Papa! That Bad Man Hit My Mom!

Bennett's confused shout faded behind me, swallowed by the airport's hum. I didn't spare him a glance. Each step I took was a release, a shed layer of the old Addison. The humiliation still stung, but it was a fleeting sensation, replaced by a fierce resolve.

A firm yank on my arm stopped me. Bennett. He had caught up, his grip surprisingly strong.

"What do you think you're doing, Addison?" His voice was a harsh whisper, laced with a new desperation. "You can't just walk away from me. Not after making a scene. What is your game?"

I turned, my gaze level, unwavering. "My game, Bennett, is called living my life. Without you." My husband, Damon, was a fiercely private man. He guarded his personal life, and especially mine, with an intensity that bordered on possessiveness. The thought of him witnessing this crude display, or even hearing about it, made my stomach clench. He would be furious. Not at me, but at anyone who dared to disrespect his wife.

I knew he valued his privacy, and by extension, mine. Our bond was built on trust, respect, and a profound understanding. He wouldn't appreciate me lingering in the presence of someone who had caused me harm. His own possessive nature would demand a swift and clean break.

Bennett misinterpreted my stillness. Relief, then a familiar arrogance, crept back into his eyes. "Look, Addison, I know you're upset. But you're being irrational. This little stunt, trying to get my attention..." He shook his head. "It's not going to work. Not anymore."

He pulled me closer, reducing his voice to a conspiratorial murmur. "You know, there's a welcome party tonight for Mrs. Levy. A big corporate gala. Everyone important will be there. Aurelis Capital is hosting. You could come." He paused, scanning my simple, elegant dress with disdain. "Though you'd have to make yourself presentable. Get a proper outfit. Something that doesn't scream 'struggling'."

"No," I said, my voice firm. "I won't be coming."

His smile stiffened, then vanished. His grip tightened on my arm. "What do you mean, no? It's an opportunity, Addison. To see how far I've come. To maybe... get back into the social scene. On my arm, of course."

His arrogance was a thick, suffocating cloud. He truly believed he was offering me a lifeline. A path back to relevance, through him.

"I said no," I repeated, pulling my arm free with a sharp tug.

His face darkened. His body stiffened, a vein throbbing in his temple. "Fine," he snapped, his voice sharp and cold. "Be that way. Always so difficult. So cheap." He glared at my dress, then at my bare wrist where the bracelet had been. "I should have known you'd still be this pathetic."

He turned away, spotting Chloe hovering nearby. "Chloe!" he barked. "You're coming with me tonight. To the gala. As my date."

Chloe's eyes lit up, a grotesque parody of gratitude. "Oh, Bennett! Really? I'd love to! I just need to go home and change into something more... appropriate." She cast a triumphant, pitying look my way.

I felt nothing but a profound weariness. Their pathetic drama held no interest for me. My world was so far removed from theirs now, their petty squabbles and desperate ambitions seemed like a distant, irrelevant hum.

I turned to leave, but before I did, I delivered a final, quiet punch. "Oh, and Bennett," I said, without looking back, "you might want to hold onto that job at Aurelis. Who knows how long you'll have it."

His choked gasp was the only response. I walked away, feeling lighter, freer than I had in years. The airport air no longer felt stifling. It felt like possibility.

My mind drifted back three years. The pressure from my parents to marry well, to secure a future. I had been so desperate for Bennett to be that future. I had begged him.

"Bennett, please. Let' s just go to the courthouse. We can make it official. My parents are pushing so hard..."

He had agreed, reluctantly. Until the day, the very hour, we were supposed to get the license. He called.

"Addison, I can' t. Not today. Aura Capital needs me. Jade needs me. It' s a marriage of convenience. Just a month. You understand, don' t you? You' ll wait, right? For our future."

He had made it sound so simple. So logical. Like my broken heart was just a side effect, easily mended. Like his betrayal was a mere business transaction.

That day, the girl who loved Bennett died. That night, I called my parents.

"I'll marry Damon Levy," I told them, my voice flat, emotionless.

They were shocked, then ecstatic. I didn't care. I just needed out. I needed to disappear.

And Damon. He had been a revelation. Not the cold, ruthless titan the world saw. To me, he was patient, kind, fiercely protective. He had given me a sanctuary, a new beginning. He had given me Anthony, our brilliant, perceptive son.

And now, I was pregnant with our second child. My reason for returning to New York, to visit my family and share the news, was a secret joy I held close.

This unexpected reunion with Bennett, though painful, was a stark reminder of how far I had come. How much I had gained. The man I had once loved was a stranger, a ghost of a past I no longer mourned. My only regret was letting his presence taint, however briefly, the quiet joy of my return.

Three days later, I found myself walking into the Grand Ballroom of the St. Regis, the venue for the Aurelis Capital gala. I wore a simple, sleeveless black dress, a custom piece from Chanel, its elegance screaming understated wealth. My diamond bracelet, now repaired by Damon's personal jeweler, gleamed on my wrist. My hair was tied up in a chic, messy bun, and my makeup was minimal. No ostentation, just quiet confidence. I wasn't there to impress, or to make a scene. I was there because my family was here, and there were people I actually cared to see.

Bennett spotted me almost immediately. His eyes, already glazed over with alcohol, widened. A predatory smile stretched across his face. He thought I' d come back for him. He thought I was desperate.

He pushed through the crowd, a glass of champagne in his hand, his eyes gleaming with a sickening mix of triumph and lust. "Addison! You came!" he exclaimed, his voice a little too loud. "I knew you couldn't resist."

He leaned in, his breath reeking of expensive liquor. "Lost your way, did you? Thought you could make an appearance, and I'd just fall at your feet? I told you, you need to dress the part, Addison. This... this is hardly fitting for a gala." He gestured dismissively at my dress.

I tried to walk past him, to find my assigned table, but he blocked my path. His hand shot out, grabbing my arm, his fingers digging into my skin.

"Did you not hear me?" he hissed, his eyes narrowed. "I said, this isn't good enough. You're trying too hard, and failing. You're supposed to be over there." He pointed to a small, isolated table near the kitchen entrance, clearly a staff-only table. "That's where the assistants sit. Not with the guests."

I pulled my arm free, my eyes cold. "My table, Bennett," I stated, my voice calm but firm, "is over there." I pointed towards the main VIP section, a place he would never dare to assign me.

He scoffed, then his eyes followed my finger. His face, already flushed from champagne, drained of color. He saw the empty chair at the head table, right next to the reserved seat for Damon Levy. His expression twisted, a mix of disbelief and growing horror.

Then, Jade Dunlap's shrill voice cut through the air. "Bennett, darling, what are you doing with her? And look! She's wearing that hideous fake bracelet again! The audacity!" She glared at me, her face a mask of pure venom. "She's trying to crash the party, trying to make a fool of you! Get her out of here, Bennett! Before she contaminates everything!"

Her voice, amplified by the sudden silence that fell across the room, drew every eye to us. The spotlight, just as Jade intended, was suddenly on me.