I smiled in relief and returned to my room with the last bottle of wine. The next day, Julius seemed to have disappeared entirely. He only sent me a message requesting leave, and after that, there was no word from him.
That night, heavy rain poured down. Julius walked in drenched, clutching a box tightly to his chest. I regarded him with indifference as I took the box and handed it to Liz. She opened it to reveal a brocade bag and looked at me with a hint of pride.
"Sister, thank you. I just mentioned it yesterday. I didn't expect you to send Julius back with it today."
"Julius, you've worked so hard."
Julius's cold expression softened immediately, and even the tips of his ears turned a little red.
"It’s no trouble, just a trip."
He spoke casually, but the slight tremble in his legs as he left betrayed his fatigue. I watched him, a sour feeling rising in my chest. It wasn’t as simple as just a trip, but for Liz, he was willing.
Liz flashed a satisfied smile in the dim light. I ignored her pride and instead mocked Julius's tone.
"Julius, don’t forget, you’re still my bodyguard."
Julius paused before nodding. As expected, he returned to his usual cold demeanor over the following days.
That evening, there was a dinner at the Spencer family’s house. I drank more than I should have, and Julius dutifully watched over me. But his gaze was fixed on Liz the entire time. When he saw her being forced to drink, the veins in his forehead bulged, and his fists clenched in frustration.
Soon, a group of second-generation rich men surrounded him. Unable to contain himself any longer, Julius stormed forward, standing guard over those behind him. Meanwhile, my stomach churned, and I stumbled toward the bathroom alone.
The tensions between the Spencer family and the Floyd family were complicated, so I deliberately brought a signal transmitter to send to Julius. However, even with that preparation, when the door behind me suddenly shut, I froze in shock and broke into a cold sweat.
Liz locked the door expertly and slowly approached me, a malicious gleam in her eyes.
I looked at her coldly. "Have you had enough fun?"
She raised an eyebrow, no longer the innocent girl she used to be. "Sister, what are you talking about? I haven’t done anything yet."
I watched her expression grow darker, and instinctively, I frowned. But before I could react, she pushed me back. I stumbled, hitting the steps behind me, and a painful, bloody mark appeared on my arm.
"I told you, I’ll take everything from you," she sneered, her voice low. "Including Julius."
"Do you think he drank that glass of drugged wine because of you?" Her sharp nails scratched my cheek, but strangely, I felt no pain. I could only stare at her in stunned silence.
"Do you think he stopped that out-of-control car for you? And the kidnapping, do you really believe it was the Spencer family who sent someone to abduct you?"
She smirked as I struggled to process her words, her voice growing colder.
"To be honest, it was Julius who drugged you, tampered with the car, and kidnapped you."
My head spun, the buzzing in my ears louder than ever.
Liz's voice cut through the chaos: "You’ve been blocking my path for too long, so he broke your wings for me. That way, I’ll always get the best before you."
Her eyes flashed with jealousy as she sneered. "I should thank you for choosing such a perfect tool for me."
