Chapter 165 - Let Go

Devon didn't know the establishment so much, but she just walked in the direction where she saw some women come from. It was rather far from their table, and she also needed to make a turn, so she was soon out of Dion's and Bella's sight. She thought she could forgive Julian and let Lewis deal with his brother. 

She was certain, or rather, she thought she was certain, Julian would never scare her again. She realized how naive that was. That doesn't work that way, she thought. So, she excused herself to collect her thoughts and calm herself down. Dion and Bella had noticed her reaction, and she didn't want to worry them.

'There!' she exclaimed internally as soon as she saw the restroom sign. Her steps grew faster, only to be stopped when someone grabbed her wrist from behind. The hand pulled her, making her spin around to see who it was. 

Her eyes slowly dilated as her pupils constricted. Her breathing also hitched as her heart instantly dropped to her stomach.

"Your Majesty..." came out a whisper as she locked eyes with those menacing pair of eyes.

"Escaping?" his tone was low and cold, cocking his head to the side with a brow arched. "My sister, you never fail to vex me. Come with me."

Before she could react, Julian had already dragged her with him. Devon let out a weak shriek. But because of the soothing jazz resounding across the entire lounge bar, her voice faded into the background. Being dragged by him felt like reliving those traumatic days where he would drag her forcefully. 

"Brother! You're hurting me!" she pleaded through her gritted teeth, struggling under his grip, but to no avail. Julian didn't budge as he continued to drag her to the fire exit. His eyes glowed as the fire beneath them blazed. 

"I had been holding it in and I thought you don't matter anymore, Kasdeya," he uttered under his breath, eyes glinting viciously while his grip around her wrist tightened even more. "But really... the more I think about it, I kept wondering why I should give my property to anyone once again?"

"Julian! No, Quentin, let me --!" Devon's voice hitched as she winced. She looked around, but there were no people in the area since this was rather a very private lounge bar. 

"I will kill you...!" She glared at his back, grinding her teeth in regret. "If I came out here alive, I will slit your throat myself this time around."

"Sure. You fucking do that before I strangle you to death."

Devon clenched her teeth even tighter, fighting him as she put her weight on her feet. She didn't know what was Julian thinking, but what she was certain of was that this wouldn't end well. Hurting her was the least of her concerns because he could do worse!

Just thinking about it made all her body hair raise. She couldn't let him take her to wherever he was taking her. 

"Let me go!" she yelled, pulling her wrist which made her winced as she was the only one in pain. Her eyes started to burn, but she suppressed her tears, as seeing her in tears was what he wanted. 

"I hate you... and I will really, really kill you..."

******

"I'll be back."

Quentin didn't even look back at Gabriella to follow Devon. He didn't plan to follow her like a stalker, but he saw Julian go in the same direction. It was by instinct that he sprung up to his seat and followed them. 

"God... she will hate me for this," he mumbled, thinking that Gabriella would misunderstand his reasoning. But he thought of explaining to her later. After all... his delusion warned him about Julian.

Deep down, Quentin was aware that it was impossible. He was just hallucinating whenever he would have too many drinks. But his gut feeling told him that something bad would happen. 

He hastened his steps and soon heard indistinct arguing. Although the music wasn't annoying in the ear, it was still loud enough for people to talk a bit louder to hear each other. 

"Dev... Julian... what the hell are you two doing?" he wondered, thinking that Devon was Dion's fiance.

Why would the two of them sneak out together? But recalling Devon's expression, she looked more terrified than being cautious to be seen. Meanwhile, Julian's expression was... bone-chilling. It was as if he would kill.

That was why it alarmed Quentin.

Soon, he caught sight of them. His pupils constricted as his eyes darkened as soon as he saw Julian dragging the unwilling Devon. That second, his mind just went blank, taking gigantic steps until he caught up to them.

Quentin didn't think twice and grabbed her other wrist and tugged it back. Devon let out a loud 'ah!' but his action stopped Julian. She turned her head back, only to see Quentin looking at her in shock. 

"You..." her breath hitched, confused whether she was saved or not. 

Meanwhile, Julian's eyes glinted as he turned his head around. His eyes immediately landed on Quentin as the latter shifted his eyes to him.

"What... do you think you're doing?" Quentin interrogated in a shaking voice. One could tell he was simply trying to suppress his rage.

"Mister De Luca, I didn't you know you are also into poking your nose into someone else's business." Julian kept his cool, sporting a loathsome smirk, with eyes glinting with malice. "I am assisting my sister back home since she said she wasn't feeling well. Is that enough for you?"

Quentin let out a deep exhale as he shifted his eyes to Devon. His heart sank, seeing how she looked so traumatized by this situation. He wanted to let her hand go, but Julian would just continue to drag her. He remembered that time his 'illusion' told him about Julian, but he didn't take it seriously.

Why would he believe an illusion he created himself? But the more he thought about it, that 'illusion' often talked as if she was the real Devon. But he didn't dwell on this mystery that long as he gazed back at Quentin. 

"Let her go," he warned as the atmosphere dropped. "The lady doesn't seem she wants to go with you."

"She doesn't?" Julian's brow raised, and his attention veered towards the frightened Devon. "You don't want to?"

Devon barely blinked under his gaze. Her mouth opened and closed, but fear had reigned in her. It made her recall the time someone actually tried to help her. But in the end, she was forced to watch how they torture that person to death. That was the main reason everyone turned a blind eye when the emperor raised his hand on her or drag her around.

She raised her eyes to Quentin, biting her lower lips as she tried to pull her wrist from his grip. The voices in her head chanted, 'he will die' repeatedly. 

"See?" Julian chuckled in ridicule, shifting his eyes back to Quentin. "Mister De Luca, please let her go."

"No." Quentin asserted and shook his head with his eyes still on her. "I will only let go if he does, Dev. I will not let you be, especially if you look so... scared."

"Please..."

"Mister De Luca, are you acting as a hero in hopes she will take you back?" 

Suddenly, Quentin froze, and even Devon, as they didn't expect Julian to know that. Both of them unconsciously gazed at Julian and caught him letting out a faint sigh.

"This may sound ridiculous, but she won't take you back. The lover you knew is long dead and this woman in front of you simply stole her body, life, and everything. It's up to you to believe me, but well, I don't care either way."

*******

Back at the table where Bella and Dion were left, Bella kept glancing at where Devon went. Dion had noticed her action and clapped to catch her attention.

"If she says she's fine, then she is fine," he said so she wouldn't worry. He was confident that Devon would be fine, as she was a strong person. She would say whatever that was bothering her if she wanted to.

"I know, but... something's off," Bella murmured and cast a look in the direction where Devon went off once again. 

"Geez. There's always something wrong, but she will be fine. She is my sister, after all."

She gazed at him and let out another shallow sigh. "You're right. Dev tells me everything, so I'm sure she will open up voluntarily if she is ready. I think we probed too much about her previous relationship."

"Aish... my brother will kill me if this reaches him." Dion ruffled his hair in irritation, remembering that Lewis would literally kill him if Dion accidentally opened old wounds in Devon's heart.

"You always act scared of CEO Qin, but you kept toeing the line. I don't know if you are just clueless or brave."

"What?! I always tread on thin ice, you know!" his nose scrunched up while she let out a chuckle.

Bella's brow rose when she caught a few individuals walking in their direction. They just stood out with their towering figure and the royal aura shrouding them.

"Is there some sort of meeting of the Qin brothers in this place?" she inquired without taking her eyes off to Lewis and a few men she had seen in news articles. 

Dion furrowed his brows and looked back. His face distorted, seeing that Lewis and his younger brothers were with him.

"What the heck…? What sort of trouble did they get into this time?"