LOGINAfter my boyfriend of five years dumped me for another woman, I made one reckless mistake. I spent the night with a gorgeous stranger. The next morning, I discovered he wasn’t a stranger at all. He was my ex-boyfriend’s father. Now my ex wants me back, his fiancée wants me gone, and the one man I should stay away from refuses to let me go.
View More“Elle! Get your fat ass to table seven. Now.”
I keep my expression blank, refusing to let Damien see the sting. He loves that—loves tearing me down, loves watching me squirm. I know I should walk away, tell him to go to hell, but after five years, it’s a habit I haven’t broken. I still hear the voice of the girl I was at sixteen, the one who believed she was lucky to have him. I adjust my apron, my fingers trembling slightly, and force myself to move. He knows my body only changed because of the heavy medical drugs I had to take last year to survive. The medication ruined my metabolism, but instead of supporting me, Damien used my illness as a weapon to crush my self-esteem. He takes every chance he gets to make me feel bad about my body. He doesn’t even bother to hide it anymore. He’s spent the last years making sure I know I’m not enough—not pretty enough, not thin enough, not worthy enough of him. But I stayed, didn’t I? I stayed because every cruel word was wrapped in just enough sweetness to keep me hooked. I stop in front of table seven, and my stomach drops. He is sitting there. Damien. His arm is wrapped casually around a woman I’ve never seen before. She is a tall, slim blonde, devastatingly gorgeous in a tight red dress that leaves nothing to the imagination. She looks like a high-fashion model. The complete opposite of me. Why does my boyfriend have this bimbo draped over him? But I I knew better than to ask. His malicious smile chills my blood. I should greet them, should ask them what I can get for them, but it’s like I’ve lost control over my body. What is he doing here? And who is the woman with him? “Elle. Meet Vanessa. My new girlfriend.” My knees nearly buckle. Girlfriend? “Damien, what are you talking about? We’ve been together for five years! I am your girlfriend!” Damien doesn't look guilty. Instead, he throws his head back and laughs. It is a loud, mocking sound that draws the attention of the surrounding tables. “Girlfriend?” Damien sneers, leaning forward. “Elle, look at yourself in the mirror. Did you honestly believe a man like me would actually date a girl like you?” My breath hitches. “But… the last five years… we lived together. I cooked for you, I took care of you, I gave you everything—” “You were a convenience,” he cuts me off, his voice dripping with absolute disgust. “You gave me a place to stay while I built my career. I didn’t date you, Elle. I used you. I tolerated looking at your bloated face because you were useful. But now? I have Vanessa. My charity work is officially over.” Vanessa glances up at me slowly, fake sympathy dripping from her bright red lips. “Oh, baby, be nice,” she giggles, resting her perfectly manicured hand on his chest. “Look at her, she’s completely clueless. You poor thing. Did you really think he loved you? You look so tired. And so… big.” “Five years,” I whisper, the hot tears finally spilling over my eyelashes. “I worked double shifts for you. I gave you all my savings!” “Your savings?” Damien’s grin widens into something truly monstrous. “You mean our joint account? Check your phone, Elle. I changed the passwords this morning and transferred every single dollar to my personal account. Consider it a f*e for the five years I wasted pretending to like you.” “Aww.” Vanessa reaches over and pats my trembling hand once, the way someone would pat a stray dog. “It’s okay, sweetie. Some girls just aren’t built to keep a man like him. Go back to the kitchen and cry.” I want to scream, to throw the champagne bucket at his smug face, but my body won’t move. The surrounding customers are whispering, pointing at me, laughing under their breath. I can’t breathe. I turn on my heel, drop my tray, and run. Behind me, Vanessa’s voice carries, “Oh my God, that stupid bitch really thought you were into her, huh?” I don’t make it far. The back door slams open, and I stumble into the alley, the cool night air hitting my flushed face. My hands grip the brick wall as I take deep, shaking breaths, the tears spilling faster now. Five years. He never loved me. He never even considered me his girlfriend. I was just a free bank account and a maid to him God, I’m such an idiot. The door bursts open behind me, and I flinch, expecting Damien—or worse, Vanessa. Instead, it’s my boss, his face red with frustration. “Are you serious right now, Elle?” he barks, pointing a finger at my face. “You walked off the floor on a Friday night. You dropped a tray. You're done. You're fired. Turn in your apron and get out.” “Marcus, please!” I beg, choking on my tears. “Damien just robbed me! He took everything—" “I don’t care!” Marcus snaps heartlessly. “Damien just bought a major stake in this restaurant chain. He is a VIP investor now, and his first demand was to get your ugly, crying face out of his sight. I choose profit over you. Leave.” The door slams shut in my face, locking with a heavy click. Fired. Just like that. Before I can even process the shock, my phone buzzes violently in my apron pocket. With shaking fingers, I pull it out. Two notifications stare back at me. From Landlord: Elle, Damien called to remove his name from the apartment lease. Since you have no proof of income and the rent is overdue, you are being evicted. My men are throwing your things onto the street right now. With a racing heart, I quickly open my online banking app, praying for a miracle. The screen loads. Account Balance: $0.00 I have no boyfriend. I have no job. I have no home. I have literally not a single dollar to my name. They have stripped me of my money, my dignity, and my life. I wipe the remaining tears from my face, my posture straightening. My trembling hands tighten into rock-hard fists. They think this is my end. But I swear to God, I will make them pay for every single tear.I wrapped my arms around myself, Adrian's shirt soft against my bruised wrists.Damien lingered in the doorway, eyes crawling over me in his father's clothes. "You can choose to end this now, Elle. Come back to me while I am still forgiving."My skin crawled but I forced a brave face. "The only place you'll see me is court. When I tell them exactly what you did."His smile turned cruel. "Your word against mine, baby. And we both know who they'll believe.""Get out."He blew me a kiss before following his mother.Beth hurried to my side the moment they left. "Mrs. Blackwell, are you alright?""Fine." My voice sounded hollow even to my own ears.Marla stepped closer, concern painted on her face. "Perhaps you should rest. You've had a shock."I looked at her—really looked at her. She is now playing the concerned servant."Get out of my face Marla." I stepped closer. "Before I slap the living daylights out of your face."Her eyes widened filling up with unshed tears. "I'm sure I don't kno
ElleAdrian's arms were steel bands around me as sobs wracked my body. I couldn't stop shaking, the memory of Damien's hands still burning on my skin."Let me see." Adrian's voice was lethal as he gently pulled back, examining my wrists. Dark bruises were already forming where Damien had pinned me.His jaw clenched. "I should have killed him.""I'm fine—""You're not fucking fine." His fingers traced the torn edge of my shirt. "He touched you."I shivered, but not from cold this time."And why the hell are you soaked?" His eyes narrowed, taking in my drenched clothes."Marla." I tried for a smile but it wobbled. "Apparently I needed a shower."His expression darkened. "What did she do?""Nothing I can't handle." "Elle.""Really, I—" My voice cracked and fresh tears spilled."Come here." He scooped me up like I weighed nothing, heading for the stairs. Tom quickly looked away as we passed, but I caught the concern in his eyes."Adrian—""Shut up and let me take care of you."I pressed
Elle"What do you want?" I wrapped my arms around myself, too aware of how the wet shirt clung to my skin. "Why are you here this early morning?"He crouched in front of me, close enough that I caught the familiar scent of his cologne. The same one he'd worn when we—Stop."You know why. I know you would be up by this time and I want to talk to you before everyone wakes up." His voice was soft. Almost gentle. The way it used to be, before he turned to Vanessa."Don't." I shifted away but the tree blocked my escape."Elle." He reached out, fingers hovering near my cheek but not touching. Not yet. "You're shivering.""I'm fine." "Here." He shrugged off his jacket. "Let me—""I said I'm fine." But my teeth chattered, betraying me.He draped the jacket over my shoulders anyway. "I miss you." The words ghosted across my skin. "Every day, I miss you."I moved to stand but he caught my wrist. "Damien—""I made a mistake." His thumb stroked over my pulse point. An achingly familiar gesture.
Elle The morning air bit at my cheeks as I jogged through the private gardens, my feet pounding against the gravel path in a steady rhythm with my racing thoughts. Last night replayed in my head - his hands, his mouth, the way he'd pulled away just when I wanted more.Asshole.Two could play at that game. If he thought he could just walk away after a kiss like that...My plan to work up a satisfying amount of righteous anger derailed when I spotted Marla watering roses by the fountain. Great. Just what I needed - Adrian's oh-so-devoted housekeeper with her perfect makeup at 7 AM.I slipped past her ,completed another lap turned to begin a new one. I just rounded the corner and collided with a wall of ice-cold water. "Oh!" Marla's shocked gasp would have won her an Oscar. "Mrs. Blackwell, I'm so sorry! I was just watering the roses and absolutely didn't see you..."I wiped water from my eyes, my thin running top now completely soaked through. "Really? Because the roses are behind you
ElleI sidestepped Tom who waited by the car. "And fuck his rules."I flagged down a taxi instead, ignoring Tom's concerned calls. The driver raised an eyebrow as I slid into the backseat, makeup streaked down my face."Rough day?""You have no idea." I rattled off Sophia's address, already fumblin
ElleMy heels clicked against the scuffed floor as I headed for the stairs. The elevator had been "temporarily out of order" for months - another casualty of tight budgets.Second floor. Third. Fourth.Each step brought back memories. Me doing homework in the break room while Mom worked late. The C
Elle The next morning, I wanted to die. Not literally. But close enough."Fuck," I groaned, rolling over to bury my face in the pillow. Memories from last night crashed through my hangover – the closet, the clothes, Adrian's hands on my waist...I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, willing the me
AdrianShe stood with her hands clasped in front of her, her face a careful mask of obedience.I closed the door behind me, slowly.Her back stiffened."Sit." Marla perched on the edge of the chair, looking nothing like the woman who'd begged me for this job three years ago.I moved to my desk, un












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