Chapter 190: Chapter 190

Nicole

Perfect.

The word sang through my mind as I watched Violet's face crumble, as I saw the exact moment my carefully crafted revelation shattered whatever pathetic fantasy she'd built in her head.

I could see it in the way her eyes widened with horror, in the way her mouth opened in a silent gasp, in the way every drop of color drained from her face until she looked like a ghost standing there in her pretty lavender dress.

She looked exactly how I'd felt when Elijah had told me it was over. When he'd said he didn't want me anymore, that we weren't right for each other, that he needed to leave.

Now she knew. Now she understood what it felt like to have your heart ripped out while everyone watched.

And Goddess, it felt good.

I watched her turn and run, her heels clicking frantically on the marble floor as she fled from the ballroom teary eyed.

The irritating little bitch who I had grossly underestimated and had her hooks into Elijah was erased from the picture.

Now it could be just us again. The way it was always meant to be.

I turned to Elijah to forgive him for whatever temporary insanity had made him pursue someone so beneath him.

But his face wasn't relieved.

It was devastated.

He stared at the doorway where Violet had disappeared, his expression shattered in a way that made something cold and ugly twist in my stomach.

"Elijah," I said, my voice softening. I reached for him, my hand landing on his arm. "She's gone. It's okay now. We can finally—"

He jerked away from my touch like I'd burned him.

"Don't," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Don't touch me."

"Baby, I know you're upset," I continued, trying to inject warmth and understanding into my tone. "I know this wasn't how you wanted it to end with her. But it's for the best. You know that. She wasn't right for you. She could never understand you the way I do."

I moved closer, closing the distance he'd created.

"We can be together now," I said, my hand reaching for his face.

His hand shot up and caught my wrist before I could touch him, his grip hard enough to hurt.

"I’d rather die than be with you”

The words hit me like physical blows.

"You don't mean that," I said, forcing a smile even as tears started to well in my eyes. "You're just angry. You're upset because I exposed your little game and now you're lashing out at me. But that's okay. I forgive you. I understand."

He released my wrist and took a step back, putting more distance between us. "Listen very carefully. I. Don't. Love. You. I never loved you."

"Liar!" The word burst out of me, sharp and desperate. "You loved me. I know you did."

Elijah said, and there was something almost pitiful in his voice that made me want to scream. "You were only a girl I fucked until you started asking for more than I could give you."

"But..."

"And even if it had," he continued, his voice getting harder, "What you did to Violet killed any possibility of me ever feeling anything for you except disgust."

I couldn't breathe. Couldn't process what I was hearing.

"She was using you too," I said desperately. "She was just after your money, your status. She didn't actually care about you. I did you a favor by exposing her"

"Don’t you dare utter a word about her!" Elijah roared, and I actually stumbled backward from the force of his rage.

"Elijah, please. Just listen to me. I know you're angry right now, but..."

"If you ever," Elijah said, his voice dropping to something deadly quiet, "ever meddle in my life again. If you ever come near Violet again. If you ever speak her name again..." He pointed a finger at me, and the rage in his eyes was so intense I actually felt afraid. "I will kill you in cold blood. Do you understand me? I will end your life without a second thought."

I froze, my breath stopping in my chest.

He meant it. I could see it in his eyes, could hear it in his voice. This wasn't an empty threat. This was a promise.

"You don't mean that," I whispered, even as tears started streaming down my face. "You're just upset. You're just—"

"I have never meant anything more in my entire life," Elijah said. "Stay. Away. From. Me."

Then he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the now mostly empty ballroom. I watched him go, watched him disappear through the same doorway Violet had fled through, watched as he chose her even now, even after everything.

"No, don’t leave me!!" I whispered. Then louder, "NO!"