Chapter 8 It's Not Up To You

Before Julius was able to see Madeline again, she called the human resources department to resign from her job.

She couldn't continue being Julius' temporary assistant. Things were getting extremely complicated.

Madeline had no choice but to give up the big order she received on the internet.

She begged in her heart that Julius wouldn't contact her anymore. It was the end for the two of them.

However, sometimes things didn't always go according to plan.

That evening, Madeline fondly stroked Benny's hair as the pair watched a cartoon show on television. Their peaceful bonding was suddenly interrupted when the doorbell rang.

"Benny, just stay here and wait for me to come back."

Madeline put down the remote control, stood up, and walked towards the front door.

The apartment she lived in was quite old and outdated. When she peeked through the peephole, she couldn't figure out who was standing outside since the glass was a little blurry.

Madeline tiptoed and had a closer look. The sight of the man's face sent chills down her spine.

The person calmly waiting in front of the door was none other than Julius.

What was he doing here?

Within seconds, Madeline's heart pounded wildly underneath her chest. She began to feel butterflies fluttering in her stomach, sending her into a panic.

The first thing Madeline thought of was Benny. She turned around and rushed toward the sofa, scooping the little boy into her arms and carrying him straight into the bedroom.

"Benny, listen to me. Stay inside and play with your toys first, okay? You can only come out when I ask you to do it."

"But why?" Benny asked in confusion. The next thing he knew, he saw the bedroom door slamming in front of him.

Back at the foyer, Madeline smoothed out her clothes and fixed her hair.

After taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down, Madeline put on a straight face as she opened the door.

"Mr. Glyn! I wasn't expecting you. What are you doing here?" She forced a smile and stood at the door, blocking the entrance. Her aloof demeanor stood out to Julius.

With a slight frown, he glanced at her knee-length cartoon pajamas and said in a low voice, "I want to go inside and have a talk with you."

Madeline became nervous and hurriedly blocked his path. "Mr. Glyn, look at the time. It's so late. Isn't it inappropriate for you to enter a single woman's house anyway?"

Raising his eyebrows in wonder and noticing her faint smile, Julius glanced inside. Something felt wrong.

"Oh really now? Is that truly the issue? Or maybe it's only inconvenient for me to enter because you're already busy entertaining another guest?"

Madeline immediately stiffened at Julius' words. Despite his tasteless remark, she managed to put on a broader smile on her face.

"Absolutely not! Why would you think that? It's just too late right now. It's not good for my reputation for you to come inside like this. You see, my neighbors love to spread gossip. Imagine all the nasty rumors they would make once they see you entering my apartment. So if you have anything important to say, we can talk right here."

Julius was surprised by her actions. She seemed so indifferent to him as if she hadn't slept with him yesterday.

A moment of silence ensued. Julius gazed at Madeline's face carefully, desperate to read her thoughts.

"What's going on inside that pretty little head of yours? Are you deliberately playing a game of cat and mouse with me?" He walked closer and looked down at her. "I have to admit that your tricks have served you well. I'm a little interested in you." As he spoke, Julius withdrew his hand and took out an envelope which he waved towards Madeline. Once she was distracted, he rushed past her and squeezed into her apartment.

"You told me before that you wanted to be my woman. I gave it some thought and have come to a decision. You're mine now."

Once Madeline came to her senses, she hurried over and stretched out her arms to stop him from walking down the hall.

"What are you doing? I didn't give you my permission to come in. And why do you only say these words now that it's too late?"

With furrowed eyebrows, Julius put the envelope into her arms.

"That's enough. Don't do this again.

If you drive me away or question my authority one more time, I'll get tired of you."

Hearing his ultimatum, Madeline suddenly felt helpless. She tossed the envelope on the table and indignantly crossed her arms over her chest.

Madeline's thoughts strayed to all that had occurred five years ago, and her guilt for Benson suddenly resurfaced. Putting on a determined face, she asserted herself and confronted Julius.

"Let me set the record straight. I was only fooling around with you before, and I didn't mean to be your woman. It was just a game for me, and I didn't expect you to take my words seriously. But of course, I really thought it wonderful to sleep with you. It was a night I won't forget."

As Julius listened to her intently, his face darkened instantly. He gritted his teeth and said, "Be careful with your words. I'll give you another chance to explain yourself to me."

Startled by his cold stare, Madeline stepped backward and pressed herself up against the bedroom door.

"I've told you that I just played with your feelings. Don't take things so seriously next time."

Anger quickly overwhelmed Julius' heart. He pinched her chin with his fingertips and said slowly, "You don't get to decide when to stop! It's not up to you."

No one could just play him for a fool, discard him like some old toy, and get away with it.

Madeline swallowed nervously. There was no way out of this mess. Terrified by the spurned man in front of her, she stepped back subconsciously.

With a loud squeak, she accidentally pushed open the bedroom door.

Madeline's heart suddenly skipped a beat when she remembered that Benny was inside.

Standing her ground, she clenched her fists and glared at Julius.

"We're done here. I have told you everything you needed to know. Please get out of my apartment and leave me alone!"

Her sudden outburst caught Julius' attention. With narrowed eyes, he pushed her aside and entered the bedroom.

"Why do you keep on asking me to leave? Are you afraid I might see something? Or is there someone hiding in the bed?"

Madeline was no match for Julius' strength and was easily pushed aside.

Completely anxious, she stood behind Julius and watched him walk towards the bed and lift the blanket.

At the same time, Madeline shut her eyes tightly in anticipation and shouted, "This is my s..."

Huh?

After bracing herself for the worst, she opened her eyes in astonishment. Under the messy blanket, it was only her underwear that she had hurriedly changed previously.

What was going on?

Where did Benny go?

Her eyes immediately darted across the room, but there was still no sight of the little boy.

After the tense ordeal, Madeline finally breathed a sigh of relief. She walked up to the bed, grabbed her clothes, and hid them behind her. Looking innocently at Julius' face, she asked, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

The anger in Julius' heart quickly melted away. He turned around and said, "Since you're not hiding anything from me, then why were you so nervous?"

Madeline walked up to him and shouted in rage, "You entered a single woman's house late at night and invaded her privacy. Now you even have the guts to ask me why I was so nervous. You are so shameless!"

"Okay, settle down. There's no need to shout. Have you already forgotten what you did with me last night? Here, maybe this will help refresh your memory."

Julius retrieved a stack of photos from his pocket and threw them on the bed.

Madeline glanced at them curiously before she suddenly blushed.

She was staring at intimate photos of her and Julius.