SWNOVELS Chapter 569
Julie felt a wave of indignation wash over her, and in a fit of rage, she knocked over the meal Rowan had brought her.
No way was she going to eat that.
Rowan wasn't having any of her tantrums, though. He left her with just one meal a day, letting her learn the hard way what hunger really felt like.
Julie was starving, but no matter how much she yelled from the cellar, Rowan didn't so much as flinch.
After a day without food, Rowan returned to find that Julie had even eaten the meal she had spilled on the floor.
He sneered, "With smarts like yours, it's a wonder you're still around. Count your blessings."
Julie was on the verge of another outburst, but Rowan's cold stare made her bite her tongue.
Swallowing her anger, she demanded, "How long are you going to keep me locked up? This is just like being in prison."
"You're pregnant, Julie. You can't do anything right now," Rowan said, his face expressionless. "Once you've had the baby, you'll be free to do whatever you want." Julie frowned, "What are you, some kind of human trafficker? Planning to sell my baby?"
Rowan just stared at her.
"I rescued you from the cops for the sake of the baby? With brains like yours, you think you can be the lady of the Salstrom family? You're dreaming," he scoffed. Julie's face turned crimson with anger. "Then what are you planning?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
Rowan couldn't understand why Herman had told him to save such a clueless woman.
After that, Julie didn't dare spill her food again and spent her days quietly in the cellar.
Rowan tossed her a stack of books, telling her to read them to prepare for when she could leave.
Meanwhile, Julie had escaped, and Jason, the officer in charge of the case, was swamped with work, tirelessly searching for her.
Monica knew she couldn't do much; she wasn't a police dog who could sniff out Julie's scent.
Knowing Julie had escaped and finding the diner slow, Monica decided to visit Jason at the station.
"Any leads on Julie?" Monica asked as she walked in.
"Why are you here?" Jason was deep in discussion with his colleagues.
Seeing Monica, the other officers joked, "Looks like we should clear out, give you two some space."
Jason sighed.
As the colleagues left, they teased Monica, "Make sure to drop by more often. Jason's been so gloomy; it's like he's turning into Judge Bao." Jason feigned annoyance, "Monkey," he called out to the teasing officer, who was nicknamed as such.
Once everyone had left, Monica stepped in, "Feeling down because of Julie?"
"No leads yet. It's like she's vanished into thin air," Jason admitted, hands on his hips in frustration. "Herman's guys are on it too, but no luck."
"Don't worry. Take it one step at a time," Monica suggested. "Julie's due soon, right? When she goes into labor, she'll have to hit up a hospital. Maybe we should alert the local ones. Could that help?"
Jason looked at her, "You think a fugitive would waltz into a hospital to give birth?"
Monica conceded, "Probably not."
As Jason tidied up his desk, he asked, "Are you concerned about Julie's case because of Anastasia?"
"Julie's a ticking time bomb. As long as she's out there, no one's safe," Monica said. "I just want Ana's wedding to go smoothly. She's like a sister to me."
"You and Anastasia are close then?"
"Absolutely," Monica beamed. "Next to my parents, she's the most important person in my life. Don't let Ana's gentle nature fool you; she's tough as nails. This one time, when I was bullied by some girls at school, Ana didn't hesitate. She grabbed a brick and made sure they regretted it. Nearly got herself expelled. We've been through thick and thin together."