He Chose Her Joke, I Chose His Ruin Chapter 05

He Chose Her Joke, I Chose His Ruin Chapter 05

Shards of glass sliced my calf, agony blurring my sight.

I didn’t stop.

I kicked the door until I’d smashed a hole wide enough to climb through.

Ducking down, I scrambled free, jagged glass slashing my shoulder.

Blood streamed down my soaked gown.

The terrace went silent.

They hadn’t expected me to break out.

Celeste Shaw instinctively stepped back. “Elena, what are you doing?”

I seized her wrist.

She screamed. “Adrian! Help me!”

Adrian finally strode forward. “Elena, let her go.”

I looked up at him. “Did you hear me when I asked you to save me?”

He faltered.

Celeste sobbed dramatically. “It was just a joke-now she’s attacking me! Adrian, I’m terrified!”

Adrian’s expression chilled. “Elena, don’t escalate this.”

I stared at him. “Escalate?”

“She illegally imprisoned me, locked me inside, activated the sprinklers and exploited my trauma for public

sport.”

“And let every guest film and circulate the footage”

“And you’re telling me not to escalate?”

Adrian lowered his voice. “Everyone here tonight is someone of status. A scandal helps no one.”

I laughed. “You’re afraid of a scandal?”

“Too late.”

He didn’t understand.

Then rapid footsteps echoed from the terrace entrance.

A squad of private security in black uniforms poured in, sealing every exit.

Behind them, my assistant Ava walked calmly through the rain, holding an umbrella. Two lawyers flanked

her, followed by the hotel manager.

The manager’s face was ghost-white as he rushed to me. “Elena, I apologize-our security failed you. We’ve

contacted the police. All surveillance backups are secured.”

Adrian froze. “Elena?”

The manager glanced at him, voice tight. “Mr. Vale, this hotel is owned by Elena’s Starlight Capital.”

Dead silence.

Celeste’s sobs caught in her throat.

The guests who’d been filming. me stood rigid, phones lowering one by one.

Shock flickered across Adrian’s face. “Since when do you own this hotel?”

I released Celeste and shrugged on the coat Ava handed me.

“There’s a lot you don’t know.”

Starlight Capital’s holdings were structured via a network of shell companies-details he’d never bothered to

ask about, because he never thought I was capable of owning anything significant.

He’d assumed I was just his deputy. He never saw I’d spent years laying out escape financial fallback routes.

Adrian stared at me like I was a stranger.

Of course he didn’t recognize me.

He only knew I was an orphan from a remote, little-known out-of-state town.

He didn’t know the small factory my mother left behind had grown into a core supplier of advanced

materials.

He credited me only for securing successive rounds of financing for Vale Group.

He didn’t know the capital behind those funds was tied to me.

He only knew I served as Executive VP.

He’d forgotten the three most profitable projects at Vale Group-the core patents and critical supply agreements-were all signed under my company’s name.

I’d never flaunted it.

Because I’d genuinely wanted to help him.

But sincerity wasn’t an invitation for him to trample me.

My lawyer approached. “Elena, the police will arrive in five minutes.”

“We’ve filed evidence preservation orders for all unapproved footage captured tonight.”

“Anyone who deletes footage will face obstruction charges.”