Isabella looked at the stranger closely.
If this was truly the man she was being forced to marry, then looks alone made the comparison unfair. He was far more handsome than Adrian could ever be. There was no contest at all. For a brief second, her thoughts drifted.
Sebastian's voice snapped her back.
"So this is the person you decided to replace me with? This puppet?" he said, glaring at Julian.
Julian's jaw tightened. "I am not a puppet. My name is Julian. Say it."
Sebastian scoffed. "Oh, so because Adrian isn't here, you suddenly have a voice? Why don't you say that in his presence?"
He turned to Isabella. "Isabella, can we go?"
"No," Sebastian said sharply. "Nobody is going anywhere."
Julian stepped forward. "Sebastian, I don't have time for this. I'm taking her, and we're leaving."
Sebastian replied coldly. "Nobody is still going anywhere."
At that moment, footsteps sounded behind them.
Elena and Camilla stepped out of the house and stopped at the doorway. Everyone turned to look at them.
Camilla smiled. "I love this drama. Watching from the window was fun, but watching it up close is even better."
She looked at Sebastian. "We warned you about her. We told you she didn't really love you. She's only after your money."
"But she's your sister," Sebastian said.
"She's our sister, yes, but we know her. We don't support evil," Camilla said, with an innocent voice.
Elena nodded. "We didn't want anything bad to happen to you. We tried to warn you."
Isabella opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Julian sighed. "I don't have time for this. Isabella, let's go."
He turned to leave, but Sebastian grabbed his arm.
Julian stopped.
"If I count from one to three and you don't take your filthy hand off my body," Julian said quietly, "you will regret it."
Sebastian hesitated, then slowly let go.
"I'm not afraid of you," Sebastian said. "Adrian will hear about this. And don't worry, you're going to that party, right? I'll show you who the real boss is."
Julian adjusted his suit calmly, brushed off Sebastian's touch, and took Isabella's hand.
Without another word, they walked away.
Julian opened the car door for her, got in behind the wheel, and drove off, leaving everyone standing there in silence.
Sebastian was boiling. The anger sat heavy in his chest as he turned to the sisters.
"Elena," he said sharply. "You're coming with me. You'll be my plus one tonight."
Camilla looked from him to her sister.
Elena paused for half a second, then a slow smile crossed her face. "Alright," she said. "Come inside. I'll get ready."
Sebastian exhaled through his nose. He didn't want to walk into the party like this, burning and unsettled.
For now, Elena stepping in was enough.
He followed her inside.
***
Inside the car, Isabella held her breath.
She didn't know what to think. She didn't know what to say. Every second felt awkward and tense. This was the first time she was seeing Julian in person. She had heard about him before, but she had never seen his pictures anywhere. Unlike Adrian, whose face seemed to be everywhere, Julian had always remained distant, almost invisible.
Now she was sitting beside him.
And by tomorrow, she was expected to marry him.
The silence stretched, heavy and uncomfortable. Isabella knew she had to say something.
"Hi," she said softly. "I'm Isabella."
Julian glanced at her briefly. "I know."
She swallowed. "I… I didn't agree to this. I hope you know that."
Julian's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Then tell me," he said calmly. "Why did Adrian decide to turn my life upside down?"
Isabella frowned, confused. "What do you mean?"
"What did you do to him," Julian asked, "that made him force this on both of us? How did you even meet him? What did he threaten you with?"
He finally looked at her. "Because I know you didn't agree to this willingly. So what's the full story?"
Isabella opened her mouth, then closed it again.
She didn't know where to begin.
After some time, she finally spoke.
"Julian," she said quietly, "at some point, you will know the whole truth. There's no reason for me to lie now. A lie is what brought me into this situation in the first place."
Julian said nothing, his eyes fixed on the road.
"I was supposed to be engaged to Sebastian in a few days," Isabella continued, her voice shaking. "I knew he was going to propose. But I lied to him. I told him I was one of the Verne sisters."
She swallowed hard.
"I didn't want him to know I was only the daughter of a maid who was taken in by the family. So I lied."
Julian's expression remained unreadable.
"Camilla and Elena found out," Isabella said. "They used it against me. They blackmailed me. They said they needed an invitation to Adrian's party. That if I didn't get it, they would expose me to Sebastian."
Her hands trembled in her lap.
"I didn't want to lose him. I wanted to leave that house and survive on my own. Everything has been difficult for a long time. My mother died when I was very young, and nothing has ever been easy since."
She took a shaky breath.
"Then they asked me to steal from Adrian. They promised he wouldn't be home. But I got caught. He threatened to send me to prison. He said no one would come to rescue me and that I would rot there."
She looked down.
"So I had no choice. I agreed to everything. I wish I had never lied in the first place."
Silence filled the car.
Julian shook his head slightly and returned his full attention to the road.
Not long after, they arrived at the venue.
It was one of the luxurious hotels owned by Adrian's family. They parked and stepped out of the car.
"Try not to get into trouble," Julian said calmly. "Adrian won't hesitate to disgrace both of us."
"I'll try," Isabella replied softly, walking behind him.
They entered the hall with their invitation.
Isabella stopped in shock.
It was her first time attending such a high-class event. The room was filled with people dressed in expensive suits and gowns. Servers moved effortlessly with trays of wine. The hall was massive, elegant, and beautifully decorated.
She stood there, overwhelmed.
Then Adrian noticed them.
"Well, well," he said as he approached. "My puppet arrived right on time. Perfect."
Neither Julian nor Isabella responded.
"Enjoy the party," Adrian continued mockingly. "My eyes are on you. But I have important matters to attend to, not small distractions."
He laughed and walked away.
Julian clenched his jaw. "Find something to do," he said. "I won't be here."
He walked off, leaving Isabella alone.
She looked around. She knew no one.
Slowly, she found a seat and sat down, trying to steady herself.
From across the room, Adrian sat back, watching the room as he calculated his next move, thinking of how best to degrade them publicly. Just as an idea formed in his mind, he rose from his seat and headed for the stage, already reaching for the microphone.
Before he could speak, one of his guards hurried up to him and leaned close.
"Sir," he whispered, "we just received information from the hospital. They believe your father may wake up soon."
Adrian froze.
No.
No, no, no.
This could not be happening. He needed time, time to deal with Julian before his father opened his eyes.
"Make sure he does not wake up tomorrow," Adrian said coldly. "Do whatever it takes."
The guard hesitated.
"And if he does," Adrian continued quietly, "I will burn that hospital to the ground."
The guard stared at him, stunned. In all his years of service, Adrian had just proven himself to be the most heartless man he had ever worked for.