My father sold me to the Mafia King novel Chapter 240

Chapter 240: 240/The Silent War

Chapter 240:

Julie’s POV

I let out a scoff of pure disbelief at his words. I began pacing the room, my hands moving in agitated gestures. "Robert is afraid of me? The man who kills in cold blood, the man everyone fears... he’s afraid of a confession of love? Max, you’ve got to be kidding me!"

Max stood up and placed his hands firmly on my shoulders to steady me. His voice was calm and resonant. "Julie, men like Robert don’t fear bullets or death. But they are terrified of emotions they cannot control. Your raw, devastating honesty has backed his heart into a corner it’s never visited before. He simply doesn’t know how to handle this kind of assault."

My heart hammered against my ribs. I lowered my head, my voice trembling. "But he hurt me... his words were so cutting. It was as if he was telling me my feelings were just a function my heart performs to satisfy his own."

Max lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him. "He’s floundering, Julie. He’s used to taking everything by force, but love can’t be taken; it must be given. And when you gave it so freely, so impulsively, you stripped him of the control he deifies."

I exhaled sharply and brushed his hands away. I headed for the door, my resolve hardening. "It doesn’t matter. I’ll let him have his control back then. From this day forward, I will treat him exactly as he treats me. He won’t hear the words ’I love you’ from me ever again."

I opened my bedroom door to find Axel jumping toward me excitedly, his tail wagging as if he sensed the storm in my chest. I stroked his head. "Come on, Axel. Robert is waiting for you."

I walked with Axel down the hallway toward Robert’s room. My heart was racing, but my face was as still as a frozen lake. I stood before his door no hesitation, no trembling. I gave two sharp, dry knocks, then pushed the door open and walked in.

Robert was lying back, focused on his tablet, but his eyes snapped to me the moment I entered. I didn’t smile. I didn’t run to him as I always did. Axel hopped onto the bed beside him to lick his hand, while I remained standing at the foot of the bed, my hands clasped behind my back in a formal stance.

He looked at me with confusion, unsettled by my sudden silence. "Julie... is something wrong?" he asked, his voice laced with bewilderment.

"You asked to see Axel," I replied, my voice void of emotion, as if I were speaking to a stranger. "Here he is."

He tried to reach for my hand, which was close to him, but I pulled it back slowly and calmly before he could make contact, pretending to adjust my clothes. His eyes narrowed, a small crease forming between his brows as he watched my coldness. "What is with you?" he asked hoarsely. "Why are you standing so far away?"

I looked him straight in the eye, unflinching. "Nothing. I’m just a bit tired. I’ll leave you with him to rest now."

I turned to leave, but he barked my name with a tone of command, a desperate attempt to regain his grip. "Julie! We aren’t finished talking."

I stopped at the door and looked back over my shoulder, a faint, hollow smile on my lips that didn’t reach my eyes.

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