Chapter 6

“Oh, Enzo—yes! Kiss me hard—”

That bitch.

She was on top of him, back arched, face flushed with lust. And she said that loud enough for me to hear.

His hands were on her. His mouth on her neck. She moaned, clinging to him like he was hers.

He ripped the strap of her dress down her shoulder. His back was to me. He couldn’t see me standing there. Couldn’t see the way my world cracked into shards with every groan that left his mouth.

Please look at me, Enzo. Please.

I begged silently.

But he didn’t turn.

She wouldn’t let him.

I stood frozen on the stairs.

Statue still. Breathless.

I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe.

I watched her drop to her knees.

I watched her mouth wrap around him.

My stomach turned. My throat burned.

He groaned—groaned—and grabbed a fistful of her hair. His hips moved like this was something he’d done with her before. Like it meant nothing.

She smirked at me. That bitch smirked.

She saw me. And she made damn sure I saw her.

My tears fell without permission.

I didn’t care.

I hated her.

I hated him.

But I couldn’t scream. Couldn’t stop it.

My body wouldn’t listen.

What if I called him? Would he stop?

Or would he just fuck her harder?

I turned away, bile crawling up my throat.

But the universe wasn’t done humiliating me. I tripped, knees hitting the marble floor hard.

“Ah—!”

Pain shot through my leg. My ankle twisted wrong.

I tried to stand—

Fell again.

Shit. I think I sprained it.

“Evelyn?!”

No.

No no no—shit. He saw me.

I couldn’t face him like this. Not now. Not with tears on my face and her spit on his dick.

I tried to hobble away.

Fast. As fast as I could.

“Ahh—!” I winced. My ankle throbbed, white-hot.

“Wait! Let me—!” he shouted, and then I felt him—his arms around me.

“No—it’s fine—”

But he ignored me, like always.

He lifted me in bridal style, strong and effortless, like I was something breakable. His arm curled around my waist, his face tight with concern. Not a word about her. Not a glance back.

She called out for him.

“Enzo—”

He didn’t even look at her.

Straight into his room.

My heart thudded wildly in my chest. I stared at his face the whole way. Watched the little twitch in his jaw, the flicker in his eyes. Tension. Silence.

He laid me gently on his bed.

Then turned and walked out.

“W-wait—”

Is he going back to her?

Is he mad that I interrupted them?

He didn’t say a word to me. Not even one.

My eyes stung. My chest ached.

I shouldn’t have come.

He has a fiancée now.

I’m so fucking stupid.

But then—

He returned. With a bowl of ice in his hands.

No Carol.

Just him.

I let out a shaky breath.

He didn’t go to her.

He came back to me.

Tears slipped down, silent and sharp, but I wiped them away before he noticed.

He sat at the edge of the bed. Gently took my leg into his lap.

“Is it hurting here?”

I nodded.

He started unstrapping my heels.

“Who told you to wear heels this high?”

I blinked, eyes darting from his hands to his face.

“Huh?”

“It was by accident,” I stammered.

“You wore them by accident?” His voice was dry. Flat.

“No—I meant the fall—”

He looked at me then. Right into me.

Expression unreadable. Cold. Almost… hollow.

“When did you come?”

He placed the ice gently on my ankle.

“You should’ve called.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You should be.”

That hit harder than it should have. Like a slap without sound.

I met his eyes. My voice cracked.

“I didn’t know you’d be this late. If I had, I would've been gone…”

Still, he said nothing.

Just stared.

“Tell Carol I said sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t mean to ruin your night—”

My voice broke. Tears escaped.

I couldn’t finish the sentence.

The silence that followed was suffocating. The only sound was the raging beat of my heart.

“I—I…”

And then—his arms wrapped around me.

He pulled me into him.

He was hugging me?

“I didn’t mean to disturb you both—”

“Stop. RIGHT. THERE.”

His voice cracked like a whip. Final. Fierce.

Like he couldn’t take hearing another word.