Chapter 128: To kidnap Julia
“Who’s that Jared?”
The instant this question echoed within him, Paul’s mind conjured up the quartet of characters from the Brooks clan.
Like an unexpected gust of wind, Paul was taken aback by his own assumption, swiftly brushing it aside with vehement denial.
“Impossible!”
He repeated it, letting the word hang in the air, an exclamation of incredulity and dismissal. “This is utterly implausible!”
A cascade of disbelief followed his proclamation. If Julia was truly entwined with the opulent Brooks dynasty, how on earth could Philip orchestrate a blind rendezvous between him and Julia?
Moreover, he recollected the whispered tales of the Brooks dynasty, a ghostly visage with a visage that repulsed, a far cry from the boy with an angelic countenance he’d just encountered. It was unfathomable that these two could be one and the same.
In this juncture of contemplation, Paul’s racing thoughts began to slow, allowing him a breath of relief. According to his supposition, the lad was most likely one of Henry’s modest companions.
“But why…”
Sympathy welled within him. Paul’s gaze lingered on Julia’s striking countenance, his heart aching for Henry. He wished to avoid encroaching on Julia, unless her heart beckoned, for Henry’s sake, so as not to shatter his young friend’s feelings.
“I need a plan… If not, a potion might do the trick.”
As a creature of desire, he mused, capturing it with prowess and then intertwining fates through conception, leaving no path for escape.
“Boss Paul,” Karla’s voice punctured the reverie.
Though harboring intense disdain for Paul, Karla had grown accustomed to the luxuries money now afforded her. Losing Paul would revert her to her previous state of destitution, a prospect she vehemently rejected.
She wouldn’t allow it.
Karla’s apprehensive gaze met Paul’s furrowed brow. A decision materialized after a brief pause, and he enveloped her in a tender embrace.
“Come, let’s buy that bag you admired so much last time.”
The glimmer of hope ignited in Karla’s eyes, a spark reignited by the promise.
“Really?”
“Absolutely, let’s go.” Paul’s arm encircled her waist, a gesture laden with implications.
“Eww, that’s nauseating,” Maddie shivered, her arms wrapped around herself.
Julia’s eyes
danced to Karla’s direction, and she shared a clandestine truth.
“Karla, let me share a secret about Paul’s three former wives. Can you guess their fate?”
Karla’s heart quickened its beat, her pallor deepening as she absorbed the words. The three wives–each having perished–lent themselves to rumors of Paul’s perverse malevolence. The whispers persisted, accusing him of orchestrating their deaths.
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Myths they might be, Paul vehemently denied them, backed by a lack of substantial evidence. Paul’s scrutiny shifted from Julia to Karla, his eyebrows raising in a silent warning as he intervened.
“Miss Julia, I implore you to refrain from baseless claims. I’m unaware of the allegations you’ve made. I caution against spreading untruths. Even your association with Jared will not deter me from seeking retribution.”
Undaunted, Julia met Paul’s gaze, a calm sea of determination.
“All three wives met their demise by suicide. Paul, of course, had an alibi. But little does the world know, he induced his wives into a state of inhumanity with substances, subjecting them to his whims. Their mental torment led them to death’s door, one after another.”
With each word, Karla’s complexion grew ashen. The term “substances” struck her, a resonance that unsettled her. Paul had injected her with something lately, promising enhanced comfort. In this moment, a twinge of fear tugged at her heart, envisioning a dire fate akin to those of Paul’s three prior wives.
“Julia! This is outrageous! Believe me, I’ll summon the police and have you arrested this instant!” Paul’s voice quivered, his eyes glossed with emotion.
Unperturbed, Julia raised her brows, an ethereal, untroubled presence.
“Do you possess proof? Why do I assert this?”
ulia’s lips curved into a knowing smile, sending an unsettling shiver down Paul’s spine as his laughter fizzled into a hollow echo.
“Your trio of wives truly weren’t the most angelic doves, were they? If it weren’t for their rather sordid histories, I might have revealed your secrets ages ago.”
Julia had delved into this matter extensively, a puzzle she pieced together during idle hours. Lincoln had delved into the investigation, a mere diversion, and it yielded insights about Paul’s three wives. One was a textbook example of depravity, another bore the weight of a life she’d ended, and the last had forsaken her husband and child in the face of monetary allure. Their destinies were a concatenation of their choices, leaving Julia disinterested in their tales. Paul’s knuckles tightened, his gaze honed into a malevolent glare, but Julia’s confident poise disarmed him, stoking panic within his core.
While the notion that outsiders could unearth such knowledge seemed preposterous, seeds of doubt once planted couldn’t be ignored. A wicked thought crawled into his mind – a plan to abduct Julia discreetly, a clandestine torment leading to her demise.
This sinister reverie offered Paul a semblance of solace.
“Karla, disregard her drivel. I’m a legitimate entrepreneur. Such deeds are beyond me. As for the injections, they’re ordinary enhancers. If you doubt it, have them tested at a hospital. Trust me, my intentions towards you are benevolent. Regret for your predicament arrived too late to be meaningful, so harming you is out of the question.”
Karla found slight relief in Paul’s explanation.
Yet, Julia’s voice resumed its narrative.
“Karla, let me impart a truth: Paul has no intention of marrying you. Abandon the notion of a lavish union.”
“Are you envious of me?” Karla’s retort crackled with anger.
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Chapter 128: To kidnap Julia
Julia regarded Karla with an amused, almost pitiful look.
“Karla, if my deductions hold, Paul pledged to care for you, but marriage was never on the table,
was it?”
Karla’s widened eyes betrayed her incredulity. How could Julia know?
Observing Karla’s reaction, Julia felt her assumptions confirmed.
“Julia, cease this nonsense!” Paul’s voice erupted, his advance a storm of fury.
Henry interposed himself, a frozen resolve in his gaze.
“Allow her to speak.”
“She’s spewing utter rubbish!” Paul’s patience waned.
“Is she? If it’s nonsense, why tremble at its utterance? Your reaction speaks volumes, doesn’t it?” Henry’s words disarmed Paul’s retorts.
Julia glanced at Paul, before turning her attention back to Karla.
“Karla, do you understand why? Paul’s lineage is steeped in prestige while you hail from humble origins. He perceives you as beneath him. You’ll remain a mistress for the duration of your days. And the tale I recounted earlier? Believe it or not, don’t matter. What’s certain is that excessive drug injections did lead to her early demise. A sad fate.”
Karla’s fear had already taken hold.
“Why should I believe you? What’s your true motive for this ‘kind‘ revelation? I don’t buy your goodwill, nor your concern for my well–being. You’re just envious, intent on tarnishing my prospects and thwarting my ascent into wealth! Jealousy colors your actions!”
Julia found mirth in Karla’s words.
“Karla, you truly amuse me. Allow me to set the record straight: the Watson family had arranged a blind date for Paul and me not long ago. During that event, I spurned him outright. Can you still claim I harbor envy for you?”
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Chapter 129. Found out she was pregnant?