CHAPTER 9: The Arrogant Man
Victoria’s POV
He was definitely the man from the magazine. His poised demeanor, his sharp features, and the air of authority around him made that much obvious. What I didn’t understand, however, was why I was meeting him instead of the journalist I had contacted.
The strangeness of it all left me disoriented, but as I stared at him longer, I felt a tug of recognition. He looked familiar–not just from the magazine cover, but from somewhere else entirely. I racked my brain, trying to place him, but the memory stayed just out of reach.
I forced myself to push aside the nagging familiarity and focus on the mission at hand. I was here to dismantle Ethan’s carefully constructed lie, to expose him for the manipulative cheat he was. But the way this man stared at me, his gaze sharp and probing, made me hesitate.
“Do you have evidence of any sort?” He asked me, and I nodded.
“And why did you decide to contact a journalist?” he asked suddenly, his voice rich and commanding, breaking the silence. He leaned back into his chair with deliberate ease, crossing one leg over the other. The confidence in his posture bordered on arrogance, and I felt a flush of irritation ripple through me.
Why had I contacted a journalist? The answer was simple: I wanted to destroy Ethan. But sitting across from this man who radiated power, I found myself faltering.
“I…I… The words tangled on my tongue, refusing to come out.
“You want to expose him,” he said, finishing my unspoken thoughts. His tone was calm, almost indifferent, yet it carried a weight that made my heart race. “You want the world to know the man behind the image. The liar, the cheat, the thief.”
His words struck something raw inside me. My throat tightened, and I swallowed hard against the lump that had suddenly formed.
“Is that it, Victoria?”
The way he said my name sent a chill down my spine. His eyes–dark and impenetrable–were fixed on me with an intensity that felt almost suffocating.. There was something unsettling about him, something that made me feel like a mouse caught in the talons of a hawk.
Something told me that there was more to this entire meeting; he seemed to have something personal against Ethan. But that wasn’t my business. Unable to respond, I sat there, my fingers gripping the edges of my seat as if it were my lifeline.
“Or,” he continued, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, “are you uncertain? Afraid?”
The accusation hit like a slap. My chest tightened as I fought the surge of emotion threatening to overwhelm me.
“You said Ethan took everything from you.” He leaned forward slightly, his voice lowering. “I could give you back everything you lost. More, even. All I
need is your cooperation.”
I blinked, startled by the offer. He was willing to pay me to expose Ethan?
I should have been tempted. After all, this was the opportunity to rebuild my life, to reclaim what had been stolen from me. But something about the way he said it–so clinical, so devoid of empathy–made me hesitate.
There was a coldness in him that unnerved me. And then there was that nagging feeling, that faint recognition I couldn’t shake.
I could take the money he was offering to expose Ethan, I could start a new life. But then I recalled how Emma had gushed about the whole thing and I suddenly wasn’t sure if I wanted to be associated with such a scandal. It would be too humiliating.
My parents had been good people–respected people, and it would be a great shame to them if I, their daughter, ended up being caught up in such humiliating scandal. That aside, how could I live knowing the world knew I had been fooled and conned all in the name of love?
“I…I don’t think I want to go through with this,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m sorry for wasting your time.”
His expression hardened instantly. The warmth- -or whatever semblance of it had existed–vanished from his face, replaced by a steely, almost predatory glare.
‘I’ll give you more,” he said, his tone sharp. “More than what you lost. Name your price.”
The arrogance dripping from his words set my teeth on edge. He thought this was about the money?
1/2
CHAPTER 9. The Arrogant Man
“I don’t want your money,” I said, my voice rising despite myself.
“I don’t care what you want.” His retort was immediate and cutting, his words like daggers aimed directly at my pride. “You’re a coward. Hiding here, running from the chance to do something meaningful
His words stung more than I cared to admit. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them away furiously. How dare he? How dare this stranger–this arrogant, condescending man–think he could judge me?
My chest heaved as I struggled to keep my emotions in check. Pidn’t want to cry, not in front of him.
“You know what?” I said finally, my voice shaking but resolute. “I’m done here. I’ll take my story to another outlet.
His eyes darkened further, his glare locking onto mine with an intensity that made my pulse quicken.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” he said, his tone laced with disdain.
I shook my head, pushing my chair back as I rose to my feet stiffly. I was done letting people like him walk all over me.
“Do have a good day,” I said curtly, before turning on my heel and walking away, my heart pounding in my chest.
I didn’t look back as I left the café, but I could feel his eyes on me, burning into my back like a brand. His words echoed in my mind long after I’d stepped outside, the weight of them pressing down on me.
Coward.
I clenched my fists as I walked, my steps brisk and uneven. He didn’t know me. He didn’t know what I’d been through, what I’d lost. How dare he sit there and judge me as if he had the right?
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