My father sold me to the Mafia King

Chapter 450

Julie’s POV

I let out a heavy sigh, my shoulders slumping. Steve’s words were entirely logical; everything unfolding around us defied basic common sense.

Violet laced her fingers loosely together, leaning back against the sleek leather couch with an air of complete relaxation. "Since everything is out in the open now," she said, her voice smooth and unbothered, "can we sit down calmly and get to know each other better?"

I stared at her, my lip curling in a scoff of wounded disbelief. "How strange... our mother suddenly wants to get to know us now!"

Her icy composure didn’t crack for a second. She adjusted her posture with fluid grace. "We’ve wasted far too many years... there’s no need to waste any more."

Steve took a few heavy steps backward, dragging his exhausted body toward the adjacent couch. He threw himself onto the cushions with a dull thud, his brow furrowing as he fired off a sharp question. "Who are our fathers?"

Violet tilted her head slightly, her sharp gaze scanning both of us like an appraiser evaluating artwork. "If I give you their names, would you even recognize them? That is why I am hosting a family dinner tonight so you can meet them properly."

My lips parted in absolute outrage, my hands flying into the air. "Really?! A family dinner?!"

She gave an indifferent shrug, smoothing down her lapels. "If you don’t want to meet them, that’s fine with me."

My remaining strength completely evaporated. My legs trembled, no longer able to support my weight, and I sank heavily onto the sofa opposite her. This woman possessed a terrifying ability to catch us off guard every single second.

I swept my gaze across the sprawling, grand hall of the luxury villa, taking in the crystal chandeliers and gilded arches, before dragging my eyes back to her. "Where did you get all this money?"

"I’m a doctor," she answered casually, tugging at the cuff of her silk dress.

My eyebrows knitted together in stark irony. "A doctor can’t possibly acquire this kind of obscene wealth!"

A mysterious smile curled the edges of her lips, sending a fresh wave of suspicion down my spine. "They can..." she murmured with frozen confidence, "...if they’re smart."

Steve crossed his thick arms tightly over his chest, leaning back to eye her coldly. "Are you married?"

She shook her head without hesitation. "No."

"And where were you all these years?" I demanded, my hands gripping the edge of the seat cushion.

She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her shoulder, speaking with an airy tone. "I was traveling to a lot of places."

I studied her face suspiciously, my eyes narrowing. "I met Marcus... He said you were his girlfriend."

Her smile widened into a light, amused smirk. "Oh... Marcus! Yes, I remember him."

"He’s younger than you!" I blurted out in utter disbelief.

She tilted her head, her dark eyes flashing with mockery. "And do you have a problem with that?"

I rolled my eyes, throwing my hands up dismissively. "Fine... I don’t care."

"Good," she replied flatly.

Steve bent forward, resting his forearms on his knees as he searched her face for answers. "So... what do you expect to happen now?"

Violet entwined her fingers once more, resting her hands effortlessly in her lap. "That we become a family."

"We are far from being a family, Violet!" I shook my head in firm, unyielding refusal.

Her eyes locked onto mine a pair of deceptive, calm pools. "If you’re intentionally calling me by my name just to annoy me, I’d like to tell you that I really don’t care."

"Clearly," I sneered.

"The important thing right now is that we’re gathered here," she continued smoothly.

She rose from the couch with seamless grace, her sharp eyes sweeping over our tired forms. "Now tell me... what kind of food do you prefer? I don’t know your favorite meals."

Steve answered curtly, tossing his hand through the air. "Whatever... we’ll eat anything. Don’t strain yourself."

Violet smiled with a layer of artificial warmth. "My dear son, thinking about his mother!"

The moment her silhouette disappeared down the hallway toward the kitchen, Steve whipped his head in my direction. His brows pulled into a harsh, deep crease as he leaned across the gap, whispering frantically, "I think she’s completely insane!"

"Yeah..." I replied in a hush, my heart hammering against my ribs. "She definitely seems like it."

"What do we do now, Julie?" he asked, his eyes darting toward the hallway.

I let out a lost, ragged breath. "I don’t know..."

He narrowed his eyes, his voice dipping lower. "Are we going to trust her?"

I squeezed my hands tightly into fists, staring at my lap. "This woman killed Stewart because of what he did to us, and she even punished Mirdreth... I don’t think she’s that terrifying."

Steve’s eyes widened in sheer horror. He snapped his head back, gasping softly, "That is the exact reason why we should be terrified of her, Julie!"

"She took our revenge from them!" I blurted out defensively, throwing my hands up.

Steve rolled his eyes in deep frustration, letting out a harsh exhale. "Robert has completely infected your mind, Julie."

My chest constricted tightly at the mention of his name, and I snapped, my voice rising sharply, "Don’t bring Robert into everything!"

Before the echo of my voice could even fade through the high-ceilinged room, the crisp, loud chime of the front doorbell rang through the mansion.

Steve whipped his head toward the corridor, his body going rigid. "Did our fathers get here that fast?!"

One of the uniformed housemaids stepped into the living hall, bowing her head respectfully. "Madam... there is a gentleman outside asking for you."

I pulled my brows together in confusion. "Who?"

"I don’t know, Miss," she replied politely.

I glanced over at Steve. "I’ll go see."

I pushed myself off the sofa and walked down the grand foyer toward the massive double gates. The moment I opened the door, a towering frame blocked the light. He stood there, his jaw locked in stone, his heavy beard accentuating the rigid line of his face.

A small, subconscious smile touched my lips, and I exhaled softly. "Did you miss me already?"