Chapter 111
Maya's POV:
Forget it. There is no reasoning with this man.
I pulled out my phone and dialed 911. "I need an ambulance at the Ritz-Carlton," I started to say. "There is a man in room 6067 experiencing—"
Adam snatched the phone right out of my hand. He hung up and shoved the device into his pocket. Before I could finish my sentence, he grabbed my arm and dragged me away.
I stumbled after him, shouting over my shoulder to a nearby hotel staff member. "Room 6067! He needs medical attention!"
Adam didn't stop until we reached the elevators. He marched me inside and stood there, staring at the steel doors. His lips were pressed into a thin, angry line. His face was dark. He didn't say a single word.
The silence continued all the way to the garage. He practically threw me into his car. He slammed the door, got in, and tore out of the parking lot.
I sat there, watching the city lights blur past. The silence was suffocating. I cleared my throat.
"Adam, please don't be angry," I said softly. "You saw it yourself. Nothing happened."
Screech.
The car jerked to a violent halt on the side of the road. I was thrown forward against my seatbelt.
Adam turned to me, his eyes blazing. "What if I hadn't come? Julian was drugged. He’s basically a wild animal right now. What if he decided to force himself on you? Do you really think you could have escaped?"
I fell silent. It was dangerous. My strength is nothing compared to a grown man out of his mind.
"I'm fine now," I whispered. "I was lucky. Let's just let this go."
Adam stared at me, too angry to speak.
"Adam, listen. Back there? You were like a knight in shining armor. Seriously. You looked so... powerful. You completely swept me off my feet. Thank you for saving me!"
I saw his expression loosen just a fraction. I fought back the nausea rising in my throat and continued.
"Besides, I'm not helpless. My survival instincts are excellent. If Mr. Garrison had tried anything, I would have cracked a chair over his head. I would have knocked him out cold! Just like back in Cleveland. He got drunk and handsy, so I took my purse and whacked him..."
"What did you say?"
Adam cut me off. The slight relaxation in his face vanished instantly. His expression turned darker than before. It was terrifying.
I covered my mouth with my hand. I must be crazy. Why did I bring that up? I hadn't calmed him down; I had just poured gasoline on the fire.
Adam turned away. He lit a cigarette. He didn't usually smoke. He took a deep drag, the grey smoke hiding his face. He lowered the windows to let the smoke out.
Finally, he looked at me. "Maya, is there something wrong with your brain? Julian committed workplace sexual harassment. You didn't sue him. Instead, you followed him to Boston. Should I call you innocent, or just stupid?"
I pressed my lips together. "Adam, not everyone has the luxury of choice like you do."
I looked down at my hands. "I had to endure it. I had to keep going. I didn't have a safety net. I couldn't just quit because I wanted to."
If Julian had been a true predator, I would have left. But aside from that one drunken incident, he was a decent boss. He paid me. He respected my boundaries afterward. In my situation, choosing to handle it quietly was the only smart choice.
Victoria's POV:
I was in the middle of a fight with Sophia Morgan. Suddenly, two arms wrapped around her.
Sophia froze. I froze too. We both stared at Julian. He had grabbed Sophia.
He dragged her onto the bed. He had completely lost his mind. He was kissing her aggressively.
Sophia struggled, screaming. "Julian! Calm down! Look at me! I am Sophia! I am not her!"
"Please, stop!" she sobbed. "I love you, but I don't want to do this now! Help me!"
Julian tore at her clothes. Just then, paramedics rushed into the room.
I saw my chance. While they were pulling him off her, I turned and ran. I sprinted out of the hotel.
I burst into my house in Brookline, panting.
My mother, Grace, was waiting in the living room. She looked at me in shock. My hair was a mess, my dress was twisted, and I had bloody scratches on my face.
"Did you get in a fight?" she asked. "Who did this to you?"
I poured a glass of water and drank it in one gulp. "Sophia," I gasped.
"Sophia?" Mom frowned. "I thought you took her to catch the cheaters. Why did she beat you up?"
I collapsed onto the sofa. "Don't ask. The plan failed."
"How could it fail?" Mom demanded. "They drank the wine. They were in a locked room. It should have been a done deal!"
"I don't know," I said miserably. "The waiter said they finished the bottle. But when I went in... only Julian was crazy. Maya was fine. She was completely sober."
I took a shaky breath. "And Adam Sterling was there."
"I was trying to kill two birds with one stone. I wanted Adam to walk in and catch them. I wanted him to humiliate her and dump her for good. But nothing happened. And then Sophia... she realized I drugged Julian. She beat me up."
Grace’s face went pale. She looked serious. "Victoria, I am sending you abroad. You cannot stay here."
I looked up, confused. "Mom, why? I don't want to leave."
"You don't have a choice," she said grimly. "You are in big trouble. Adam Sterling likes that woman right now. If he finds out you drugged Julian, he will realize you tried to drug Maya too."
She grabbed my hand. "Do you remember last year? You confessed your feelings, and he called the police. He is a lunatic. We cannot provoke him."
My face drained of color. I remembered Adam’s cold eyes. I grabbed my mother’s hand, terrified. "Mom, I don't want to go to jail! What do I do?"
"The best way is for you to leave," she said. "Adam won't marry a nobody like Maya. He will get bored in a few months. Once he dumps her, he won't care about this anymore. You need to hide until the storm passes. Then you can come back."
I nodded, tears stinging my eyes. "Okay. Arrange it, Mom. I want to leave immediately."