Chapter 46 She wasn't afraid
Chase's POV:
That was it. I had to stop her before she revealed anything else—anything worse—about me to these people.
My reputation was hanging by a thread. Every second she stood on that stage with a microphone in her hand was another second closer to my complete social annihilation.
The whispers were already starting, spreading through the crowd like wildfire. I could see it in their faces—the doubt, the curiosity, the barely concealed judgment.
These were people who mattered. Business associates, potential investors, social climbers who could make or break reputations with a single well-placed rumor. And Veronica was standing there, threatening to burn it all down.
I moved without thinking, my legs carrying me toward the stage with desperate urgency. I had to get to her. Had to stop this before it spiraled completely out of control.
I climbed the steps two at a time, reaching Veronica's side in seconds. She turned to face me, and I saw it clearly in her eyes... she wasn't afraid. Not of me, not of the crowd, not of the consequences. That terrified me more than anything else.
"Fine," I hissed, leaning in close so only she could hear me, my voice barely above a whisper. "You win."
The words tasted like poison in my mouth, bitter and wrong. I never admitted defeat. Never surrendered.
But desperate times called for desperate measures.
"Now get down from the stage," I continued, forcing my voice to remain level despite the panic clawing at my chest.
"Let's talk about this. Privately. Like reasonable adults."
I reached for her arm, intending to guide her—or if necessary, pull her—off the stage before she could do any more damage. But before I could make contact, Max was there, materializing beside her like some kind of tattooed guard dog.
His hand caught my wrist mid-reach, his grip firm enough to hurt.
"She's not going anywhere," Max said quietly, his blue eyes cold and dangerous.
Veronica didn't even flinch. She just looked at me with that same fury, that same absolute certainty that she held all the cards now.
"Talk?" she said, her voice loud enough that the nearby guests could hear. "You really want to talk now? After sabotaging my startup... and spreading lies to the media about me stealing ideas? And you orchestrating this entire fake engagement just to blackmail me into coming back to you?"
Shit! She was saying it all out loud. All of it.
"Veronica—stop now..." I tried to interrupt, taking on a warning edge.
"Leave poor Laura alone," she continued, talking over me, her voice rising. "Stop using innocent people as pawns in your sick games. Or else—"
"Or else what?" I snapped, unable to help myself.
God, she was too loud. Everyone was looking at us now—not just curious glances, but full-on staring, phones coming out of pockets, probably recording this entire disaster.
I could see the judgment in their eyes, the way they were reassessing everything they thought they knew about me.
This was getting worse by the second.
I needed to salvage this. Needed to spin it somehow, turn the narrative back in my direction.
I grabbed the microphone from Veronica's hand—or tried to, but she held firm, so I leaned into it instead, forcing my voice into something jovial, dismissive.
"I apologize for this interruption," I said with a laugh that sounded hollow even to my own ears. "It's just a little argument we're having. You know how exes can be, right? Old feelings, misunderstandings. Nothing serious."
I gestured broadly to the crowd, trying to make it seem casual, inconsequential. "Please, everyone, continue enjoying yourselves. The bar is fully stocked, the food is excellent. Don't let our personal drama ruin your evening."
Some people did turn away, conversations slowly resuming in scattered pockets around the room. But not everyone.
Too many were still watching, still listening, still recording. Too many had heard enough to plant seeds of doubt.
I turned back to Veronica, lowering my voice so only she and Max could hear.
"I already called off the engagement," I said through gritted teeth, each word precise and clipped. "Laura's free. The whole thing is over. Now will you stop this? Will you finally be satisfied?"
For a moment, I thought she might actually back down. Might take the win and walk away. But then her expression hardened even further, and I knew I was wrong.
"Shame on you," Veronica said with... disgust, disappointment and fury... that cut deeper than any insult could have. "You made me do all this. You forced me... Every single step of the way, you backed me into corners and expected me to just take it. To just accept your cruelty and manipulation and control."
She stepped closer, and I found myself actually stepping back.
"Well, I'm done accepting it," she continued. "I'm done being your victim, your plaything, your emotional punching bag. And if exposing you is what it takes to finally be free of you, then that's exactly what I'll do."
The way she said it... confirmed one thing with crystal clarity... the old Veronica was gone.
That compliant, eager-to-please girl who would do anything for my approval?
She didn't exist anymore. This woman standing in front of me was fearless and ready to burn my world down?
This was someone new. Someone I didn't know how to control.
But even as that realization settled over me like ice water, another thought followed immediately behind it...
It's temporary.
It had to be temporary. This sudden transformation, this newfound confidence and spine—it was all because of them. The billionaire brothers.
Max with his protective hovering and Theo with his philosophical bullshit. They'd gotten into her head, filled it with ideas about independence and self-worth, convinced her she didn't need me.
But that influence could be broken.
All I had to do was separate her from them. Get her alone, away from their constant reinforcement and support.
Without Max standing beside her like a bodyguard and Theo whispering Eastern philosophy into her ear, she'd crumble.
She'd remember who she really was... insecure, desperate for approval, terrified of disappointing her father.
She'd come back to me. She always did.
I just needed to be patient. Strategic. Wait for the right moment to drive a wedge between them, to remind her of all the reasons she needed me in the first place.
"Fine," I said aloud, raising my hands in mock surrender. "Have it your way, Veronica. Make your speeches. Tell your stories. See how far it gets you."
I leaned in closer, dropping my voice to a whisper meant only for her.
"But remember this—you're not as strong as you think you are. And the moment those brothers get bored with you, the moment they move on to their next project or their next woman, you'll be alone again. And when that happens, when you realize you've burned every bridge and destroyed every safety net you had..."
I smiled, looking cold and certain.
"You'll come crawling back. And I might not be so forgiving next time. I'll make sure you pay for this..."