He Chose Her Joke, I Chose His Ruin Chapter 04

He Chose Her Joke, I Chose His Ruin Chapter 04

Celeste thought I was breaking. Her eyes lit up.

“Adrian, isn’t she about to cry?”

“She knew I couldn’t keep up the pretense.”

She aimed her phone at me. “Come on, Elena. Say it into the lens-say you were wrong.”

“Admit you’re not good enough for Adrian, and I’ll unlock the door.”

I looked at her. “Celeste Shaw, are you sure you want to keep going?”

She blinked, then sneered. “At this point, you’re still threatening me?”

“Elena, do you really think you’re still that terrifying Executive VP of Vale Group?”

“Your position? Adrian gave it to you. He can take it back just as easily.”

I straightened slowly.

“Then ask him-can Vale Group still take back my position tonight?”

A shadow passed through Adrian’s eyes. “Elena, what’s that supposed to mean?”

I stared at him through the rain. “It means you’d better pray I walk out of here unharmed.”

“Or tomorrow there will be no engagement party, only a liquidation hearing..”

The crowd laughed again.

They thought I was bluffing.

Celeste doubled over, giggling. “A liquidation hearing? Exactly whom do you plan to audit, Elena? The Vale

family?”

“Girl, the hypothermia’s clearly addled your brain.”

Adrian’s face darkened. “Enough.”

He looked up at me, voice dropping. “Don’t overestimate yourself.”

“Every project you’ve handled belongs to Vale Group.”

“Every connection you forged came courtesy of our family’s platform.”

“Without Vale Group, you’re nobody.”

I looked at him.

The last shred of pain in my chest burned to ash.

“Fine.”

“Adrian, let’s find out tomorrow.”

“Who becomes nobody once we’re apart.”

Celeste hated that look in my eye.

She wanted tears. Begging. Me stripped of dignity in front of everyone.

I gave her none.

Her smile faded. “Still holding on, Elena?”

She handed her umbrella to someone else and walked to the electronic lock herself.

“Since you won’t apologize, let’s raise the stakes.”

She pressed another button.

Motorized blackout shades descended around the conservatory.

Thick, heavy fabric swallowed the glass walls.

Light vanished. My breathing hitched.

Trapped in tight confines, swallowed by darkness and ceaseless pouring water.

The three things crashed down on me at once. Darkness swam at the edges of my vision.

Celeste peered through the final gap. “Weren’t you going to audit us? Start by walking out of there.”

The shades sealed shut.

The space plunged into dim flickering light-faulty bulbs flickering sporadically.

Water kept falling.

Each splash echoed just like the floodwater seeping into the abandoned warehouse all those years ago.

I heard my mother’s voice.

“Elena, crawl out.”

“Don’t look back.”

I bit down hard on my lip. The taste of iron flooded my mouth.

I wouldn’t break. Not here. Not for them.

I groped my way to the corner.

A hefty ornamental iron plant stand stood in the corner.

I heaved it up and swung.

The first blow split the glass with a spiderwebbed crack.

Outside, someone shouted, “Is she insane?”

“That’s bulletproof glass-she’ll never break it.”

“Elena, stop embarrassing yourself. Just apologize.”

I didn’t stop.

Second swing.

Third.

My wrist went numb, blood from my lacerated palm blending with the cold spray pooling across the floor.

The cracks spread.

Celeste’s voice turned shrill. “Elena, don’t! If that glass shatters, you’ll get hurt!”

I laughed, cold and breathless. “Now you’re worried about me getting hurt?”

Her face paled. She whipped around to Adrian. “Adrian, she’s really going to break it!”

Adrian’s jaw tightened. “Elena, stop. You’re only making this worse.”

I raised the iron frame and brought it down one final time.

Crash.

The door splintered.

Cold air rushed in.

I kicked out, shattering the jagged remains.