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VIVIAN'S POV
I was done playing games. If Joel wanted to throw tantrums and act out of control, then he would face the consequences. This was the last time I would waste energy trying to manage his moods. I would make him listen, make him understand that there was only one way forward—and that was by following my lead.
My heels clicked against the pavement as I strode toward his building, each step firm, my resolve unshakable. I knew what I had to do. This was no longer about placating him or using his bitterness to my advantage; it was about power, and he needed to remember who held it.
When I reached his apartment, I didn’t hesitate. I rapped on the door with a sharp, controlled knock, waiting as silence greeted me from the other side. Finally, the door swung open, and there he stood, his expression a dark scowl, shadowed eyes glaring at me with an intensity that would have made a weaker person turn and run.
But I wasn’t a weaker person. I met his gaze, refusing to show any sign of intimidation.
“What do you want, Vivian?” he muttered, his voice low, laced with an edge of impatience.
I didn’t wait for an invitation. Pushing past him, I stepped into his apartment, my movements quick and deliberate. “We need to talk,” I said, my tone unyielding.
He closed the door behind me, his jaw clenched, fists tight at his sides. “We don’t have anything to talk about. You made that pretty clear last time.”
I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes at him. “Oh, no, Joel. You’re not going to shut me out like this. Not after everything we’ve done, everything we’ve planned. You don’t get to throw a tantrum and walk away from it all because things didn’t go your way.”
He let out a dark laugh, his gaze hardening. “Tantrum? You think this is a tantrum, Vivian? No, this is me finally seeing through your little games. I’m done being your pawn.”
The intensity in his voice sent a chill down my spine, but I forced myself to stay calm. I could handle him. I’d handled worse.
“Listen to me, Joel,” I said, taking a step closer. “You’ve let your emotions get the best of you, and it’s made you sloppy, reckless. If you want any hope of getting what you want, you need to get yourself under control. I can help you do that, but only if you’re willing to follow my lead.”
He stared at me, his eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought I saw something shift, a flicker of understanding. But then his gaze darkened, and he shook his head.
“No, Vivian,” he said, his voice cold. “I’m done with you pulling the strings. You think you’re so clever, so in control, but you’re not. I see right through you.”
I felt a spark of irritation, my patience wearing thin. “You don’t know anything, Joel. You’re out of your depth here, and without me, you’ll be nothing. You need me.”
He stepped closer, his face twisted with fury. “Need you? I needed you like I need a poison running through my veins. You’ve been nothing but a weight around my neck, dragging me down, using me to get what you want.”
I opened my mouth to retort, but before I could get a word out, he grabbed my arm, his grip like iron, and yanked me closer, his face inches from mine. The anger in his eyes was chilling, and for the first time, I felt a flicker of fear.
“Joel, let go,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. But he didn’t release me. Instead, his grip tightened, his gaze cold and unyielding.
“You think you can just use people, don’t you, Vivian?” he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. “You think everyone’s just a pawn in your little game. But guess what? I’m done playing.”
“Joel,” I said, struggling to pull my arm free, but he held on, his fingers digging into my skin. “You’re making a mistake. Let me go.”
“A mistake?” he laughed bitterly, his other hand coming up to grip my other arm, pinning me in place. “No, Vivian. The only mistake I made was ever trusting you.”
The force of his grip was painful, and I could feel a wave of panic rising within me. This wasn’t the Joel I knew—the man who had once been so desperate for my approval, so easily manipulated by a few words. This was someone darker, more volatile.
“Joel, if you don’t let me go, I swear—”
He cut me off, his face twisted in a snarl. “Swear what, Vivian? What are you going to do? You don’t have any power over me anymore. You never did.”
I struggled against him, my heart pounding as I realized just how strong his grip was. But he didn’t relent. Instead, he leaned in closer, his voice a low, threatening whisper.
“All this time, you’ve acted like you were above everyone, like you could pull the strings and watch people dance. But you’re just as weak as the rest of us. You hide behind your schemes, but when it comes down to it, you’re nothing.”
“Shut up,” I spat, trying to mask the fear creeping into my voice. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Let me go, and maybe I’ll consider not ruining whatever pathetic life you have left.”
But my threat only seemed to anger him further. His grip tightened, and he shoved me backward, pinning me against the wall. I could feel the cold surface against my back, the pressure of his hold making it difficult to breathe.
“You’re done threatening me, Vivian,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “I’m not scared of you anymore. And I think it’s about time you learned what it feels like to be powerless.”
His words sent a shiver down my spine, and I struggled, trying to push him away, but he held me firmly in place. The anger, the hatred in his eyes—it was something I hadn’t anticipated, something I hadn’t seen coming.
“Joel, stop,” I said, my voice shaky. “This isn’t going to end well for you.”
He sneered, his face inches from mine. “I don’t care how it ends. I’m done letting you control me.”
And with that, he released me abruptly, shoving me back so forcefully that I stumbled, barely catching myself before I fell. I looked up at him, breathing heavily, my heart pounding as I took in the cold fury on his face.
For a moment, neither of us spoke, the tension hanging thick in the air. But as I looked at him, I realized something chilling: Joel was no longer the man I thought I could control. He was something else now, something far more dangerous.
“You’ll regret this,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.
He laughed, a bitter, hollow sound. “No, Vivian. The only regret I have is letting you use me for as long as you did.”
Without another word, he turned and walked out of the apartment, leaving me standing there, my hands trembling, a dull ache throbbing in my arms where he’d held me.
As the door slammed shut behind him, the silence pressed in around me, and I felt the full weight of what had just happened settle over me. Joel was out of control, and I’d lost any hold I’d once had over him. He was a threat now, a loose end that could unravel everything if I didn’t find a way to deal with him.
But as I stood there, alone in the dim light of the apartment, a new resolve took hold. If Joel wanted a war, then that’s exactly what he would get.
And this time, I wouldn’t underestimate him. I’d make sure he understood just who he was dealing with.
Because I wasn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.
I took a deep breath, steadying myself as I stood in the silence of the apartment, Joel’s departure still ringing in my ears. The ache in my arms and the bruises forming under my skin reminded me of the line he’d crossed—and the danger he now posed. The confrontation had been a brutal wake-up call, one I hadn’t anticipated. Joel was no longer under my control; he was a threat, one that could ruin everything I’d worked for.
But I wouldn’t let him.
If he thought he could intimidate me, he was sorely mistaken. I had underestimated his anger, his desperation, but I wouldn’t make that mistake again. I would handle him, find a way to bring him back under control—or eliminate the risk he posed entirely.
I straightened, letting the cold resolve settle over me. Joel wanted to play with fire, to test my limits? Then he would learn the hard way just how far I was willing to go.
As I stared at the door, a plan already forming in my mind, I knew one thing for certain: Joel wouldn’t get the better of me again. This time, I’d make sure he paid.