Chapter 8
His lips didn’t move at first.
For a full second, he stood frozen, stunned like the rest of the room.
Then slowly, almost as if it meant nothing, his hand found my waist and pulled me even closer, his mouth pressing back with just enough pressure to make it look convincing.
I didn’t know what surprised me more. That he kissed me back, or that he smiled right after, that same signature smirk that looked like it belonged in a tabloid.
Gasps and whispers rippled through the crowd around us. Cameras flashed like fireworks.
His hand didn’t leave my lower back, his other hand lifted slightly, brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
“Smart move,” he whispered near my jaw, his breath brushing my skin, “you just changed the headline.”
I didn’t get to respond.
\Layla’s voice was the first to break through the noise. A gasp so loud and dramatic it could’ve shattered glass.
“You have got to be kidding me,” she said, her voice dripping in disbelief.
I pulled away from Karl just in time to see her standing there, mouth wide open, eyes darting between us like she couldn’t believe it.
“That’s Karl Lever,” she said again, louder now, her voice turning shrill, “you. you kissed Karl Lever?!”
She stepped closer like she needed to get a better look.
“Oh my God, this is unreal,” she laughed, but it wasn’t amused. It was panicked, sharp, and nervous, “you kissed him? Do you even know who he
I didn’t say a word.
She blinked, then pointed a shaking finger at me. “you little snake, you were nothing but a poor, pathetic mess just yesterday and now you’re making out with one of the richest men in the country?”
Her face turned red, like all the blood had rushed to her head at once, “you think this makes you better than me? You think this makes up for what you did! You’re disgusting. Ellen, disgusting!”
Her voice cracked with rage, like she couldn’t believe the reality unraveling in front of her.
And when Karl’s arm slipped around my waist again, protective, casual, like I belonged to him… that’s when she truly lost it.
“Ellen!” Darren’s voice came crashing into the moment, sharp and disgusted. “You absolute bitch, what the hell is this?!”
I turned just in time for his hand to grab my wrist, tighter than necessary, like he was trying to remind me I still belonged to
“You really moved on that fast?” his voice cracked, his jaw trembling as he stepped closer, “you were probably cheating on me the whole time, huh? That’s what this is?”
“Let go of me, I muttered, trying to pull away.
He didn’t.
him somehow.
“You think this is going to protect you from what you did? You’re disgusting, you know that! You pretend to be a victim, but look at you now, throwing yourself on someone che like a whore…
Darren’s hand clamped down on my wrist so tight, it burned. I tried to pull away but he held on harder, shaking me a little.
“You think this is a game?” he barked, loud enough to draw attention from people nearby, “you think kissing some rich guy makes you better than
The sound that followed wasn’t from 1182.
It was Karl
He was already in front of us before I could say anything, his hand moving so fast it knocked Darren’s grip off me. And before Darren could process
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Chapter 8
what was happening. Karl slammed him against the nearest wall with a force that made the glasses on nearby trays tremble.
“I should break your jaw for that,” Karl said, his voice low, controlled, but deadly. There was no calm left in him now, just fury simmering behind his green eyes
Darren squirmed in his grip, gasping, trying to peel Karl’s hand off his chest, but Karl didn’t budge.
“You touched her in front of me, you think you’re going to walk out of here breathing?”
His tone made a few people back away. Even the security looked frozen in place, like they weren’t sure if they should intervene or let Karl finish what he started
“Karl,” I said quietly, still shaken, “it’s not worth it.”
He looked at me then, his breathing heavy, chest rising and falling. He stared at my wrist, red where Darren had squeezed me, and his jaw clenched so tight I thought his teeth would crack.
“Get him out of here,” he barked, finally letting Darren go.
“Security,” Karl called out, without even raising his voice
Two suited men approached so fast it was like they had been waiting
“Escort these two out,” Karl said, his hand now casually returning to my waist, “they’re not on the list.”
“You can’t do this!” Layla yelled, her heels clacking furiously as she tried to follow behind Darren, “you’re going to regret this, you’ll pay for humiliating us like this!”
She turned her glare back to me, her voice shrill.
“You think this changes anything? You think this is love? You’re just his plaything, just wait, I’m going to make sure you regret ever standing here tonight!”
I didn’t say a word. I just watched her be dragged out, screaming and kicking and promising fire and blood.
My hands were still trembling by the time the door closed behind them.
Karl leaned in again, pretending to whisper something sweet, but his voice was flat now.
“Smile.”
“What
There are still cameras pointed at you.”
I forced a small smile, turning my face toward the crowd, but I couldn’t stop the coldness creeping into my spine. He felt different like a switch had flipped
He waited exactly ten seconds before guiding me toward a hallway that led out of the ballroom.
Neither of us said a word until we got to the private elevator, not even as the doors slid closed.
It wasn’t until we stepped into a dimly lit corridor of the upper floor that he finally turned around.
I opened my mouth to thank him again, but he raised one hand.
“I let you love your moment,” he said, his voice eerily calm.
1 blinked
“What?”
“That liule stunt you pulled down there,” he said, slowly walking toward me, “don’t ever do that again.”
My heart stuttered in my chest.
thought it would
help us
p us sell the marriage,” I whispered, hating how unsure I sounded.
“Don’t justify it,” he cut in, his eyes narrowing, “you didn’t ask, you just decided and I let it happen because there were cameras”
3.02. PM
Chapter 8
He stopped a few steps in front of me, hands in his pockets, his stare cutting right through me.
“I’ve been too soft with you,” he said, the words colder than anything I had expected, “maybe that’s my mistake but let’s be clear from now on”
He took one step closer, his presence overwhelming.
“This marriage is a contract not a game, not a love story or your revenge
nge fantasy, do you understand?”
1 stared up at him, my mouth parted slightly, my throat suddenly dry.
“Don’t do anything public without my approval again,” he finished, “and next time, if you want to kiss me,
He didn’t wait for a response
ask.
He turned on his heel and walked away like I hadn’t just been left standing there with a thousand emotions pulling in every i direction
And just like that, Karl Lever reminded me who really held the power in this game.
