in the air.

Before Logan could snap back with whatever was on the tip of his tongue, the door swung open.

The first wave of guests arrived, and the sound of laughter and chatter filled the space, breaking the tension for a moment.

Sophie, eager and excited, rushed over to greet them with a bright smile. Logan hesitated, his eyes still on Ruby and me, filled with suspicion, like he didn’t trust what was happening between us.

His gaze lingered for a few more seconds, cold and calculating, before he finally turned and followed Sophie to the entrance.

Minutes passed, and soon the hall was buzzing with life. The sound of laughter, music, and the clinking of glasses filled the room as people gathered around Sophie, celebrating with her.

But I stayed off to the side, keeping my distance, watching the scene unfold from the shadows. I wasn’t really here to celebrate.

I scanned the room, and suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ruby moving toward me.

She walked with purpose, her eyes locked on mine. I could feel something in the way she moved, something that made my pulse quicken.

She stopped in front of me, handing me a glass of wine, her eyes never leaving mine.

"Let’s just wait for the right moment," she whispered, taking a slow sip of her wine.

There was something off. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Ruby was hiding something, something she hadn’t answered before.

A question I had asked earlier lingered in the back of my mind, gnawing at me.

What could she possibly have against her own husband? Logan wasn’t exactly someone people liked,he was cold, hard to be aroun,but he was her husband.

Surely he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her, right? But the way she was acting, the way she kept dodging the topic, made me more and more curious.

I felt this burning need to know, and before I could stop myself, the question slipped out again.

"About my question earlier," I said, my voice low but firm. "What do you have against Logan?"

The words seemed to freeze the air around us. Ruby stopped mid-motion, her glass hovering just inches from her lips.

She turned to me, her eyes wide, as if she wasn’t sure she’d heard me correctly. There was something in her gaze,surprise, maybe even fear,like I’d touched a nerve.

For a moment, we just stared at each other. The room around us buzzed with life, but it felt like we were in a bubble, cut off from the noise.

The look she gave me sent a shiver down my spine. Why was she looking at me like that?

Did she think I already knew the answer? Maybe she had told my past self something important,something I couldn’t remember.

Her eyes flickered with uncertainty, like she was searching for answers she couldn’t find.

It was clear she was struggling, maybe trying to figure out how much to tell me or whether to say anything at all.

Whatever it was, it seemed too personal, too painful for her to put into words.

Sensing her hesitation, I quickly spoke to ease the tension. "Don’t worry about it," I said softly, hoping to steer her away from my question.

"Let’s focus on how we’re going to carry out the plan."

Ruby’s face shifted slightly, her expression becoming more serious.

“Speaking of the plan,” she said, her voice calm but laced with urgency. “I think it’s time. Call him.”

Without wasting a second, I pulled out my phone and dialed my assistant. My heart was beating a little faster now, the anticipation building.

"You can tell them to come in now," I said, my voice steady, though inside I could feel the rush of excitement building.

Moments later, the door to the hall opened, and a group of people walked in, their steps confident, their presence commanding.

The mood in the room shifted as heads turned, whispers spreading like wildfire.

A slow smile spread across my face as I watched them enter, my chest swelling with satisfaction.

Sophie was just about to cut her cake, the knife poised in her hand, when she suddenly froze.

Her eyes widened as she noticed the group of people who had just entered the hall, their presence demanding attention.

The excitement of her party shifted in an instant, replaced by confusion and tension.

I watched with quiet satisfaction. I had rented this hall and handed it over to these people with one purpose in mind.

To ruin Sophie’s moment. They were here to make a scene, and it was already working.

“Excuse me, but we need to use this hall now,” one of them said, his voice polite but firm, as if they weren’t intruding at all.

A wave of whispers swept through the crowd, guests exchanging confused glances, wondering what was happening.

Sophie’s face flushed with panic, her once happy expression twisting into one of shock and fear.

PShe looked around helplessly, trying to understand how her special day was spiraling out of control.

I glanced over at Ruby and saw her grin widen, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction.

Seeing her so pleased made me feel proud. I had done this for her, and I was enjoying every second of it.

Sophie, still holding the cake knife, snapped. “I rented the hall! You need to leave now!” Her voice wavered.

High-pitched and frantic as she struggled to hold on to her authority, but the panic in her eyes betrayed her.

The man who had spoken earlier didn’t flinch. He turned to his group, his face calm but his voice carrying power.

“Throw them out, now!” he commanded, and suddenly, the tension in the room thickened.

Sophie’s face paled as the situation spiraled out of control. In a panic, she rushed to Logan, who stood frozen, still trying to make sense of the chaos.

The guests who had come to celebrate her birthday started to leave, one by one, as they sensed the seriousness of the unfolding drama.

They didn’t want to be part of whatever was about to happen.

“No... no, don’t go! It’s my hall! I rented it!” Sophie shouted, her voice desperate as she watched her guests slip away.

But her pleas fell on deaf ears. A woman from the group I had brought into the hall stepped forward, her voice cutting through Sophie’s frantic cries.

“I have the proof of payment. I rented this hall, not you,” she said confidently, holding up her phone for everyone to see.

Sophie’s panic grew. She ran after the remaining guests, trying to stop them, trying to salvage what was left of her ruined party.

“Wait! Please don’t go! Stay!” she begged, but it was too late. One by one, they all walked out, leaving her standing there, defeated. Her dream party had crumbled in front of her eyes.

Now, the hall was eerily quiet, the once lively atmosphere completely gone.

It was just Ruby, Logan, Sophie, and me, along with the group I had hired to take over the space. The tension hung in the air, thick and suffocating.

Logan’s eyes narrowed as he turned to Ruby, suspicion etched deep into his face. His voice was cold, almost accusatory. “Ruby, you had a hand in this, didn’t you?”

Ruby didn’t flinch under his gaze. Instead, she looked at him calmly, almost as if she had been expecting the question.

“Why do you think I have a hand in this?” she replied, her voice steady but with an edge, as if daring him to challenge her.

Logan’s frown deepened, but Ruby’s calmness only made the moment more tense.

The tension between us was thick, almost suffocating. Logan’s eyes locked onto mine, burning with rage.

He gave me a death stare, his expression filled with raw hatred, but I didn’t flinch. I refused to be intimidated. I stood tall, refusing to back down.

“I knew something was off the moment I saw you here!” Logan roared, his voice echoing through the hall. “Why are you really here?”

Before I could respond, Sophie collapsed to the ground, her body trembling as she looked at me, tears streaming down her face.

Her expression twisted between sorrow and fury, her anger burning through her tear-filled eyes. She was breaking down, and all I could do was watch.

Then I noticed it.Logan moved suddenly, catching my attention. My eyes darted toward him just in time to see him grab a long metal decoration from the wall, his lips curling into a sinister smile.

It was the kind of smile that made my blood run cold. What was he planning? My heart pounded as my body tensed, fully alert.

I watched his every move, my muscles tightening as he slowly started advancing toward me, the metal clenched tightly in his hand.

There was something dark in his eyes, something dangerous. He wasn’t just angry,he was ready to hurt someone. To hurt me.

“Logan, don’t you dare think about it!” Ruby’s voice rang out, sharp with panic, as she realized what he was about to do.

Logan’s pace quickened, his eyes locked on me like a predator closing in on its prey. I could see the pure rage in his face as he stormed toward me, gripping the metal tightly.

The security guards rushed to intervene, grabbing at him, but he struggled violently, thrashing against them.

In the chaos, the metal slipped from his hand and clattered to the floor.

Before I could react, Ruby grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the exit. “Come on!” she urged, her voice tight with fear.

We bolted through the crowd, the tension behind us unbearable, like a storm about to break.

My heart pounded in my chest as we neared the exit, desperate to escape the madness inside.

Just as we were about to reach the door, a blood-curdling scream echoed through the hall. Sophie.

Her voice was raw with anger and pain, stopping us in our tracks. We spun around to see her standing there, her face twisted with rage, her body shaking with emotion.

“It’s all your fault!” Sophie shrieked, her voice cracking as she hurled the metal straight at us.