Chapter twenty-two
~ELANA~
I’m suffocating. Each breath is a struggle, my chest tight with pain that threatens to consume me.
I pace the building’s huge, dimly lit lobby, casting fleeting glances outside where rain pelts the street and trees dance in the wind.
I can’t stay here. I can’t bear to witness more of what I’ve seen.
Her hand on his knee, her lips on his—a confirmation of all the doubts and fears that had gnawed at me, that she planted in me. Everything she said is true.
The pain in my chest deepens, and I struggle to remain upright, to resist the urge to crumble. How stupid was I to believe that Adrian could ever settle for me? Hot tears trace paths down my cheeks, and I hastily brush them away with the back of my hand.
I need to leave. I need to call a taxi and go somewhere, anywhere but here.
But my keys, my money—they’re all upstairs.
I can’t face it; I can’t face him. I can’t bring myself to think about what I’d see if I go back in there.
He’ll notice my absence soon. When he’s done…
doing whatever he’s doing with her, he’ll notice that I’m gone, and I need to be far, far away when he does.
The ding of the elevator interrupts the quiet of the lobby, and my heart lurches in my chest. Adrian? I turn, my gaze fixated on the sliding doors, only to find her standing there. Victoria.
“What do we have here?” Her voice cuts through the silence like a blade, dripping with malice as she regards me with that twisted smile. Instinctively, I draw myself tighter, recoiling from her gaze.
“Leave me alone,” I warn, my voice cracking.
Victoria strides forward, her steps deliberate and filled with wicked pride as she closes the distance between us.
“Stupid, poor little thing. You really thought he’d choose you?” Victoria’s words slice through the air like shards of glass, each one laced with disdain and contempt. “I hope now you finally realize that you’re nothing, Elana. Nothing but a passing fancy, a temporary distraction.”
I want to protest, to refute her venomous claims, but her words bear down on me, crushing any semblance of resistance. The doubts that lurked in the shadows of my mind now emerge, amplified by everything I’ve seen and heard.
“I think now you know Adrian will never choose you,” she continues, her voice dripping with scorn.
“You are simply another plaything, easily discarded when he grows bored. Tell me, was it at least good? Did he fuck you the way you imagined he would? I can give you a list of na?ve women he loved to fuck until they were all used up, and he got rid of them. Perhaps you all could compare notes with each other?”
Fuck you. Leave me alone. Tears blur my vision as I struggle to maintain composure, to hold on to some semblance of dignity in the face of her relentless assault.
“Not feeling talkative today? That’s unfortunate.” She fake pouts and throws a look outside.
I will not break in front of her. I will not show her weakness. I will my legs to hold on for a moment longer and plead with my eyes to swallow back the tears.
“I don’t want to keep my driver waiting. Have a lovely evening.” Finally, Victoria turns and leaves, her departure as swift and cold as her arrival. Her car waits outside, and as the doors finally slide shut behind her, I crumple to the floor, unable to hold my weight any longer.
Alone in the dimly lit lobby, I allow my tears to escape, my sobs echoing off the walls as I cling to the cold, unforgiving ground.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I fish it out.
Adrian’s name pops up on the screen. Now that Victoria’s left, he’s definitely noticed my absence.
I can’t bear to face Adrian—not now, not like this.
I hear the elevator’s gears move as it begins its ascent.
He’s coming. Panic grips me, urging me to flee, to escape him.
Without another thought, I rise and run out the double doors.
Shit. I’m blinded by the rain for a moment, the wind blowing it in my face.
I pull the hood of my jacket over my head, shielding myself.
With a muttered curse, I break into a run, the cold water mingling with my tears as I blur the world around me.
I don’t know where I’m going; I only need to be anywhere but here.
The rain pelts down harder, soaking me to the bone, but I press on, running along the sidewalk. Each step takes me farther from the building, farther from Adrian. I have to get somewhere dry.
Lilly! Yes, I can call Lilly.
I dart into a narrow alleyway, hoping to find some shelter from the storm. Huddled beneath a small overhang, I fumble for my phone, fingers trembling with cold and all the emotions running through me. With wet, shaky hands, I unlock my phone.
But before I can hit the call button, a sinking feeling washes over me as I catch sight of a familiar figure approaching through the veil of rain. No. No. No. My heart lurches in my chest as Carson emerges from the mist, his smirk slicing through the darkness like a blade.
Cursing under my breath, I shrink back against the cold, damp wall, my instincts screaming at me to flee. But it’s too late. Carson’s wicked smile widens as he draws nearer, his eyes gleaming maliciously.
“Caught in the rain, are we?” he drawls, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I grit my teeth and steel myself against the wall, my hands clenching into fists at my sides.
“Carson?” I choke out, my voice trembling with fear and defiance. Why the hell is he here? Has he been following me?
His smirk widens into a predatory grin as he steps closer.
“I’ve finally caught you without your guard dog,” he purrs, his tone oozing with malice. “Lucky me.”
My stomach churns with dread. I swallow hard, my mind racing for a way to escape. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to try anything. He can’t be.
But as Carson draws closer, his eyes alight with something sinister, I realize there’s nowhere left to run. Shit.
“How did you find me?” I will my voice to be steady but fail miserably.
“You can’t find something that you don’t let out of sight. I’ve been watching, Elana. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to get you alone, away from that motherfucker who broke my nose just for talking to you.”
“You’ve been following me?” I demand, my voice trembling. He’s been watching me. How much of my breakdown in the lobby did he see?
Carson shrugs nonchalantly, his smirk widening into a menacing grin.
“Let’s say I’ve been keeping an eye on things, you know? Waiting for the perfect opportunity to come say hi without that bastard around. I wonder what happened to get you running out like that. Did he make you do fucked-up shit? I wouldn’t be surprised. After all, his reputation precedes him.”
Every fiber of my being recoils at his callous words, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I step back, the cold brick wall pressing against my spine even more as I struggle to maintain my composure.
“What do you want from me, Carson?” I hiss, hoping he doesn’t hear the fear in my voice.
He steps closer, his gaze piercing through me.
“What does Adrian have that I don’t?” he murmurs. “What makes him so special that you fucked him instead of me?”
I swallow hard, my mind racing for a response, a way to diffuse the tension before it escalates any further. But as Carson looms closer, his breath hot against my skin, I realize there’s no reasoning with him, no escape from whatever scenario he’s made up in his mind.
“Why are you doing all of this? Because you want me back? Do you really think you’ll get me back by harassing me?” I snap, my voice trembling with suppressed fury. “Leave me alone, Carson!”
But Carson merely chuckles, his eyes glinting with sadistic amusement.
“Oh, I intend to,” he purrs, his hand reaching out to brush against my cheek. “But first, I think it’s time we had a little chat about old times and what you refused to do with me. About what you do with him.”
As Carson’s hand grazes my cheek, a wave of revulsion courses through me, his touch igniting a primal instinct to flee.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I retort, even though dread creeps up my spine. “We have nothing to say to each other.”
Carson’s lips curl into a predatory smile, his gaze darkening with malice as he takes another step closer, trapping me against the cold brick wall.
“Oh, I think you’ll find there’s plenty to talk about,” he murmurs, his breath hot against my skin. “After all, you and I are never finished. And we still have so many unfinished things I want to do.”
My heart hammers in my chest as his words send a chill through my body. He wouldn’t dare. It’s a lie, but I keep repeating it anyway. I push against the wall, desperate to put some distance between us, but Carson’s grip tightens, his fingers digging into my arms with bruising force.
“Let me go,” I demand, my voice cracking. “You have no right to touch me.”
He only laughs, the sound ringing with sinister amusement as he leans in closer, his lips hovering dangerously close to mine.
“I have every right, Elana,” he whispers, his voice dripping with malice. “You belong to me. And now, I’m going to show you just how much.”
The blood drains from my face as his words hit me like a physical blow, the realization of what he’s planning on doing crashing over me like a tidal wave. Panic surges through me, fueling a desperate need to escape, to break free.
“Get away from me,” I hiss, my voice trembling with rage as I summon every ounce of strength I have left. With a surge of adrenaline, I bring my knee to his balls with so much force I feel my knee slam against bone.
“Fuck!” Carson shrieks and stumbles to the ground, but before I can step away from him, his hand clamps down on my leg.
I steel myself, ready for another kick, this one aimed at his head. But before he can lay another hand on me, a sudden blur of movement catches me off-guard.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see a large male figure charging toward us with a ferocity I’ve never witnessed before. Adrian. With a swift and powerful punch, he lands a devastating blow to Carson’s jaw, sending him staggering backward with a grunt of pain.
“You piece of fucking shit!” Before Carson can recover, Adrian lunges at him with relentless fury.
The two of them lock in a violent struggle amidst the pouring rain.
Each blow is met with an equal measure of resistance as they grapple with one another, the sound of their grunts and curses echoing through the alley.
“Sir!” I see Mac running towards us. “Mr. Morgan!” he yells at Adrian, trying to pull him back. “Adrian, stop!”
But Adrian doesn’t listen. I don’t even think he hears Mac or feels his hands on him.
Frozen in place, I watch in disbelief as Adrian unleashes a torrent of punches, his normally composed demeanor replaced by something purely animalistic.
Finally, with a decisive blow, Adrian delivers a knockout punch that sends Carson crumpling to the ground, unconscious and defeated. Breathing heavily, Adrian stands over Carson, his chest heaving as he surveys the scene. His eyes meet Mac’s.
“Sir, step back.” Mac pushes him to the side, and Adrian obliges.
Without hesitation, he rushes to my side.
But as he reaches out to me in the rain, his concerned expression softened by the gentle glow of the streetlights, I can’t help but recoil instinctively.
The memory of him and Victoria flashes through my mind like a bolt of lightning, igniting a storm of emotions in me.
“Stay away from me,” I choke out, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. “I don’t want your help. I want nothing from you.”
He blinks at me. There’s nothing but pain in his eyes as he looks at me, his hair dripping. He steps closer, his hand outstretched in a silent plea.
“Elana, please. Let me take you home. What you saw… I’ll explain everything. Let’s go home.”
“I said no.” I shake my head stubbornly.
“Elana, let’s go.” His tone turns sharper.
“I’ll call Lilly. I don’t want to come with you after what I saw.”
A flicker of something cold flashes across Adrian’s features. His jaw clenched. “Fine,” he says through gritted teeth. “If that's how you want it.”
Before I can react, Adrian scoops me up in his arms with surprising ease, his strength leaving me powerless to resist.
“Put me down!” I protest, kicking and squirming in a futile attempt to break free.
“Mac,” he turns to the older gentleman kneeling beside Carson.
“Take her home, sir. I’ll call an ambulance for this one.” Mac nods and turns back to Carson, lying unconscious on the wet ground.
Adrian ignores my protests, his grip firm as he carries me back to his car.
“We’re going home,” he says firmly, his voice cutting through the sound of the rain as he deposits me unceremoniously into the passenger seat.
As he climbs into the driver's seat beside me, I glare at him.
“You could have killed him,” I seethe.
But Adrian merely smirks in response.
“And you may have ended his chance of having kids,” he says, his tone tinged with a hint of amusement as he starts the engine and pulls away from the curb, leaving the rainy alley behind us as we head back to his penthouse.