The Billionaire's Authentic Daughter ▶️

5 4 | J U L I A

I didn't manage to get much sleep because I was so worked up over the letter. I just wanted to meet Mrs. Baker and get it from her. I planned to leave early and having missed Braxton the night before as he was away and didn't return until later, I wasn't able to tell him about my travel plans for the day.

Figuring I wouldn't get to explain in person as he was nowhere to be seen, again, I resorted to writing a note. Sticking it on the fridge with a hurried explanation of having something important to attend to because of which I might not be able to return at night, I checked again to see if I had everything I would need for a night's stay.

After informing a maid in case he'd miss my note, I headed out only to bump into Braxton who was in trackpants and a shirt with a headphones blasting music so loud even I could hear it.

Seeing me he removed the headphones, stopping to pant and catch his breath with his hands on his knees. "You don't look like you're going to the library," he said between breaths.

"I took the day off. I'm actually leaving for today. I have to go somewhere and I won't be back before tomorrow."

"What? Where to?" He stood up straight at once.

"It's just someone I know. I need to visit them. Nothing big." I said, hoping he wouldn't further question me but that didn't happen.

"Oh, so you're going to stay over at their house or something?"

"Yes," I said, figuring it was not necessary that he know that I would actually be staying at a hotel.

"How far is this place?" He asked.

"Quite a bit. About four hours away from train."

"Four hours?! I thought it would be somewhere nearby. It's dangerous. You can't go."

"I know you think I might be mistaken for Juliet but I'll be careful. I really need to go, it's not an option. I have to go."

"But you never know what might happen. You know I can't live with myself if something happened to you, because you look like Juliet. I'm sorry I can't let you go."

"You won't try to stop me, will you?"

"You're not getting past me." He said folding his arms over his chest, daring me to try.

"Braxton, try to understand. It's not like I haven't done this before-" I stopped myself, realizing I just blurted out something I should've kept to myself.

He looked appalled. "Please tell me it was before you started living here."

"I did when you were on tour," I admitted. There was no point in lying because my face gave me away before my words did.

"My God," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers. "Julia do you realize how things could've gone terribly wrong? All it would've taken was one person to mistake you for her and then it would've been up to luck as to what would've happened to you. And if something would've happened to you what did you think you would've done? I didn't even know you'd gone somewhere."

"I was very careful. I hid my face well. I made it back safely," I tried to justify weakly.

"Yeah, that was luck and it might not be on your side every time. I don't think you realize how famous Juliet is in major cities. More than fans, she has enemies- people who hate her guts."

That certainly put some fear in me. "I'm sorry I didn't think it through."

He put his hands on either side of the door, trapping me inside. "So that's it, you aren't going anywhere," he declared, stepping forward which forced me to take a few steps back and I was in the house again.