"The lady should be in the bedroom, probably asleep by now," Zoey answered immediately.
Royce let out a cold snort. This woman had some nerve. After a year of not seeing her husband, she could still sleep soundly?
"Which room is she in?"
"The second room on the left after you go upstairs," Zoey replied without hesitation.
Royce strode towards the stairs but suddenly stopped in his tracks.
What if she wasn't asleep? Or what if he woke her up?
If she saw his true face, his plan to test her would be ruined.
No, that wouldn't do.
"Go cut the power to the house," Royce commanded.
Zoey was taken aback. "Cut the power?"
"When I tell you to do something, just do it!"
"Yes, sir!" Zoey quickly ran to cut the power.
In no time, the villa was plunged into darkness, pitch black, with not a hand in sight.
Only then did Royce feel assured as he ascended the stairs and gently pushed open the bedroom door. Julia was indeed asleep.
By the faint moonlight streaming through the window, he could just make out the rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing.
He quietly approached the bed. Julia's eyes were tightly shut, and she was sleeping soundly. The sliver of moonlight cast a soft glow on her face.
I have to admit, even without any makeup and with her face barely visible, she still looked adorably endearing.
Royce's fingers gently brushed across her cheek, causing Julia to let out a soft whimper and turn over.
Somehow, that little sound sparked an impulse in Royce, an urge to take her right then and there!
The sweetness of their first night together had left him insatiable.
He threw off the blanket and pressed himself onto her.
It was only at this moment that Julia realized someone was there!
Just as she was about to scream, her lips were dominantly sealed by his.
She struggled a bit, but soon her hands and feet were pinned down. With a ripping sound, her nightgown was torn away.
Royce's passionate kisses left her nearly breathless.
The only person who could enter this house was her husband, so after a few futile attempts to resist, Julia stopped struggling.
Before long, Julia fell asleep again.
What a buzzkill!
Royce gently pinched her cheek. "You need to work on your stamina!"
After taking a shower in the bathroom, Royce realized he didn't have any clean clothes to change into. He had to put on the clothes he came in and left the room.
Hearing the noise, Zoey sprang up from the couch. She had been waiting there, ready in case Royce needed anything.
Royce asked her to turn on the power, and she did so immediately, bringing light back into the room.
Seeing Royce's satisfied expression, Zoey felt a surge of jealousy. "Such a show-off!" she muttered under her breath, but still managed to keep a smile on her face.
"Mr. Butler, is there anything else you need?" she asked.
Royce Butler didn't respond immediately. Instead, he sat down on the sofa, and Zoey obediently stood to the side.
"Have you been here the whole time?" he finally asked.
"Yes, Mr. Ignatius instructed me to stay here and take good care of Mrs. Avery."
"Besides me, has anyone else been here?" Royce Butler's eyes narrowed, his gaze sharp and his voice devoid of warmth.
"Uh... Assistant Dorian has been here twice, but other than that, no one else."
Although Julia was legally married, she felt no sense of belonging here and didn't want others to know about her marriage, so she naturally didn't bring anyone over.
Royce nodded.
"However, sir, there's something I'm not sure if I should tell you," Zoey hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Speak," Royce said coldly.
"Not only has no one else been here, but Mrs. Avery herself rarely comes back. She often stays out all night. If she comes back two days a week, that's already a lot."
Royce frowned.
Although Dorian had mentioned that Julia Avery occasionally didn't stay here, the fact that she only came back two days a week was alarming. The frequency of her staying elsewhere was simply too high!
"Keep an eye on my wife and report any unusual behavior to me immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
Zoey was thrilled to receive this golden opportunity. It meant she wasn't just a nanny here; she was tasked with monitoring Julia.
This was a significant upgrade!
She no longer needed to regard Julia with any respect.
"Additionally," Royce paused before continuing, "if she asks about my age, just tell her I'm around forty. For any other questions, handle them as you see fit."
Zoey didn't know what Royce's intentions were, but she knew better than to ask.
"Yes, sir."
"The next time I come back, just shut off the main power switch. I shouldn't have to remind you."
With that, Royce stood up. "How much are you being paid?"
"Four thousand dollars a month," Zoey answered truthfully.
For a small-time nanny like Zoey, most families would pay around two thousand, but the Butler family was known for their generous salaries.
"Starting next month, your salary will be eight thousand."
Zoey's face lit up with joy. "Thank you, sir!"
Royce Butler didn't say another word and walked out the door.
The next day
Julia finally woke up around nine in the morning. Her body was still in immense pain, as if it had been torn apart. Every part of her ached.
She lay on the bed for quite a while before she managed to sit up.
Last night, her husband...
He was definitely not an old man!
That strength, that stamina, the feel of his skin—Julia couldn't possibly associate it with that bald old man.
On the bed lay her torn nightgown.
Looking at herself, she noticed more bruises on her arms and thighs. Adding to the ones from the night before, her body looked like a canvas of colors!
"What kind of weird fetishes do men have these days? Violent maniacs!"
Julia finally gathered herself and went to take a shower.
After the shower, a sudden realization hit her. There were only twenty-four hours between the night before and today.
Doing the deed around ovulation could very well lead to pregnancy.
If she got pregnant this time, would the child be from the man from the night before or her husband?
Julia closed her eyes in agony, hoping for the first time that she wouldn't get pregnant!
But this was beyond her control.
After her shower, Julia went downstairs. Zoey had already finished her breakfast and was sitting on the couch, eating some fruit.
Zoey had definitely met her husband before. She should ask her about it!