𝕁𝔼𝕎𝔼𝕃𝕊

𝟛𝟝

- Juliette's POV -

I returned to the city a changed woman, a different aura of power and newfound light clinging to my being. The happiness I felt as I replayed the personal movie in my mind was nothing short of intoxicating.

As the private plane rose, leaving behind the tropical sandy beaches, my gaze settled upon Valentin. The man who had captured, captivated, and seduced me. Clad in a black shirt left purposefully undone at the top, his necklaces hung loosely around his broad shoulders. His dress pants and ring-adorned fingers exuded an air of dangerous elegance. Yet, his expression remained unreadable, revealing only displeasure and an unsettling disturbance.

I twisted the silver band of my engagement ring back and forth, it sparkled, refracting the light of the cabin, I couldn't help but wonder if he had reservations. I wanted to know what was on his mind, what thoughts plagued his soul, but I knew with Valentin, answers did not come easily. Questions were free, but answers must be fought for.

"What should I be expecting when we land?" I smiled at him, leaning over in my seat to reach for his forearm, as my fingers clasped around his muscular arm, he stiffened in response to my touch as if he hadn't expected it.

"I expect your resignation from my club," Valentin's gaze was cold, his words were sharp and unyielding, he was looking for a fight.

I had just parted my lips, I hadn't even gotten a sound out when he interrupted me with a vicious tongue.

"Don't say another fucking syllable, my word is law."

I crossed my arms over my chest, I hadn't planned on fighting him, but now that he was threatening me, I certainly was going to.

"Are you forbidding me?" I raised both of my eyebrows at him.

"Yes, I forbid you from dancing at Aphrodite, don't you get it?" He began, a darkness spread throughout his stormy eyes, the corners of his lips turned up into a menacing smile.

"For months, I've kept you by my side, I never had intentions of allowing you to return to the stage, if you think you'll perform for anyone but me, I'll keep you locked in my mansion till the end of time," He hissed through gritted teeth.

The man beside me was cold and cruel, a far cry from the one who held me gently on the beach, the one whose gaze made the world fall away. Valentin had slipped back into his true self, his heartless self. The illusion of our vacation had shattered, the enchantment of the proposal dissolving as he threw his harsh words at my heart. He seemed intent on pushing me away.

And after everything, I couldn't imagine why he'd sabotage the very thing he desired the most.

I adjusted a pair of earphones comfortably into my ears and scrolled through my list of music, putting the library on shuffle for a variety. I wasn't concerned about the long plane ride, because I was sitting beside the window, and I had music, and I had a lot to think about.

Valentin made little to no effort to communicate with me, he would touch my knee every thirty minutes or so and give me a slight nod, but I didn't want to talk either. I didn't want to talk to the man who was hiding something from me. The juvenile rage that coursed through my veins urged me to give him the ring back, to impulsively throw everything away.

But even if I did shove it back in his face, he'd never let me go. Valentin Volkovas had finally found his Angel, he'd crumble my wings in his powerful grasp before allowing me to take flight away from his diamond cage.

When the flight attendant walked by, I was happy to see it was an older woman this time and not the striking twenty-something-year-old who had been previously working the flight. She carried a tray of champagne and little crackers, I swiped two glasses off the table without looking her in the eye. I couldn't stand another pair of judgmental eyes on me.