Chapter 2 Husband
It was late in the day when Ellie stepped into the jewelry store ‘Satire’, located in the heart of Max Mall—one of Manhattan’s most luxurious malls in Manhattan. Despite there being other high-end shopping centers, Max Mall stood out—not only for its elite clientele but also because it was owned by the prominent Empire family, one of the wealthiest in the world. If you were to shop here, you were among the elite, and Ellie was no exception, thanks to Sawyer.
As she walked through the polished glass doors of Satire, her eyes roamed over the glistening gold and diamonds on display, their beauty almost overwhelming. Her gaze wandered over the fine pieces, an almost dream-like glaze in her eyes as they swept over the shiny things
Spotting an assistant near the counter, Ellie walked up, her purse tucked under her arm. "Hi," she greeted with a smile, her voice soft but confident. "I booked a necklace last month when I came here with my boyfriend. I’d like to pick it up now, please."
The assistant’s smile faltered for a brief moment, hesitation flashing across her face. “Oh, yes, Ms. Madden. I remember,” she said carefully. But her eyes darted past Ellie’s shoulder, her voice dropping slightly. “The necklace was kept aside for you, but it seems one of the other assistants didn’t notice the hold and allowed another customer to try it on.”
Ellie turned, following the assistant's gaze.
There, Alina stood in front of a full-length mirror, the very necklace Ellie had reserved draped elegantly around her neck. Alina turned her head this way and that, her fingers brushing the diamonds as she admired her reflection from every angle, completely absorbed in herself.
Ellie clenched her jaw, her hand tightening around the strap of her handbag. She closed her eyes for a moment, forcing herself to take a deep breath. When she opened them again, her frustration was clear, but her steps were quick as she marched straight toward Alina.
"That’s mine. Give it back." Ellie said coldly, barely sparing Alina a glance.
Alina’s attention shifted to Ellie.
Her eyes raked over Ellie with disdain before her lips twisted into a disgusted sneer. “What the hell are you doing here?” she spat, her voice dripping with annoyance. She turned her glare toward the assistant. “Since when do you let beggars shop at Satire?”
Ellie’s eyes narrowed. She exhaled a frustrated breath, her patience running thin. "You’re the beggar, you brainless bimbo. I booked that necklace a month ago. Unless you want to be arrested for theft, give it back."
Alina’s face flushed with rage, her eyes bulging. "What did you just call me?"
“A brainless bimbo,” Ellie replied casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Should I say it slower so your brain can process the words?”
Alina’s face turned an alarming shade of green, her expression twisting with anger so exaggerated it was almost comical—like a cartoon character ready to explode.
But then, with a forced smile that looked more like a grimace, Alina adjusted the necklace on her neck. Her lips curled into an arrogant smirk as she turned fully to face Ellie.
“Can you even afford the cab fare to get here on your own?” she taunted. “Just because Olivia left for overseas and isn’t with Sawyer anymore, doesn’t mean you’ll ever be able to really replace her. You’re nothing!"
Ellie rolled her eyes, letting out a bored sigh. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever,” she muttered, her tone dismissive. “Give me the necklace already. I don’t have time for your yapping.”
“You—!” Alina’s eyes blazed with rage, her voice dripping with venom. “You’re just jealous! Olivia is a rich heiress, and you? You’re nothing but a filthy street rat Sawyer picked up out of pity!”
Ellie’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “And you’re jealous because you can’t even manage to be that street rat. Face it, Alina. You’re angry because Sawyer doesn’t even look at you.” Ellie shot back with a smirk, cutting through Alina’s composure like a knife. “Or is it Olivia you’re scared of? Worried she’ll ruin you once she’s back if she finds out that you’re trying to seduce her ex-boyfriend?”
Alina’s lips twisted into a snarl. “Olivia is my best friend. I have no fucking desire to seduce her boyfriend! Olivia is rich and beautiful—everything you’ll never be. Sawyer deserves someone like her to stand next to him, not you! When she returns, you’ll be thrown out like trash. I’ll make sure of it! Then we’ll see if you can still look at me with that smug little face!”
“Oh, shut up!” Ellie snapped, her patience snapping like a brittle thread. She lunged forward and grabbed the necklace around Alina’s neck. “Give me my necklace back! Now!”
The two women got into a scuffle as Ellie yanked at the necklace. With a sharp tug, she ripped it from Alina’s neck, leaving a red mark behind. Holding the necklace tightly in her fist, Ellie stepped back, her victorious smirk daring Alina to make another move.
“Now, go cry to Olivia,” Ellie taunted, her voice dripping with mockery. “You two can fight over him. I have no interest in your ridiculous drama.”
Alina’s face turned green with fury, but then her lips curved into a sly smile as she glanced over Ellie’s shoulder. “Sawyer!” she suddenly yelled, making Ellie freeze in her tracks.
Ellie’s head snapped around, panic flaring in her eyes as she spotted Sawyer walking toward them, sliding his phone into his pant’s pocket.
Ellie’s grip on the necklace tightened as she quickly hid it behind her back. Her mind raced in alarm. ‘Did he hear me? Does he… know?’
As soon as he entered Satire, Alina rushed and latched onto his arm as though staking her claim.
“Sawyer, look at her!” she whined. “She was badmouthing Olivia and me. I just picked this necklace for myself, and she attacked me for it! How can someone like her belong in a place like this?” Alina clung to him tighter, her voice growing louder with every word. “She doesn’t care about you. She even said she doesn’t mind Olivia taking you back as long as she gets paid for it.”
Ellie’s heart pounded in her chest. Her fingers tightened around the necklace as her gaze darted nervously to Sawyer. His eyes, cold and calculating, met hers for a moment, making her stomach churn with unease.
Alina, emboldened by Sawyer’s silence, leaned closer to him, her voice dripping with fake sweetness. “Olivia is smarter, prettier, and better in every way. You should get rid of this... this thing before Olivia gets upset. You wouldn’t want to lose Olivia over her, would you?”
Finally, Sawyer shifted his gaze to Alina. He looked down at her clinging to his arm as though noticing her for the first time. With a sharp movement, he shrugged her off as if she were nothing more than an annoying fly.
“When did I ever give you the right to question my choices, Alina?” he asked icily.
From his sudden push, Alina stumbled, nearly falling, but the assistant quickly steadied her. Flustered and humiliated, Alina’s voice rose. “Sawyer, how can you insult me like this? I’m Olivia’s best friend!”
“Do you really think I care?” His voice was cold, each word like a slap to her face. “You aren’t Olivia.”
“But—she broke the necklace! She attacked me, Sawyer!” Alina wailed, pointing at Ellie. “She’s pretending to be innocent now, but she’s nothing but a cunning wenc—”
“Enough.” Sawyer’s icy tone cut her off. His eyes slid to Ellie, who quickly put on a pitiful, vulnerable, wide-eyed expression.
“Ban her,” Sawyer said coolly, shoving his hands into his pockets. He turned and began walking away.
Alina’s face lit up with triumph. “Did you hear that? Ban this bitch from this store right now!” She ordered the assistant.
But instead of grabbing Ellie, the assistant snatched Alina’s store card and broke it in half.
“Ms. Glenn,” the assistant said firmly, “you are no longer welcome here.”
“What?!” Alina shrieked, her voice echoing through the store. “Are you deaf? He meant that beggar bitch, not me! What are you doing?!”
The assistant didn’t flinch, merely signaling for security to escort her out.
Sawyer was one of the owners of Satire. He had already made it clear that Ellie was his girlfriend. How could he harm his own girlfriend for the sake of another woman? The assistant quickly understood exactly who he was referring to when he mentioned the ban.
Alina’s horrified gaze darted to Sawyer, who stood near the exit, watching the scene with a cold, detached expression.
“You’re doing this because of her?!” Alina screamed, her gaze desperate as it landed on Sawyer. “You’re going to upset Olivia over this goddamn replacement?! She’s just a fucking fling! Only your plaything!”
Sawyer paused mid-step, turning slightly. His eyes were darker than before, his voice sharp enough to cut.
“Even if she is a plaything, she’s my plaything. Who told you that you can insult and hurt her?” he said coldly.
Alina’s face turned red with rage. “You’re insane!” she screamed. “Sawyer, Olivia will be furious when she hears about this! She’ll throw this slut out, and you’ll regret—”
Sawyer’s expression darkened, his patience clearly gone. “Stop using such vulgar language in front of me,” he said icily. “With those manners, you don’t even deserve to claim you come from a decent family. Do I need to speak to your parents to teach you how to behave with Sawyer Stark’s girlfriend?”
Sawyer owned one of the largest entertainment companies in the country. Despite being one of the richest elites, he rarely interacted with anyone regarding business matters. A direct call from Sawyer to Alina’s family could only mean two things: either their family business would cease to exist in the country within the next 24 hours, or they would disown Alina completely to save themselves. There was no middle ground.
And Sawyer using that as a threat only ignited Alina’s simmering rage.
She had known Sawyer for years and had seen his life up close. Olivia, his childhood sweetheart, had always been the woman by his side. Her place in his life had always been untouchable.
Alina envied Olivia endlessly, watching them together jealously from the sidelines for years. But everything changed the day a fire destroyed Olivia’s home, with Olivia inside. Olivia was burnt badly and had to be hospitalized for a very long time to heal.
After that incident, Olivia's demeanor shifted drastically. The once playful, happy and annoyingly kind girl became someone quick to anger, consumed by ego, pride, and a reckless display of power through her senseless handling of money.
Alina saw her chance and slid into Olivia’s life as her new ‘best friend’ just to be closer to Sawyer. When Olivia unexpectedly moved overseas, Alina thought her time had finally come. She was ready to seduce Sawyer in any way possible.
But just as her path to Sawyer seemed clear, a new woman, Ellie appeared out of nowhere, stealing his attention—and shattering Alina’s dreams in an instant and taking her place as Sawyer’s girlfriend.
Alina’s fury simmered. She had waited years for this moment, and Ellie had snatched it right out of her hands!
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. To Alina, it was unfair—she was supposed to be with him. She had been the closest to him after Olivia left and had been patiently waiting for her opportunity.
Consumed by rage, Alina growled, her voice trembling. "I’m vulgar? I don’t have manners? And she does?" Her finger pointed accusingly at Ellie. "She just snatched a necklace right off my neck in front of everyone and had the nerve to fight me over it!"
Sawyer’s gaze shifted to Ellie. Caught off guard, Ellie avoided his piercing eyes, staring at the walls like they suddenly held the most interesting secrets in the world.
Unmoved by the tension, Sawyer stepped closer to Ellie. Ellie’s heart thundered in her chest. ‘Is he going to figure out I’m not as innocent as he thinks? Where will I find another money bag like this if he throws me out?’
“Ellie, did you snatch the necklace off her neck?” Sawyer’s voice was firm as he frowned at Ellie. “Show me your hands.”
Alina smiled smugly, practically tasting victory. ‘Now this faker will get what she deserves.’
Ellie’s hands trembled slightly as she extended them toward Sawyer. One hand held the necklace, and the other was empty. The hand gripping the necklace had a deep red mark and a scratch from when she had pulled at the necklace.
Sawyer’s frown deepened. “Why are you arguing with others over a necklace? I would’ve bought you a better one. Look at your hand—you’ve injured yourself over something so worthless.”
Ellie’s breath caught as she watched his expression shift to concern.
That necklace cost over three hundred thousand dollars—a fortune for most—but for Sawyer, it wasn’t even a fraction of a drop in his ocean of wealth.
Alina’s jaw dropped in disbelief as she stared at him. ‘Instead of scolding Ellie for hurting me or getting angry at her for nearly breaking a necklace worth a fortune, he’s worrying about a scratch on her damn hand?!’ Alina could barely breathe through her rage.
Without a care for her reaction, Sawyer grabbed Ellie’s arm and began leading her out of the store. As they walked past Alina, Ellie flashed her a cheeky grin and stuck her tongue out playfully, further fueling Alina’s already blazing fury.
“I won’t let you get away with this!” Alina shrieked, her voice echoing through the mall. But before she could do anything more, security clamped a hand over her mouth and dragged her out.
Meanwhile, Sawyer took Ellie straight home. He guided Ellie to the bed, disappearing into the bathroom and returning with a first-aid kit.
He sat beside her, his touch surprisingly gentle as he cleaned the cut on her hand. Ellie winced as the alcohol stung her wound.
“You’re such a child. What were you thinking, fighting over a necklace?” Sawyer scolded her gently, pressing a bandage onto her injury. “Next time, call me before you get into trouble. I’ll handle it. Don’t involve yourself in pointless arguments.”
Ellie stared at him, her emotions churning. She couldn’t believe he had thrown Alina out and banned her from his stores—all for her. Alina was Olivia’s best friend. Wouldn’t this offend Olivia?
“Husband,” she said quietly, drawing his attention.
“Don’t call me that.” His piercing gaze met hers, and she steeled herself.
“Sawyer, Aren’t you worried this will upset Olivia?” she asked, straightening her shoulders. “I mean, you love her the most, and if Alina badmouths you to her—”
“Alina isn’t Olivia. I am not going to cater to every fucking friend that exists around my people,” Sawyer interrupted firmly, cutting her off. “And I didn’t ban her for you. I banned her because of her behavior. She disrespected me. This has nothing to do with you.”
Ellie’s chest tightened, as if a bucket of icy water had been poured over her head.
She forced a laugh to hide the embarrassment creeping onto her face. “Of course,” she muttered. “I knew it. Why would you care about me?”
But then Sawyer released her hand and leaned closer, his intense eyes locking onto hers. He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. His face was closer than ever, his voice a low murmur.
“Are you jealous?”
Ellie blinked, caught off guard. She laughed again, this time genuinely. “Jealous? No, I’m not.”
Sawyer’s expression remained unconvinced. “You aren’t allowed to be jealous of Olivia. You already know I’m waiting for her to come back, there’s no need to feel jealous. Otherwise, I might have to throw money at you again—and that would be rude.”
Ellie’s eyes sparkled as she stood up abruptly, her voice almost too eager.
Turning toward Sawyer, she immediately insisted, “No, it won’t be rude. Really. Please, throw money at me.”
Sawyer’s gaze sharpened, a skeptical frown forming as he stood up.
Caught off guard, Ellie quickly hid her excitement and her face changed, taking on a sad expression.
Her voice trembled as she spoke, and a single tear fell dramatically down her cheek.
“I mean, I understand,” she whispered, her voice quivering. “Olivia is your one true love. It’s okay if you don’t love me. I don’t mind. I’ll just take the money you give me and pretend it’s love, just to fill the emptiness somehow.” She took a shaky breath, her voice soft but earnest. “I just want to see you every day, please. That’s all I want. Just a glimpse of you. Is that okay?”
She could barely hide the thrill in her voice. ‘If I see him every day, I can keep getting more money from him.’ She thought excitedly.
Sawyer nodded, his expression solemn. He stepped closer, his gaze softening as he looked at her. Without a word, he gently wiped the tear from her cheek.
“I’ll do that,” he said, his voice low and gruff. “As long as you don’t cause trouble for me. Live obediently in my house, and I’ll make sure you’re happy as long as you’re with me.”
“Yes,” she replied eagerly, nodding. “That’s all I want.”
Sawyer’s eyes lingered on her, noting the way she stared at him with an intensity that took him by surprise. There was something in the way she looked at him—like he was the center of her universe, the only thing that mattered. She gazed at him as though him coming home every day was the only thing that she had ever wanted in life.
This girl was so consumed by love for him that he could feel the weight of it—he could barely breathe without feeling the pressure of her longing filled, affectionate gaze.
Sawyer stepped closer, his hand gently cupping her face. His head dipped slightly, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered, “I can’t give you my love, Ellie, but I can give you something more precious.”
Ellie’s eyes brightened, her heart racing with excitement. ‘What could be more precious? Bags? Diamonds? A villa? More cash?’ She felt like she might burst from the anticipation.
“Really?” she asked, her voice trembling with eagerness. “What is it?”
He locked eyes with her, a brief moment of silence between them before he answered, “My body.”
Before she could process his words, his lips crashed against hers in a deep kiss. His hand gripped the back of her neck, and the other slid around her waist, pulling her close.
Ellie froze for a moment, shocked by the suddenness of the kiss. The unfamiliar sensation overwhelmed her, and she struggled to breathe as his lips pressed harder against hers.
‘She loves me so much, she must be devastated that I keep pushing her away,’ Sawyer thought, a flicker of guilt clouding his mind. ‘I have nothing else to give her—nothing she deserves. The only compensation I can offer for all these years of unreciprocated love is my body. Let her take out her pain on me, to calm her down and help her forget about me.’
Ellie gasped for breath, but as the kiss deepened, a strange heat spread through her. His tongue slithered over her soft lips, licking and sucking on them before thrusting inside to taste more of her nectar. His scent was all over her, thick and intoxicating, and the only sound she could hear was the ragged breaths between their kisses.