30 – The Price of Choice
30 – The Price of Choice
Ellie’s POV
The weight of their gazes presses down on me, suffocating.
Adrien stands at the head of the room, his smirk sharp, teasing—but there’s something else beneath it, something dark and dangerous. The kind of danger that isn’t loud or reckless, but calculated. The kind that lets you step too close before you realize you're already in the trap.
Liam stands opposite him, shoulders squared, fists tight at his sides. He’s steady, certain, but the slight twitch of his fingers betrays his tension. He’s trying to play this cool, but I know him too well. He’s barely holding himself together.
Both men—waiting.
Waiting for me to choose.
My throat tightens. How did it come to this?
I open my mouth, but the words won’t come. Because no matter what I say, someone will bleed.
Adrien exhales slowly, the sound deliberate, controlled. The scrape of his chair against the floor as he pushes back is the only noise in the room. Then, he stands.
The air shifts, crackling like the moment before a lightning strike.
I flinch. Even just my name on his tongue is a threat.
But before he can take another step, Liam moves, cutting him off.
“I told you,” Liam says, his voice low but steady. “This isn’t your decision.”
Adrien tilts his head, eyes gleaming with amusement. “And yet, she’s still standing in my house.” He chuckles, but there’s nothing warm about it. “Strange, isn’t it?”
Liam’s jaw flexes, his restraint fraying. “Ellie.” He turns to me, voice softer now, pleading. “You don’t have to stay here. Not anymore.”
My breath hitches.
I know what he means. No more contracts. No more debts. No more Adrien controlling my every move.
Freedom.
But… isn’t it too late for that?
Adrien steps in, close enough that I can feel his heat behind me. His voice drops to a murmur, just for me. “Go on.” His breath skates over my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. “Run to him, if that’s what you really want.”
It’s a dare.
A challenge.
He doesn’t believe I’ll do it.
And that terrifies me more than anything.
Because what if he’s right?
Adrien’s POV
Liam stands firm, his entire body locked in tension. He’s trying so hard to look composed, but I see the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.
Good. He should be nervous.
Because this isn’t just about Ellie anymore.
It’s about power. Control.
And I don’t lose.
Ellie swallows hard, her hands trembling at her sides. “I—”
Liam reaches for her, desperation bleeding through the cracks. “Ellie, please.”
And for a second—just one second—she leans toward him.
A crack splinters through my chest.
A crack I refuse to acknowledge.
Enough.
I step between them, forcing Liam back with nothing but the weight of my presence.
“You had your chance,” I say, my voice calm. Too calm. “You lost.”
Liam glares. “She hasn’t chosen yet.”
I smirk. “Hasn’t she?”
I reach for Ellie, my fingers brushing against her wrist. A simple touch. Barely anything.
And yet, her breath shudders.
She doesn’t pull away.
She never pulls away.
And in that moment, I see it.
The hesitation in her eyes.
The way her pulse betrays her.
She’s already mine.
Liam sees it too.
For the first time, his confidence cracks.
“Ellie…” he whispers, as if saying my name out loud will break whatever hold I have on her.
But it’s too late.
It’s already broken.
She belongs to me.
And I’ll make damn sure she never forgets it.
Ellie’s POV
The tension in the room coils tighter, suffocating.
Liam’s expression is raw, full of hope and desperation.
Adrien’s smirk is maddening, full of certainty.
And me?
I’m caught between them.
Liam’s hand twitches at his side. “Ellie… say something.”
Adrien chuckles under his breath. “Oh, she’s saying plenty. You’re just not listening.”
Liam’s eyes darken, his patience fraying. He’s about to snap.
I have to stop this before it spirals out of control.
I take a slow breath, steadying myself. Then, finally, I speak.
“I choose…”
The words hang, heavy as stone.
One of them is about to break.
But before I can finish—
The doors burst open.
And suddenly, we’re not alone.
My stomach drops.