This Is What She Chose

The door slammed.

Ivette slapped me.

"I only gave him the pigment to make it up to him. Now you've scared him off—happy? Since you clearly don't respect me, forget the wedding. I'll deal with Jerick first and come back to it later!"

The look in her eyes—pure disgust—hit colder than her slap.

Everything I'd done for her, everything I took on... none of it mattered. Not compared to Jerick pouting.

She turned to leave.

I grabbed my phone. "Cut all ties with Bianchi Corp."

Ten minutes later, Bianchi Corp tanked—lost a billion in value.

When I got home, a crowd was already camped at my door. Ivette stood front and center, looking pissed.

Her parents, Philip and Melanie, rushed over and opened my car door like I was royalty.

"Noah, please... you have to stop," Melanie begged.

"If you don't, we're really done for," Philip added.

I waved them off. "This isn't some street corner hangout. Clear out."

Philip's face twisted in panic. "Did... Did Ivette do something to upset you?"

I stared Ivette down, stone cold.

"Your daughter thinks she's too good for me and wants to boost her side piece's status with my family's name? Then I've got no problem taking back everything I gave."

Melanie went pale. "Noah, everyone in Nordica knows you're engaged to Ivette. Who would dare—"

I smiled. "Ask your precious daughter."

Ivette stiffened. Jaw clenched. Eyes darting everywhere but at her parents.

I didn't wait. "Not talking? Cool, I will. She let Jerick use the blood from her first time as paint—and funded his art show with my family's money. What do you think that makes us look like?

"Wedding's off. Since you're all so tight with Jerick, let 'em be together. My family's out."

Philip and Melanie crumbled, begging.

"Noah, we failed as parents. Please—just one more chance. For her. For the Bianchi family."

Ivette yanked them up, eyes blazing. "You're always flexing your power. I'm done being a pawn in some family deal! What's so wrong with chasing love? Sure, you can make my parents kneel with money, but you'll never buy my love!"

I laughed in her face. Cold.

Wasn't she the one who raced to lock down a wedding before her sister could? Now I'm the one flexing?

I backed her family for years—resources, support—because she played her part. Never thought the second she got what she wanted, she'd start acting like love was priceless.

All that effort? Turned into a bullet labeled 'power trip', and she fired it straight at my head.

Smack!

Philip slapped her hard. "You disgrace! Do you even get we're about to go bankrupt because of you? Get down and apologize to Noah. If he doesn't forgive you, you stay on the ground until the wedding."

After her parents left, it finally clicked to her—I might actually be done this time.

She clutched her shirt, voice shaking. "Please... spare Jerick. I'll stay with you, okay?"

I just felt stupid. All my edge went into business. When it came to feelings? I was naive.

She forgot one thing—everything she had was because of me. Wrecking her would take one word.

Didn't even take her two hours to forget. Next thing I know, she's kissing Jerick at my door.

Then she swiped $30 million off my card to throw him a giant art show.

On my phone? A livestream of them smiling for cameras in front of a painting Jerick made—with her blood from their first night.