My father sold me to the Mafia King-Chapter 146/The Gay Guard

Chapter 146

Julie’s Point of View

I opened my heavy eyes. I was met by the stark white ceiling and the pungent scent of disinfectants that seeped into my lungs.

I tried to gather my shattered self, slowly sitting up, feeling my body as if it were a piece of lead.

The doctor was watching me, and the moment she saw my movement, she rushed toward me: "Rest, Julie... don’t get up now."

I said in a parched, dry voice: "I’m fine."

She reassured me as she checked my features: "I ran the tests; you have no fractures."

"I know," I replied coldly.

She continued, noting something in her file: "You were crying hysterically, and I had to give you a strong sedative to calm that seizure."

None of that mattered. My mind was jammed in one corner. I asked her sharply: "Max... where is he?"

She hesitated before answering: "You mean the guard?"

"Yes," I said impatiently, "where is he?"

She said in a cautious tone: "He was here, waiting anxiously... but when Mr. Robert arrived and learned of your condition, he was overtaken by rage and ordered Max to the lower floor immediately."

I didn’t wait to hear another word. I jumped from the bed with a frantic speed, ignoring the dizziness that hit my head and the pain still gnawing at my spine. I ran toward the door with the doctor shouting behind me: "Julie! Stop!"

I descended the stairs as if I were flying; my steps were staggering, but the terror for Max was my fuel. I rushed toward his room, opening the door violently, but it was empty... cold. "My God, where is he?"

The gym flashed in my mind. I ran toward it, my breath breaking in my chest. And there, I saw him... Max was sitting on the floor in a dark corner, his eyes closed, his body still and motionless. My heart constricted in terror had Robert killed him? Had he actually done it?

I threw myself on the floor beside him, kneeling and holding his face with my trembling hands, screaming: "Max!"

He opened his eyes slowly, and as soon as he saw me, he pulled me toward him and hugged me tightly, whispering in a muffled voice: "Julie... thank God you’re okay."

I couldn’t let go; I was clinging to his shirt as if I were clinging to life itself. Max wasn’t just a trainer; he was the only safety in this place, and the thought of his death was killing me.

Suddenly, the silence was split by a raspy, cold voice like a dagger from behind us: "What is going on here?"

Max jerked and released me instantly, standing straight in a tense military posture, while I stood with difficulty, my hand supporting my aching back.

Robert looked at me with eyes burning with malice and said with bitter sarcasm: "I see you’ve recovered with amazing speed, and you’re back in the gym again."

A heavy silence fell. I found no words to answer, while Robert directed his gaze to Max and asked in a terrifying tone: "Are you setting your eyes on my personal assistant, Max?"

I flared with anger at this ridiculous accusation, screaming at him: "What a ridiculous question!"

Robert replied, stepping toward us, the veins in his neck bulging: "And this warm and long embrace... does it have another explanation?"

I said with a provocative defiance: "What business is it of yours? I hug whom I wish!"

His eyes darkened completely, and he spoke with a terrifying hiss: "I think you’ve forgotten my orders, Julie."

Max stepped in, trying to calm the situation: "Sir... I am not setting my eyes on your personal assistant. Rest assured."

I turned to Max sharply and said to him: "Why are you explaining to him? Whether you set your eyes on me or not is none of his business!"

Max grabbed my hand, squeezing it so hard he almost broke my fingers, and whispered in a warning tone: "Julie... shut up!"

But Robert didn’t back down. He said coldly, placing his hand on his belt: "I must remind you of the consequences of disobeying my orders..."

Suddenly, he drew his piece and pointed it directly at Max’s head.

I jumped in front of Max, interposing my slender body between him and the bullet, screaming hysterically: "Are you going to kill him? Are you insane?"

Robert said, his finger pressing on the trigger: "Any man who gets close to you dies. You know this well, Julie."

I felt the air completely vanish from my lungs as I stared at the muzzle of the gun aimed at the head of the only person I felt safe with. I screamed at him, tears searing my eyes from the sheer injustice: "How can you kill every man who comes near? Are you mentally deranged?"

He didn’t so much as blink. His hand remained steady as a rock, his weapon not moving a single millimeter. He replied in a deep, cold voice that froze the blood in my veins: "Those are the laws, Julie."

I stepped toward him, my body trembling, trying to draw his attention away from Max, who stood behind me with a majestic, military-like stoicism despite the situation. "Max only helps me when I train here!" I said, my voice faltering. "What did he do to deserve death?"

Robert’s eyes slowly shifted to settle on my face. His gaze darkened terrifyingly as his finger tightened on the grip of his weapon. "Because he dared to hug you," he hissed with pure malice.

I lifted my head in desperate defiance, even though I felt my heart might stop at any minute. "What’s wrong with that?" I shouted. "It was just a hug!"

At that moment, Robert took a single step that made me instinctively recoil.

His voice dropped, becoming sharper and more dangerous as he stared directly into my eyes: "But he is a man... and I warned you before."

I was trembling, my entire body convulsing with fear of losing Max. I had to find a way out, any lie to save his life now. I looked into Robert’s eyes and shouted: "But he’s not a man!"

Robert stopped, astonishment etched on his face, and the grip on his weapon slackened: "What?"

I looked back at Max, who was staring at me with the same bewilderment and loss, then I returned my gaze to Robert and said with a false confidence: "He’s different... he would never think of me in that way."

Robert asked skeptically: "Really? And in what way is he different from other men, Julie? Tell me."

I took a deep breath and spoke the lie I never imagined I’d utter: "He likes men... Max is gay!"