Ruthless

32

Adrian exited the room without saying a word. In the heat of his anger, he either failed to notice our presence or chose to ignore us intentionally. He walked past us without sparing a glance or a word of acknowledgment.

Stephanie now turned her attention toward the door where we were still standing, even though the dramatic scene had long ended. Stephanie must have been in a trance because she initially turned away upon seeing us. However, within seconds, she looked back at us, as if ensuring that we were not a mere subject of her imagination.

Stephanie's complexion shifted to two shades paler, resembling a deer that had narrowly escaped a crocodile in the river, only to be confronted by a lion.

"Adam," Stephanie's voice trembled as she uttered his name. "Whatever you heard... it's not true. I love you."

It was quite remarkable how she desired both the man and the audacity to lie after being caught in the act. Adam, uninterested, didn't bother to give her a second and left her feeling humiliated and frustrated.

The only problem is that he left me to deal with this challenging woman whose mere presence was intolerable even for a brief moment. I'm already grappling a lot, and I don't need another complication.

It seems Adam might have forgotten that I was also with him. Perhaps he did feel for Stephanie, and despite knowing her reality, hearing it directly from her was too much for him to handle.

Call me sadistic, but the idea of Adam getting hurt felt like a breath of fresh air. To top it off, Adrian seemed affected along with Stephanie. She was genuinely shaken.

It's reassuring to know that I'm not the only one hurting; my culprits are also entangled in their own web of lies and games. Admittedly, compared to my problems, theirs may seem like a drop of water in a vast ocean. However, as the saying goes, drop by drop, an ocean is made.

Interrupting my thoughts of this small victory, I turned my attention back to Stephanie. She seemed on the verge of a tantrum, like a spoiled teen denied her way. There wasn't much difference, except Stephanie was not a teen.

The troubled expression on her face shifted to one of confusion when her eyes finally landed on me, acknowledging my presence. Stephanie obviously felt a sense of familiarity but couldn't quite recall where she had seen me. She scanned me from top to bottom, left to right, exploring every angle in an attempt to remember.

After a minute or perhaps two or three, the expression of confusion on her face transformed completely into disbelief. It was evident that she had finally recognized me.

Suppressing my laughter became a difficult task. She resembled someone who had encountered a ghost. Given the ruthless torment I'd endured by their hand, it's normal for anyone to assume that I am dead. The fact that I survived was nothing short of a miraculous outcome.

"You," she screeched, striding toward me and coming to a halt so close I could feel her breath against my skin.

I stood my ground, attempting to appear unfazed, though her sudden, furious approach did rattle me.

Stephanie's impatience reached its limit, and without warning, her hands seized my arms. I glanced at her hands, now pale, and my arms reddened under the pressure she applied.

"Yes, it's me," I replied, meeting her gaze as I tried to break free from her grip, only to find it tightening into a painful hold.

Stephanie's eyes fell on the hickey on my neck, a result of Adam's passionate encounter. If there ever was a moment for her to be furious, it was now – an understatement, considering the visible trembling of her facial muscles. I had never witnessed such intensity before, unaware it was even possible.