Chapter 209

Julie’s POV

Fear was gnawing at my insides as I imagined Robert ending the Professor’s life. I pressed my hand against my heart, which was hammering violently against my ribs, and told the driver in a trembling voice, "Please... can you go a little faster?"

The driver had barely increased his speed when the taxi came to a violent, bone-jarring halt, slamming my head against the front seat.

I screamed in pain, clutching my forehead. "Ouch! That hurts..." I looked through the windshield in a daze and saw a massive black SUV with tinted windows blocking our path aggressively.

Before I could process what was happening or even try to open the door to flee, the taxi door was ripped open. A white man, massive and tall as a stone wall with a terrifyingly frozen expression, loomed over me. He grabbed my arm with such force I thought my shoulder would pop out of its socket. I shrieked in terror, "Hey! What’s wrong with you?!"

He didn’t give me a single second to react. In the blink of an eye, I was shoved into the black SUV. I found myself surrounded by men just as massive and cruel-looking as him. I started screaming at the top of my lungs, twisting and turning to escape.

Gathering every ounce of courage, I swung my small fist and punched one of the guards right on the nose with all my might.

The guard groaned in anger, and suddenly, a large hand reached from behind and clamped firmly over my mouth and nose. I began to inhale a strange, pungent scent that made my head spin.

My eyelids grew heavy, and my limbs went limp despite my resistance... until I drifted into total unconsciousness, sinking into a deep darkness.

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Robert’s POV

I headed toward the park, blood boiling in my veins. Today, I was going to kill that bastard and end this farce. I screeched to a halt. I didn’t know what he looked like, so I took Julie’s phone and dialed his number, scanning the area like a hawk stalking its prey.

Suddenly, a tall, thin man pulled out his phone and answered. I heard his voice through the receiver, sounding eager: "Hello, Julie?"

Oh... I found you. I hung up coldly and stepped out of the car, walking toward him with steady strides, like the Grim Reaper itself. I stood directly in front of him. "You’re looking for Julie, aren’t you?"

He looked at me, confused. "What? Who are you?"

"I’m the one who’s sending you to your grave," I said, my voice dripping with pure malice.

I landed a colossal punch on his face, sending his body reeling until he hit the ground. He looked up, wiping the blood starting to smear from his lip, and asked in shock, "Who the hell are you, you prick?"

"You give her a phone and ask her to call you Edward?" I barked, my knuckles turning white as I clenched my fists. "Is this how you hit on your students, Professor?"

He panicked instantly, his face turning pale. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

I pulled the phone he’d given Julie from my pocket and shook it in front of his eyes. "You see this? Do you know what I’m talking about now?"

"It’s not what it looks like," he stammered.

I didn’t give him a chance. I grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off the ground, and punched him again. Then I kicked him in the stomach repeatedly until his body went limp and he lost consciousness completely.

Just as I was reaching for my weapon to finish him off, my own phone rang. I pulled it out to see an unknown number. "Hello... who is this?" I snapped.

A voice I knew all too well a voice dripping with cunning replied, "Hello, dear Robert... didn’t you recognize me?"

"Don Morgan," I said flatly, my heart tensed in caution. "You finally called. Did you miss the Serpent?"

He laughed, a sound that grated on every one of my nerves. "You’re going to bring the Serpent to me today, Robert... and right now."

"You’re dreaming, Don," I scoffed.

"I have something that belongs to you," he said with chilling confidence.

"What is it?" I asked, irritated.

"A lost little kitten."

"This isn’t the time for jokes," I growled, tension coiling in my gut.

"Don’t you own a kitten, Robert?"

"No."

"A kitten..." he drawled the words out. "What was her name? Ah yes, I remember... Julie."

When he spoke her name, the world seemed to spin. An electric shock hit my brain. Did he say Julie, or was I imagining it? "Julie?" I choked out.

"Yes. If you want your kitten back, you know what you have to do."

"You can’t get into the club, Don, and take her from there," I said, trying to keep my composure. "Do you think I’m that stupid?"

"And who said I went inside?" he replied coldly. "Your little kitten is the one who walked out."

Julie left the club? How? "Listen to me carefully..." I roared. "Are you playing games with me?"

"Well, I know she has long brown hair, and she’s wearing a white blouse and a white skirt... am I right?"

Damn it! How did he know what she was wearing? A fire burned in my chest. "If you touch a single hair on her head, I will kill you."

"I can’t promise you that," he said mockingly, and hung up in my face.

Damn it! Damn it! How did she get out? And how did the Don know? I immediately called Ron, my breath coming in short gasps. "Listen, Ron, go to the security cameras now. Check from the hour I left the club... I want to see Julie. When she left my room, where did she go? Do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir," Ron replied, sounding shocked.

I raced to the car and drove like a maniac, blowing through every red light until I reached Carlos’s warehouse. I burst inside like a storm, headed straight for the Serpent’s room, and ordered the guard to unchain him.

I was pacing back and forth, my hands shaking from a mix of fury and soul-crushing anxiety. My God, I couldn’t stand the thought of her being with him. If he touches her... if he hurts her... I can’t even imagine what I’ll do.

At that moment, Carlos rushed over, looking bewildered. "Why do you want to take him? Where are you taking him?"

"The Don kidnapped Julie," I told him, sparks of rage flying from my eyes.

Carlos recoiled a step in shock. "What?!"