This Is What She Chose

The door slammed.Ivette slapped me."I only gave him the pigment to make it up to him. Now you've scared him off—happy? Since you clearly don't respect me, forget the wedding. I'll deal with Jerick first and come back to it later!"The look in her eyes—pure disgust—hit colder than her slap.Everything I'd done for her, everything I took on... none of it mattered. Not compared to Jerick pouting.She turned to leave.I grabbed my phone. "Cut all ties with Bianchi Corp."Ten minutes later, Bianchi Corp tanked—lost a billion in value.When I got home, a crowd was already camped at my door. Ivette stood front and center, looking pissed.Her parents, Philip and Melanie, rushed over and opened my car door like I was royalty."Noah, please... you have to stop," Melanie begged."If you don't, we're really done for," Philip added.I waved them off. "This isn't some street corner hangout. Clear out."Philip's face twisted in panic. "Did... Did Ivette do something to upset you?"I s

The next day, Ivette went live from Jerick's hospital room, cameras locked on her.I watched from my office, eyes like ice, barely glancing at Philip and Melanie hovering nearby.On-screen, Ivette looked wrecked—red eyes, pale face, drained. Jerick was out cold on the bed, head wrapped up, blood still leaking through. Every so often, he let out a weak groan."First off," she said, voice shaking like it was staged, "I'm sorry to everyone who's worried. I was too weak. I couldn't protect the guy I love... or my family."She kept going. "Noah Northam had me on a leash with power and money. I didn't even have the freedom to breathe."Her gaze dropped to Jerick, eyes glassy. "Jerick's the only one who actually cares about me."Then she went full dramatic. "Yeah, Noah's a powerhouse in business. My family owes him for that. But he ran my life—who I saw, where I went. Just 'cause he thought Jerick was a bad influence, he went all out to crush him. Spread lies. Tried to erase him. I'm do

I watched Ivette's face—yeah, that look said it all.Her pride, her status, even the parts of herself she hated—I'd crushed every last bit right in front of her.She always knew what kind of guy I was. Not because she understood me better than I did, but because she spent years figuring out how to use me.But now? She saw where this was headed.Everyone who knows me knows one thing: I don't let things slide. And once I'm done with someone, that's it. Game over.Everything she had—her name, her clout, the life people drooled over—came from me.So guess what? I could strip it all away.To the world, she looked polished. High-class. Untouchable.To me? Just a dog I kept around.No leash on her neck, but if there was one, it was already buried inside her.She never wanted to face it. Ivette was proud—desperate to be seen, to be praised, to feel like she mattered.But no matter how far she ran, she always circled back to that ugly truth.She tried to break free.And picked the

I walked over, slow and steady."I was just gonna call off the engagement," I said. "Could've let your family keep their spot at the top for another twenty years. But you? You chose chaos."Jerick jumped in, desperate."Noah, this all started because of me. I'll take the fall. Just let me watch Ivette die—I want to see it. She already wrecked my life, so why not end it now?"I looked at him, let out a long sigh."Noah, please!" Ivette cried. "This is all Jerick's fault! I had nothing to do with it! Don't punish me!"Watching her scramble to throw him under the bus just to save her own skin made me sick.I kicked her aside without a second thought, eyes cold with pity."You're pathetic. After everything, you still don't get what I really wanted? That's the joke. You really thought some leftover feelings could carry you through life?"She let out a choked groan, curled up in pain.Ivette never liked bowing her head—but now her mind was cracking."Noah... don't go..."Her voic