8| Don’t forget I’m the boss here Adrian

**MONICA**

I slammed my hand onto the table, making Adrian flinch. “ I SAID WHAT IS THIS?” I demanded, trying to hold back my anger a little before I’ll end up doing something stupid.

He took a slow drag from his cigarette, blowing the smoke to my phone. “Calm down, Monica. It’s just a video.”

“JUST A VIDEO?!” I shouted, leaning across the table. “You look like a fool, and now I look like a fool! Do you even realize this could ruin everything?”

He raised an eyebrow, smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Ruined what? Your precious fan base?”

“Yes! Exactly that!” I snapped. “Do you even care how this looks to them? My fans could see this and think my fiancé is chasing another woman. And me, the public figure, the woman trying to keep a clean image.. here you are, caught on video, acting like some… some amateur action star!”

He laughed, a low, dangerous sound. “Amateur? You’re overreacting. I didn’t care about the cameras. I only cared about Lisa.”

I blinked at him. “WHAT?”

“I said it. I only cared about Lisa when she… when she agreed to go with me. You’re overthinking it. Everyone’s making a big deal about nothing. I wanted to hurt her anyways.”

I shook my head, trying to process him. “You… you only cared about HER? My fiancé is saying he wanted to hurt her? And me, along side right.”

“Not you,” he corrected, leaning back in his chair. “I wanted to hurt Lisa. That’s the truth. And I wanted to hurt my brother too. I wanted him to feel it too. Lisa’s the only way to do so…

I felt my blood boil. “You’re insane.”

“Maybe,” he said, flicking the ash from his cigarette.

I slammed my hand on the table again. “Adrian, you are divorced. You’re not supposed to be wandering around Lisa like some predator! And now… now there’s proof!”

He shrugged, calm as if shrugging could erase a viral scandal. “Proof that she slapped me? Congratulations, Monica, you’re officially part of the show too. You should thank her. Gives you more publicity than you’ve had in months.”

I leaned in, voice dropping low but fierce. “You don’t understand. This is bigger than publicity. This could make my fans say *I’m the one losing my fiancé to another woman.* And you know what? You’re not supposed to be involved with her! You were never meant to be near her again.”

He leaned closer, matching my intensity, my eyes hard and dark. “Maybe that’s exactly why I am near her. Because you think I shouldn’t be. Because you think I’m loyal to you or some kind of ideal. I’m not. I don’t care about loyalty. I only care about… control. And Lisa was the easiest way to get at you. The easiest way to make my brother squirm. You think this is about her? It’s not.”

I felt my chest tighten, my fingers curling into fists. “You are despicable.”

“And yet,” he said smoothly, “here we are. And she’s laughing at you behind her selfie. Did you see it? Did you see the video? She’s smiling the whole time. And you… you’re sitting here, furious, and powerless.”

“You’re disgusting,” I repeated. “And if anyone finds out about this… if my fans think…!

“Then they’ll think exactly what you said: that your fiancé is trying to be with another woman. But that’s your problem, Monica, not mine. I don’t care what they think. I care about causing her pain and I’ll make it work sooner or later.

I slammed my hands over my face. “I can’t believe I fell for someone like you.”

“You shouldn’t have,” he said softly, almost mockingly tender. “Trust is dangerous. Especially in my world. You don’t get trust, Monica. You get lessons. And lesson one? People only hurt you if they can.”

I whirled on him, eyes blazing. “I’m done listening to your twisted reasoning. You..”

“And you,” he interrupted, “are done pretending you have any control. That’s why you’re here, screaming at me while your fans probably rewatch the video ten times.”

I felt a shiver run through me…. not fear exactly, but fury. “You’re sick. And you know it.”

He leaned back, lighting another cigarette. “Maybe I am. But at least I’m honest about it. Can’t say the same for Lisa. She’s a liar. She slapped me. She smiled while she hit me. And you? You’re just realizing the world isn’t as neat as your little perfect life made it.”

I laughed, bitter and sharp. “Perfect life? You mean the life I built thinking I was with someone I could trust? That life? Gone. You and her made sure of that.”

“And that’s the point,” he said, calmly. “Lisa wasn’t supposed to be the hero. She wasn’t supposed to survive the day without me having the upper hand. But here she is. Slapping me in public… and now there is a Viral video. And what’s your part? Watching from the sidelines, powerless, furious, frustrated, humiliated. That’s what happens when people get greedy.”

I glared at him. “You’re disgusting. And manipulative. And I swear…”

“Swear all you want,” he interrupted, standing and pacing slowly. “You can’t undo what’s done. That video exists. That slap exists. And Lisa… she exists. And she’s stronger than you think.”

I froze, heart hammering. “…Stronger than me?”

“ Adrian!!!!! “

“ I promised not to remind you of this once you divorce Lisa but you are pushing me to the end Adrian.”

He froze instantly as he knew where I was heading.

“ You don’t have to threaten me, like I said I’m only trying to hurt her.” He said leaving me in the room.

Even though he didn’t really show it, I know how scared Adrian was when I almost reminded him of his sins.

“ Dont forget I’m the boss here Adrian…” I said curling my lips into a thin wicked smile.

ADRIAN

She didn’t have to remind me of that.. she went against her words. I should have expected it from Monica anyways. She has always been a snake.

I stepped into my car, whipping the snow that came with the night and zooming off to the nearest bar to get some drink. Somewhere far away from Monica for the mean time.

I really need to get my thoughts out of this.