Chapter 104
DORA’S POV
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“Fuck!” I shouted, my voice echoing off the hotel room walls. I paced back and forth like a caged animal, my fists clenched so tightly that my nails nearly dug into my palms. If there had been anything in my path–vases, cushions, lamps–I swear I would’ve tossed them all just to get this rage out. But I wasn’t about to rack up damages in a fancy hotel room.
My blood was boiling. That kind of hot, shaking anger that made it feel like the air around me was thick with heat. But what made it worse–what pushed me over the edge–was that I wasn’t even crying. No. I was laughing. That kind of strange, hollow laugh you let out when you’re so pissed that it loops back around to crazy.
“Dora, calm down. Please. Just take a seat,” Jessica said gently, patting the spot beside her on the chair like she was trying to tame a wild animal.
“Don’t tell me to calm down!” I snapped, my eyes flashing in her direction. “Not after what I just saw!”
Her hands went up in surrender, but she didn’t back down. “I get it, okay? I would be pissed too. But pacing like this isn’t going to fix anything. You can wear a hole through the floor for all I care, but it won’t stop her from laughing with him right now.”
That hit me. It shouldn’t have, but it did. The image of Olivia walking with Adrian like she belonged there, like she hadn’t spent years being a two- faced snake, made me want to punch something all over again. But Jess had a point, even if it stung.
I let out a sharp breath and reluctantly sank down beside her. My body still felt adrenaline, but I needed to listen.
“Okay. Good,” she said, nodding in approval. “Now that you’re sitting and not storming around like a hurricane, let’s figure out our next step. We need a plan. A strategy. Something that actually keeps that woman out of the picture.”
I nodded slowly. I had been thinking about that too. Every possible way to remove Olivia from Adrian’s life–cleanly, permanently–but nothing ever stuck. She was like a cockroach. No matter how many times you tried to kill it, it kept crawling back. And what pissed me off most was that she knew how to play the victim when needed, the flirt when it served her, and the innocent girl when it was time to reel Adrian back in.
Jessica eyed me carefully. “You told Adrian about what we discussed, right?”
My stomach dropped.
Shit.
I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. “No… I haven’t.”
“What?” she blurted, her expression flashing from surprise to frustration in half a second.
“I know, I know. It’s on me,” I said quickly before she could go off.
“Dora, come on! We’re working with time here. Every second you keep silent is another second Olivia has to worm her way deeper into his life.”
I sighed, the weight of my mistake settling in like a heavy blanket. “I didn’t want to tell him when we last spoke. He looked… stressed. Like the world was already on his shoulders. I didn’t want to throw more at him.”
Jessica stared at me, but her features softened slightly. “I get that, I do. But still…”
“I know. That’s why I took the trip. I thought if I gave him space, some time to breathe, maybe he’d sort things out on his own. And when I came back, I’d tell him everything.”
“Did he text you at all while you were on this trip?” Jessica asked, her voice steady but laced with concern as she picked up her half–empty teacup.
I hesitated, knowing exactly where this was going. “You know how busy he is,” I said with a small shrug. “To be honest, I don’t expect him to.”
Jessica raised a brow, clearly unimpressed with my excuse. “Every man always has time for the lady in his life–even if it’s just a quick message to
check in.”
Her words hit me like a slap. A painful, bitter truth that had been gnawing at the back of my mind for weeks now. I’d been so focused on giving Adrian space, believing that patience would pay off, that I’d chosen to overlook the glaring signs. He didn’t text. He didn’t call. And I kept telling myself that it didn’t mean anything.
But deep down, I knew better.
Still, I brushed off the sinking feeling in my chest and lifted my chin stubbornly. “I don’t care,” I said quietly, as if saying it aloud would make it true… “Eventually, he’s going to fall in love with me again. I did it before, so I can do it again.”
Jessica gave me a long, searching look, then nodded slowly. “Now you’re back–and you’ve seen what’s going on. So, what are you going to do about it?”
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Chapter 104
I leaned back in my chair, biting my lower lip in thought. “It’s not like I can’t still tell him. I can. It’s not too late. I’m going over there tomorrow, and if the timing feels right, I’ll tell him everything.”
“Good.” She nodded in approval. “Remember, this is your ace card. Once he knows, this could be the thing that finally drives Olivia away for good. And maybe just maybe–it’ll keep you beside him permanently.”
As she spoke, a slow smile crept across my face. Hearing those words out loud lit something inside me. Maybe I hadn’t lost yet. Maybe I still had a fighting chance. I gave Jessica a small nod and reached for my teacup, savoring the last warm sip.
She yawned, stretching her arms over her head like a cat. “Well, since we don’t need to go over anything else tonight, I guess I’m going to bed.”
I blinked, surprised. “Bed? Already? It’s only 8 p.m.”
She was already halfway to the bed when she replied, “I don’t know what they added in that tea, but I’m wiped out. Sorry, I don’t think I can stay up tonight.”
I frowned, mildly annoyed. “That’s not an excuse, Jess. We drank the same tea, and I don’t feel sleepy at all.”
She didn’t answer. She was already slipping under the duvet, her body practically melting into the mattress like she’d been running a marathon..
“Seriously?” I called out. “We were supposed to stay up late, watch a movie or two, and talk about stupid things. That was the whole point of inviting you over tonight.”
Still, no answer.
“Jess?” I asked again, but her steady breathing told me everything I needed to know. She had knocked out completely.
I sighed, dramatically and defeated, letting my shoulders slump. So much for my night of fun and distraction. Instead, I was stuck with my own thoughts, which, honestly, weren’t exactly the best company these days.
Grabbing my phone off the side table, I stared at the screen for a moment before typing out a message: Hey, I’ll be coming over tomorrow. Just a heads–up. I hit send before I could overthink it.
Then, with nothing else left to do, I tossed the phone aside, pulled the blanket over myself, and lay back on the pillow. Maybe tomorrow would change everything.
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