The gold digger

o perfection, and the glint in his eyes-all of it screamed victory. He was the puppet master

back, her eyes darting between Ethan and Adrian. She felt cor

Oh, Lila," he said, his voice mockingly sweet. "Did you really think you co

s neck tensing as he glared at Ethan. "You have some nerve showing up here, Callo

feigning surprise. "Oh no, Adrian.

is. She had been so careful, so meticulous, but now the two most dangerous

ed, her voice trembling. "

eart, you were always the setup," he said softly. "Did you really think I didn'

er breath catch

ng, Lila. I knew the moment you walked into my office with your pretty little plan, batting your eyelas

r and shame. "You bastard,"

ing in the world. "It's what we do, isn't it? We

than, his broad shoulders blocking her view. "Enough," he

agree," he said. "This is very much about her. She's the one who set this

calm. He didn't turn to look at her, his eyes locked on Eth

like this-so cold, so distant. The man who had kissed her just hours ago wi

she said, her voice smal

es were like twin shards of ice, piercing her to her core. "Tell me why yo

g. "This is better than I imagined. You see, Adrian, Lila came to me because she needed help. She was in ove

voice rising with desperation. "You t

n eyebrow. "Or did I just give

Is that true, Lila?" he asked, his voice da

s office-the day she'd made a deal with the devil. She'd been so sure of herself then, so certain t

whisper. "I asked him for help. But it w

d struck him physically. When he opened them again, the fur

st with me," he said, his

reaching out to him, but he

me. I should have known better. I

moment. "See, Adrian? She played us both. But th

les white. "And what's your endgame, Ethan?" he

me, she saw something genuine in his eyes-somethin

ed. "No," she brea

r. "And I will. You belong to me, Lila. Yo

collar. He slammed him against the wall, the impact echoing through the room. "You

s I do," he whispered. "Don't you, Lila? You're the one who s

her. She had thought she could control this, that she could play the game a

ce breaking. "I'm sorry. I didn'

t. "I don't care about your apologies," he said coldly. "I care abo

fabric with a smirk. "Well, this has been fun," he

g her head. "I'm not g

n't, I'll make sure Adrian knows every single dirty detail of our litt

. He looked at her one last time, and the betrayal

y. "Just go. You've

back, but the words stuck in her throat. She turned away, the echo of Ad

at felt like the last time, she realized she had lost everything. And for th