Playing With Fire

Gabrielle's POV

And with that, I stormed out of the event hall, my heels clicking loudly on the marble floor as if they, too, were expressing my fury.

I didn’t care who saw me or what they thought. My heart was pounding in my chest like it was trying to escape, and I could feel the heat rising in my neck, my teeth chattering.

I was angry, deeply hurt, and worst of all, I felt like a fool. I felt betrayed, disappointed, humiliated, and completely used.

How could I have been so blind? How could I not have seen the signs? Aiden. That name rang in my ears like a haunting echo.

Aiden.

The man I had almost trusted, not knowing he was playing a game. A dirty, calculated, heartless game.

What made it worse, what truly made me sick to my stomach, was that I had heard about Aiden for years.

Ethan never stopped talking about him. He constantly brought him up in conversation. "My uncle is a perfectionist," he would say. "My uncle is so cold, but he always gets the job done."

"My uncle built this company from the ground up." Blah blah blah. Every single time, I listened patiently. Maybe one day I’d meet this uncle Ethan worshipped like a god.

I used to be curious, even excited, to meet the man who had supposedly shaped Ethan’s business ethics.

But each time I brought it up, "When will I get to meet your uncle, Ethan?" he found a new excuse. Always. Without fail. "He's out of town," he'd say. Or, "He's swamped with work this week."

Sometimes he'd tell me he didn’t want to mix business and family. Other times, he just brushed it off, changed the subject, or suddenly remembered we had dinner plans and whisked me away before I could ask again.

And every time, I bought it like a fool. I let it go. I convinced myself that maybe it just wasn't the right time. I trusted Ethan, and I didn’t push. I didn’t want to seem desperate to impress his family.

Little did I know, I had just met Aiden. Not as my husband’s uncle. Not as a family member, I should respect. But as a businessman.

A stranger.

Someone who pretended to see me for who I was: a rising designer with passion and drive. Not knowing his agenda was to hand my designs over to his nephew behind my back.

Not just any nephew. Ethan. My husband. The same man who was supposed to protect me, love me, and support me. Instead, he teamed up with his uncle and stabbed me in the back.

He didn’t just cheat on me with another woman; he stole from me. He let his family manipulate me. He let them pretend that I mattered, while all along, I was just a stepping stone for their success.

Fuck.

Gabrielle.

How could you allow this to happen? How could you be so naïve? I didn’t even realize I had stopped walking. I was just standing there, somewhere outside the venue, in the cold night air, staring blankly at nothing.

My vision blurred as hot tears welled up in my eyes and spilled down my cheeks. I wasn’t just crying, I was sobbing.

I didn't even try to stop the tears; I let them out uncontrollably.

The lies.

The deceit.

The betrayal. Everything came pouring out at once.

And then the worst part hit me again, like a knife twisting in my chest as I remembered that Ethan wasn’t just a liar. He was a cheater.

And not just with any woman, but with Lila. My best friend. The same Lila who held my hand through my wedding planning.

The same Lila who wiped away my tears when Ethan and I had our first big argument. The same Lila who told me she loved me like a sister.

Now she was carrying his child. She was pregnant. With my husband’s baby. I felt like the world had turned upside down. My entire three years of marriage had been a lie.

A complete waste of time, energy, love, and loyalty. I gave him everything, my heart, my dreams, my trust. And what did he give me in return? Lies. Pain. Humiliation.

Ethan, you started this.

And I swear, with every breath in my body, you, your precious mistress, and your deceptive uncle will pay for what you've done to me.

You hurt me once. You hurt me twice.

But not anymore.

Now I won't be the one to shed tears anymore, you will be the one.

Two days later, after getting dressed, I took a final glance at my reflection before stepping out of the room. Walking my way out of the mansion, my phone buzzed. I took a glance at it and saw a text message from Ethan.

“What does he want?” I mumbled, ignoring the message.

Outside the mansion, I hopped into my car. Ethan and Aidan want to play me right. But they shouldn't. I will be the one to play them. With speed, I drove out of the mansion, making my way to Aidan’s company.

Not long after, I got to his company. Inside, I made my way to the elevator. Soon, I stepped out of the elevator and into the top floor of his office, immediately overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of it all.

Floor-to-ceiling windows lined the massive office space, offering a breathtaking view of the city skyline.

It was intimidating but I don’t care about this now.

I approached the front desk, where a striking blonde woman in a fitted black dress sat, typing away on a sleek computer. Her nameplate read Miriam Nelson.

I cleared my throat. "Hi. I have an appointment with Aidan Voss. Miriam barely glanced up. "Name?"

"Gabriella Sabathia."

The second I said my name, Miriam’s fingers froze over the keyboard. Slowly, she looked up, her icy blue eyes narrowing.

As she opened her mouth to speak, a deep masculine voice cut through.

We both turned.

Aidan stood at the entrance of his office, his piercing gaze locked onto his secretary. His suit was immaculate, his presence commanding, and the slight edge in his tone made Miriam’s expression shift instantly.

"Is there a problem?" Aidan asked, his voice calm but deep.

Miriam straightened, her professional mask sliding back into place. "Not at all, Mr Voss."

I walked up to Aidan with a smile. Staring at him, I noticed he was confused and was surprised to see me after what happened the other day.

“Can I come in?” I whispered in his ear.

“I..y-yes-sure,” he stuttered.

I rolled my eyes and made my way inside. I sat down in one of the plush leather chairs opposite Aidan’s desk, trying to appear composed despite the tension crackling between us.

Aidan took his seat behind the massive glass desk, his sharp blue eyes watching me with quiet intensity. He leaned back, completely at ease, while I felt like my entire body was on high alert.

"So," Aidan began, breaking the silence. "Why are you here? I thought you didn’t want us to work anymore."

"Yes, I remember walking out, out of anger, and I'm here for us to continue what we were discussing," I uttered, and he relaxed on the chair, gazing at me with an unreadable expression.

He looked so relaxed and comfortable, gazing at me.

"I don't think I could remember what we were discussing," He asserted, and I slowly stood up, walking around his office as my heels clicked against the marble floor.

I stopped walking when I got to his desk. I stood in front of his desk as I leaned forward, smiling.

"Do you mind having lunch with me?" I asked, while gazing at me.

And he smiled at me in amusement. "No."

My hand almost lost its balance on his desk as his response took me off guard.

I wasn't expecting it

But why no?

To be continued…