Chapter 8

My days at the Julian family manor were surprisingly peaceful.

Although Julian's temper was unpredictable, he never inflicted any substantial harm on me, aside from occasionally staring at me with that intensely predatory gaze.

He spent most of his days in the study or the basement.

As for me, I poured all my energy into new design sketches.

I needed money.

Although the Julian family had given me ten billion in wedding money, that was money to buy out my entire life. I didn't want to depend on Julian forever; I needed my own career and my own foundation.

That afternoon, I was sketching in the glass conservatory in the garden when the butler suddenly entered.

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

"Guests?" I put down my paintbrush, a little puzzled.

Julian was reclusive; hardly any outsiders ever came to the manor.

"Guests from Los Angeles," the butler said, his eyes lowered, his tone respectful yet with a hint of something unusual.

Los Angeles.

Those two words felt like a thorn, sharply piercing my nerves.

I took a deep breath and stood up. "I understand."

When I reached the front hall, the air pressure was suffocatingly low.

Julian sat in his wheelchair at the head of the table, toying with an antique signet ring, his expression inscrutable.

Across from him stood a man with bloodshot eyes and a scruffy beard.

Ethan.

He had lost a lot of weight, his once tailored suit now looking somewhat baggy, and his entire being exuded a sense of decadent and madness.

The moment he saw me, Ethan's eyes instantly lit up.

"Jade!"

He rushed forward, trying to grab my hand.

"Bang!"

A gunshot.

A bullet grazed Ethan's foot and embedded itself in the expensive carpet, releasing a wisp of blue smoke.

Julian calmly blew the smoke from the gun barrel, his eyes coldly fixed on Ethan. "Mr. Ethan, on my Julian family's territory, touching my wife—are you tired of living?"

Ethan's steps abruptly halted.

He stared intensely at me, his eyes bloodshot, his voice hoarse and broken. "Jade, come here. Come home with me."

Home.

Those words, coming from his mouth, were utterly ironic.

I stood by Julian's side, looking at him coldly. "Mr. Ethan, please show some respect. This is the Julian family residence, and I am Julian's wife."

"Wife?" Ethan laughed, as if he'd heard the biggest joke, his voice rising sharply. "You'd rather marry a cripple, a madman, than stay by my side?!"

"Ethan!" I sharply cut him off. "Shut your mouth!"

I would not allow him to insult Julian.

At least, Julian, in my most desperate moment, had given Stella and me a way out.

While Ethan had only pushed me towards death.

"You're defending him?" Ethan looked at me in disbelief, his eyes filled with hurt and rage. "Jade, you were with me for five years! Our five years of affection mean less than this cripple's dirty money?!"

"Affection?" I let out a cold laugh, my eyes full of mockery. "Ethan, do you really think you're worthy of talking about affection with me? When you forced me to design engagement rings for your fiancée, did you think about our affection? When you allowed Frank to almost destroy my sister, did you think about our affection?!"

"I didn't!" Ethan quickly explained. "I didn't know Frank would do such a thing! If I had known, I would have…"

"Would have what?" I cut him off coldly. "Would have acted just like before, condescendingly bestowing a little pity, and then using that as leverage to force me to continue being your obedient dog?"

Ethan was left speechless, his face ashen.

"Ethan, we're long past due on settling our accounts," I looked at him, my voice as calm as still water. "Those rings were the last thing I owed you. From now on, whether you live or die, it has nothing to do with me, Jade. Get out. Don't ever appear before me again. You disgust me."

"I'm not leaving!" Ethan suddenly pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at Julian. "Jade, you're coming with me today! Otherwise, I'll kill him!"

He was insane.

He actually dared to point a gun at Julian on Julian family territory.

The bodyguards around us instantly drew their guns; dozens of black barrels were pointed at Ethan.

With a single command from Julian, Ethan would be riddled with bullets.

But Julian merely smiled.

He casually tossed his gun onto the table, then maneuvered his wheelchair and slowly glided right in front of Ethan's gun barrel.

"Shoot," Julian tilted his head slightly, his eyes filled with contempt and provocation. "Ethan, let me see how much guts you have, daring to steal a woman from me, Julian."

Ethan's hand, holding the gun, trembled violently.

His veins bulged on his forehead as he stared intensely at Julian, yet he hesitated to pull the trigger.

He didn't dare.

Because he knew that if he fired, the Ethan family would face devastating retaliation from the Julian family.

"Useless," Julian scoffed, then suddenly reached out and grabbed the hot gun barrel.

"Crack!"

A sickening crunch of bone echoed.

Julian had actually broken Ethan's wrist with his bare hand!

"Ah—!" Ethan shrieked, the gun falling to the floor.

Bodyguards swarmed him, pinning him to the ground.

"Throw him back to Los Angeles," Julian took out a pristine white handkerchief and calmly wiped his fingers. "Tell the Ethan family patriarch that if he can't control his grandson, I don't mind teaching him a lesson. But next time, it won't just be a broken wrist."

Ethan was dragged out by the bodyguards like a dead dog.

He struggled desperately, his eyes fixed on me, still desperately screaming my name.

"Jade! Jade—!"

His voice grew fainter, until it completely disappeared.

The front hall returned to a deathly silence.

I stood rooted, looking at the spot where Ethan had stood, my heart utterly calm, feeling only the satisfaction of avenging a great wrong.

"Did that hurt you?"

Julian's voice suddenly sounded by my ear.

I turned my head, meeting his deep, dark eyes.

"No," I said calmly. "I just found him pathetic."

Julian stared at me for a long time, then suddenly reached out and pulled me into his arms.

I fell into his lap, my nostrils filled with the cool, sandalwood scent of him.

"Jade," he gripped my chin, forcing me to look at him. "Remember what you said today. You are mine. This life, next life, you'll never escape."

He lowered his head and kissed my lips fiercely.

A kiss filled with punishment, possession, and reckless abandon.

I closed my eyes, offering no resistance, submitting to his plunder.

I knew that from this moment on, my life, Jade's life, was completely bound to this man named Julian.