Chapter 6

The flight to New York landed smoothly.

I pushed Stella in her wheelchair out of the VIP channel.

At the channel exit, a line of black-suited bodyguards stood ready.

Leading them was the butler I had met at the hospital that day.

"Ms. Jade, welcome to New York," the butler bowed slightly, his demeanor more respectful than before. "Mr. Julian is already waiting for you at the manor."

Now, I had suddenly become a stranger's wife.

"Thank you," I nodded faintly.

The motorcade drove out of the airport, heading towards the winding mountain roads on the outskirts of New York.

The deeper we went, the more secluded the scenery became, even taking on a hint of eerie silence.

Rumor had it that the Julian family manor was built halfway up a mountain, and for miles around, it was all private Julian land; not even a fly could get in.

Half an hour later, the cars drove through a massive black iron gate.

The castle-like manor stood in the night, like a slumbering beast, exuding a suffocating sense of oppression.

I took a deep breath, tightening my grip on Stella's hand.

"Don't be afraid," I whispered, reassuring her.

The cars stopped in front of the main building.

The butler led me through a long corridor to a heavy mahogany door.

"Ms. Jade, Mr. Julian is waiting for you inside. I will arrange for someone to look after Ms. Stella; please don't worry."

I nodded, watched Stella being led away by a maid, and then pushed open the door.

The room was dim, with no main lights on; only the flickering fire in the fireplace provided illumination.

The air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood mixed with herbs.

I stood at the doorway, trying to adjust to the indoor light.

"Come here."

A low, hoarse, yet profoundly penetrating voice came from the depths of the room.

I looked towards the sound and, in the shadows by the fireplace, saw a wheelchair.

A man sat in the wheelchair.

Most of his body was hidden in the darkness, making his face indiscernible.

But I could feel an intensely predatory gaze fixed on me.

Like a hunter staring at its prey.

I suppressed the tension in my heart and stepped forward.

I stopped two steps in front of him.

By the firelight, I finally saw his face.

It was an impossibly pale, yet devilishly handsome face.

His features were deep and defined, his jawline sharp as a blade, and his eyes, especially, were as black as a bottomless abyss, exuding a chilling ferocity.

This was the rumored cruel and bloodthirsty young master of the Julian family, Julian.

"Jade," he parted his thin lips, slowly enunciating my name, with an indescribable tenderness.

"Mr. Julian," I slightly bowed my head, my tone calm.

"Are you afraid of me?" He raised an eyebrow, his gaze falling on my unconsciously clenched hands.

"No," I met his eyes directly. "Since I've taken the Julian family's money and signed the agreement, I am now a member of the Julian family. Whatever Mr. Julian wishes me to do, I will cooperate."

Julian suddenly let out a low laugh.

The laughter echoed in the vast room, sending shivers down my spine.

"Cooperate?" He abruptly leaned forward, grabbed my wrist, and pulled hard.

Caught off guard, I tumbled into his arms.

His chest was hard and cold, like a stone without warmth.

"Jade, did you think you married me just to be a decoration?" Julian gripped my chin, forcing me to look up, his warm breath fanning my face. "What I want is all of you, from inside out, a complete and utter surrender."

His gaze was terrifying, like a burning black fire, threatening to consume me entirely.

I didn't struggle, just looked at him quietly.

"Okay," I said softly. "As long as you can protect my sister, my life is yours."

Julian's movements abruptly froze.

He stared intensely into my eyes, as if trying to find a trace of fear or hesitation.

But in my eyes, there was only dead silence.

After a long moment, he released me, coldly uttering a single word: "Get out."

I stood up, straightened my disheveled clothes, and walked out of the room.

The moment I closed the door, I felt all the strength drain from my body.

Julian was a thousand times more dangerous than Ethan.

But I had no way back.

Over the next few days, I was settled in a guest room in the manor. Aside from meals delivered by a maid, I didn't see Julian again.

Stella was enrolled in New York's best private high school, with dedicated transportation, safe and sound.

I finally lived the most peaceful days I'd had in five years.

No more debt calls from Frank, no more humiliation from Ethan, no more manipulative tricks from Chloe.

I spent my days in the room drawing, occasionally taking walks in the garden.

Until a week later, the butler suddenly knocked on my door.

"Ms. Jade, Mr. Julian would like you to go to the basement."

The basement?

My heart skipped a beat. Rumor had it that Julian's basement was a living hell.

But I still obediently followed the butler downstairs.

The basement was vast and dimly lit.

As soon as I entered, I smelled a strong scent of blood.

Julian sat in his wheelchair, his back to me.

Before him, a man knelt, beaten to a bloody pulp.

"Jade, come see who this is," Julian turned his wheelchair, revealing the man's face.

My pupils constricted sharply, and all the blood in my body instantly froze.

It was Frank!