Elena's POV

The moment I walked out of his penthouse, I felt lighter. Like I had finally cut the chain that had kept me bound to him for years.

But Nathan wasn’t the type to let go easily.

The next morning, he came looking for me.

I was packing my things at my mother’s house when my phone started vibrating nonstop.

Nathan Sterling: 12 Missed Calls.

I ignored them.

Then, a knock sounded at the door.

I already knew who it was.

I took a slow breath before opening it, and there he was—Nathan, looking completely wrecked. His usually polished suit was slightly wrinkled, his tie loosened, his hair not perfectly styled for once.

“Elena,” he said, his voice tight. “What the hell is going on?”

I leaned against the doorframe, unimpressed. “I told you. I’m leaving.”

His jaw clenched. “You’re not serious.”

“Think what you want to think.”

Nathan exhaled sharply, stepping closer. Too close.

“Look, I get that you’re mad, but you need to stop overreacting.” His voice dropped into that calm, persuasive tone he always used when trying to manipulate me. “We need to sit down and talk about this.”

I let out a short, humorless laugh. “Now you want to talk? Nathan, I gave you three years to be honest with me.”

His grip tightened around his car keys. “So what? You’re just going to throw everything away?”

“No,” I said calmly. “You did.”

Nathan’s gaze flickered with frustration. He took a step closer, his voice softening.

“Elena, I love you. You know that.”

I stiffened.

He always said the right words—the ones that made me second-guess everything.

But not this time.

“Nathan,” I said coldly. “I saw the engagement contract.”

His entire body went rigid.

For the first time, he looked caught.

I tilted my head. “Go on. Lie to me again.”

He exhaled harshly, running a hand through his hair. “I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react like this.”

I laughed. He really thought this was about my reaction?

“You didn’t tell me,” I said slowly, “because you knew what you were doing was wrong.”

Nathan sighed, his voice dipping into that familiar, condescending tone.

“It was just a business move, Elena. It doesn’t mean anything. Sophia’s father—”

“I don’t care about Sophia’s father,” I snapped. “I care that you planned to marry her while keeping me as your secret.”

Nathan looked irritated now. “I was going to fix it, Elena.”

I crossed my arms. “When?”

His lips parted, but nothing came out.

I let out a slow, bitter breath. That was all the answer I needed.

I stepped back, gripping the door handle. “We’re done, Nathan. You can marry Sophia and keep playing your little power games.”

I moved to shut the door, but Nathan slammed his hand against it, stopping me.

“Elena, don’t do this,” he growled.

I lifted my chin. “It’s already done.”

Then, a voice called from behind him.

“Well, this is awkward.”

I stiffened.

Nathan turned around, his expression shifting as Sophia Laurent stepped out of a sleek black car, smirking.

She was perfectly put together, her designer heels clicking against the pavement as she approached.

“I didn’t expect you to come running to your little girlfriend so soon,” she mused, glancing at Nathan before turning to me with a mocking tilt of her head.

“Elena, darling. You should’ve at least let me break the news to you properly.”

My fingers curled into fists. “What news?”

Sophia’s smirk widened.

“That Nathan spent the night in my bed after you walked out.”

The world tilted for a second.

I forced myself to stand still, to show nothing.

Nathan stiffened beside me. “Sophia, shut up.”

“Why?” she said, amused. “She should know, shouldn’t she? After all, you were so… eager that night.”

My chest tightened.

Nathan turned back to me, shaking his head. “Elena, it’s not—”

“Not what?” I cut him off. “Not true? Or not something you wanted me to find out?”

Sophia laughed lightly. “Oh, Nathan,” she said, linking her arm through his. “You should’ve been more careful. She might have stayed clueless a little longer.”

Nathan yanked his arm away, glaring at her. “Sophia, I swear to—”

I held up a hand.

I was done.

“Nathan,” I said, my voice calm. “I don’t care.”

His gaze snapped back to mine. “Elena—”

“Really,” I said, my lips curling into something close to a smile. “You two deserve each other.”

Sophia grinned like she had just won, as Nathan looked like he was losing control of everything.

I smiled as I stepped back inside, my fingers tightening around the door.

Then I looked Nathan dead in the eyes and said the last words I would ever say to him.

“I hope she was worth it.”

And then, I shut the door in his face.

Elena's POV

Nathan Sterling didn’t call again.

Not that it mattered.

I will erase him from my life, delete his number, and make sure my next steps would take me far away from him.

But before all that, there was one last thing I needed to do.

Nathan had built his empire on power and control, believing that he could have everything—his business, his fiancée, and his secret girlfriend.

For three years, I had let him.

I had been understanding when he would leave our date just to go to his office and to Sophia.

I had been patient not to tell my mom and my friends our relationship just because he wants it to be a secret.

I had been forgiving every time I found lipstick stains on his collar, perfume that wasn’t mine lingering on his skin.

And every time I doubted him, he reeled me back in.

“Baby, you know you’re the only one I love.”

“Sophia? Don’t be ridiculous—she’s like a sister to me.”

“You’re overthinking again, Elena. Don’t be insecure.”

I had been so stupidly loyal.

And Nathan had known it.

He had fed me lies wrapped in affection, just enough to keep me tied to him—never too close, never too far.

And I refused to let him walk away unscathed.

And thanks to Sophia’s oversized ego, I knew exactly where to strike.

Her birthday gala.

The biggest event of the year, filled with elite businessmen, investors, and media personalities.

The perfect place for a scandal.

The night that I’ve been waiting for finally arrived, I stepped into the grand ballroom, my heels clicking against the marble floor.

The room was filled with men in tailored suits, women in designer gowns, and waiters carrying trays of expensive champagne.

I moved through the crowd unnoticed like just another guest.

But not for long.

At the front of the room, a massive LED screen displayed a slideshow of Sophia’s life—her accomplishments, her charity work, her picture-perfect moments with Nathan.

I watched from the shadows as Nathan and Sophia stood on the main stage, the perfect power couple.

Nathan looked polished and composed, but his eyes scanned the crowd, searching.

Searching for me.

I checked my phone. Right on schedule.

As Sophia lifted her glass for a toast, the slideshow suddenly flickered.

The crowd murmured in confusion as the images on the screen glitched—then changed completely.

Instead of pictures of Sophia and Nathan’s glamorous life…

Legal documents filled the screen.

The engagement contract.

The terms of their arranged marriage.

The proof that their entire relationship was a business deal.

Gasps filled the ballroom.

A few reporters scrambled for their phones.

And at the center of it all, Nathan went deathly still.

For the first time, he looked truly afraid.

I watched as he turned to Sophia, his expression darkening. “What the hell is this?”

Sophia, for once, was speechless.

I had sent the files anonymously to the event’s media team, framing it as an “important announcement from the couple.”

Now, everyone in this room knew the truth.

Sophia recovered first. She straightened, forcing a smile. “Everyone, please, there seems to be a misunderstanding—”

“Misunderstanding?” someone in the crowd muttered. “So you mean you’re not actually engaged?”

“Or are you just pissed that we all found out like this?” another voice called out.

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

The investors in the room looked uneasy, whispering among themselves.

Nathan’s jaw tightened. He had worked years to build his reputation.

And in less than a minute, I had shattered it.

He scanned the room again, and then—he found me.

His eyes locked onto mine across the ballroom.

Shock.

Then realization.

Then rage.

I smiled.

Slowly, I lifted my champagne glass in his direction—a silent toast to his downfall.

His expression darkened, and he took a step forward, but Sophia grabbed his arm.

She was still trying to salvage the situation.

And that’s when it happened.

One of the investors, an older man with sharp eyes, spoke up.

“Mr. Sterling,” he said. “Is it true that this entire engagement is just a business merger?”

Nathan hesitated. Just for a second.

And that was enough.

Because in that second, everyone saw the truth.

One investor scoffed. “I don’t invest in people who lie.”

Another shook his head. “If you can’t handle your personal affairs, how can we trust you with our money?”

The whispers grew. The doubt spread.

Nathan was losing everything. His carefully curated image of power and control was slipping through his fingers.

His hands clenched into fists, but he couldn’t move.

I had once been the girl who waited for him to choose me.

Now, I was the woman who had just ruined him.

And God, it felt good.

I set my champagne down and turned away.

This time, he didn’t follow.

Because for the first time, Nathan Sterling had lost.

By the time I got home, my phone was already buzzing.

News outlets were running the story.

Social media was exploding with memes and headlines.

“Sterling Global CEO’s Engagement Scandal Exposed at Fiancée’s Birthday Gala!”

“Marriage or Merger? Nathan Sterling’s Business Deal Disguised as Love!”

“Who Leaked the Truth?”

I curled up on my bed, scrolling through the chaos.

Nathan’s silence was loud.

He hadn’t tried to call me.

Because he knew.

He knew that I had beaten him.

I turned off my phone and exhaled slowly.

I had taken everything Nathan cared about—his reputation, his control, his pride—and crushed it.

And in the morning?

I would board my flight to Paris.

Far away from all of this.

Far away from him.

Elena's POV

The next morning, I was packing the last essentials of my things at my mother’s house when the door slammed open.

Nathan stood in the doorway, his expression stormy, unhinged.

I exhaled sharply. I should have expected this.

“What are you doing here? I told you we’re done.” I said, my voice even.

Nathan didn’t move, his sharp gaze sweeping over the packed boxes. “So it’s true,” he murmured.

I crossed my arms. “That I’m leaving? Yes.”

His jaw flexed. “You’re not going anywhere.”

A bitter laugh escaped my lips. “Let me guess,” I said. “You finally realized what you lost?”

Nathan didn’t smile but he looked desperate.

“Elena,” he said slowly, composing himself. “This isn’t a good idea. Paris? A new name? Running away won’t fix anything.”

“I’m not running,” I said. “I’m starting over.”

His eyes darkened. “You belong here.”

Something snapped inside me.

I took a step closer, my voice sharp.

“Where, Nathan?” I demanded. “In your penthouse, waiting for you to come home from another trip? Hidden in the background while you parade Sophia around in public? Where exactly do I belong?”

His expression flickered.

For the first time, he didn’t have an answer.

But it didn’t matter anymore.

I shook my head, stepping back. “You don’t get to decide for me.”

Nathan exhaled harshly, running a hand through his hair.

And then—he made his biggest mistake.

His hand knocked over the small wooden urn on the table.

Time slowed.

My breath caught as the ashes spilled across the floor.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then, I dropped to my knees, frantically trying to gather the remains.

No, no, no—

My father’s ashes. The only thing I had left of him.

Nathan took a step forward, his voice tight. “Elena, I didn’t mean—”

I lifted my head, my hands shaking.

I had given this man everything.

My love.

My loyalty.

My patience.

And in the end, he had taken everything from me.

Including this.

I rose to my feet slowly, my pulse roaring in my ears.

Nathan reached for me, but I jerked away.

“Don’t touch me.” My voice was calm. Too calm.

Nathan flinched. “Elena—”

I let out a breath.

Then, I did what I should have done a long time ago.

I walked away.

Feeling lightheaded.

I absentmindedly arrived at the airport which was quiet.

I tightened my grip on my passport, my hands still covered in ash.

I should have washed them.

But I didn’t want to.

This way, I would remember.

Remember why I was leaving.

Remember what I was never coming back to.

I reached into my bag for my ticket when my passport slipped from my fingers, fluttering to the ground.

I muttered a curse, bending down—

Only for a hand to reach it first.

“Careful,” a smooth voice said, handing it to me. “You wouldn’t want to lose this.”

I looked up—and froze.

Killian Hayes.

I had seen him countless times in business magazines, standing at the helm of his growing empire, always listed as one of the few men who could challenge Nathan’s position in the industry.

Nathan had always hated him.

Now, he was standing right in front of me.

His sharp blue eyes studied me with quiet curiosity, but his expression remained polite. Non-threatening.

“I—” I cleared my throat, feeling strangely self-conscious. “Thank you.”

He nodded, handing it back to me.

Then, to my mild surprise, he stepped forward in line—right ahead of me.

Killian Hayes was on my flight.

I exhaled slowly, trying to regain my focus.

It doesn’t mean anything, I told myself. Just a coincidence.

I pulled out my phone, about to turn it off—

26 missed calls.

Nathan Sterling.

My chest tightened.

A new text came through.

Nathan: Elena, where are you? Let’s talk. Please.

Another.

Nathan: I need to see you. I need to fix this.

And another.

Nathan: Don’t leave like this. You belong with me.

I stared at the screen, my pulse steady.

Then, without hesitation, I blocked his number.

I was done.

The final boarding call echoed through the airport.

I stepped forward, I didn’t hesitate.

Because I had already made my choice.

I handed my ticket to the flight attendant, exhaling as she scanned it.

“Safe travels, Miss Moreau,” she said with a smile.

I walked forward.

Towards the jet bridge and towards my future.

And I never looked back.