ELENA'S POV
Giulia's kindness shouldn't have come as a surprise. Unless there was an audience, she wasn't the kind to show kindness. However, she gave me a shirt as if she genuinely cared while we were alone in the break room.
She held out a designer top with gold buttons and an unidentified pattern, saying, "Here."
I gazed at it for a moment. I took it after that.
"Thank you. But when no one is looking, you don't have to be nice. You still have your horns visible.
Her eyes quickly became cold, and her smile wavered. Her voice hit me like a dart before I could finish putting the shirt on, so I turned away.
"Even costly items appear cheap on you."
I turned around. "Giulia, you are free to wear whatever name-brand clothing you want. Additionally, pretend to be the ideal little victim. But you know what? Lorenzo and I are still wed.
Still grinning, she crossed her arms.
"Oh, and that scent you're wearing?" I gave a loud sniff. "Is it known as 'Desperation'?"
Giulia did not recoil. Without missing a beat, she fired back.
"Have you ever considered that Lorenzo might not feel so ashamed to introduce you to investors if you dressed like someone he could be proud of?"
I blinked vigorously. I didn't want to acknowledge how much her words burned. In order to hide the sting on my face from her, I turned my head.
Naturally, though, she noticed.
Softer now, she added, "You know it's true." "You are not a part of his world. You didn't.
My heart pounded.
I tried to sound calm as I said, "I don't need to." "You are welcome to have him. In any case, I'm divorcing him.
She was surprised by that. She raised her eyebrows.
"Wait—*that's* what those documents are?" Pointing to the manila folder I was holding, she said,. Whoa. You took too long.
I didn't answer. I didn't have to. She wasn't finished, though.
She asked, "What's your angle?" "You want to get paid?"
"Cash?" I gave a sour laugh. Do you believe that money is at issue here? I didn't even intend to wed him, Giulia. It simply... took place in Vegas. However, I'm finished. It has nothing to do with money. It has to do with peace.
She squinted.
"Please. Don't do it. His wealth is the reason you married him. Both of us are aware of it. It would have been me standing besides him that night in Vegas if I hadn't messed up with the drugs. Not you.
My mouth fell open. "Hold on, you brought about that evening?"
She didn't respond.
"You mean that you tampered with the drinks?"
I only needed her silence as an answer.
"You're lying, self-centred—"
Her voice trembled as she said, "I couldn't let him fall for you." "Elena, you're garbage. It has always been. You would simply find another wealthy fool to take advantage of if it weren't Lorenzo.
I was at my breaking point.
"Giulia, go to hell!"
I then gave her a slap. Hard. Like a firecracker, the crack reverberated throughout the break room. Too shocked to speak, she clutched her face. Too furious to breathe properly, I turned and bounded out.
I bumped into Lorenzo as soon as I entered the hallway.
"Elena—?"
I continued. I was unable to. I detested that he saw me in this state, and my face was dripping. He called my name once more, but I had already left.
I was fully aware of what was going on behind me. Giulia would be practicing her poor-little-me routine, adjusting her makeup, and dabbing at her fake tears. She intended to spin everything. Make me appear insane. She did it every time.
What about Lorenzo? He would accept her. He did.
Giulia had not returned yet. I pretended not to notice, but everyone did.
I said, "She had a brief emergency." "Let's continue."
The meeting took a long time. Wondering where Elena was, I kept looking at the time. The expression on her face when I last saw her didn't appeal to me. There was a problem.
I headed for the break room after we were done.
Elena rushed by me sobbing at that point.
"Elena—"
She didn't even turn around.
I heard Giulia's voice inside as I rounded the corner.
"Lorenzo? That you?
"Yes," I replied. "May I enter?"
Silence for a beat.
"Yes," she said quietly.
She was sitting on the edge of the couch, looking as though she had just been through a storm, when I pushed the door open. One cheek was flushed.
I moved in and knelt next to her. "Did Elena strike you?"
Giulia gave a nod. "I don't understand," she muttered. "I was only assisting. I even handed my shirt to her. Then she slapped me.
Elena didn't sound like that. However, I was no longer certain of Elena's identity.
"I apologise," I whispered. "Recently, she has been acting out a lot. I have no idea what's going on with her.
Giulia looked at me with half concern and half curiosity.
"Lorenzo, she's not stable. I don't want to get involved, but have you considered getting a divorce?
"What?" I jerked my head up. "You have no place there."
"She's causing you pain," she said in a voice that was hardly audible.
"I'm capable of handling it."
"Are you able to?"
Her query lingered. I didn't respond.
Then she said something that caught me off guard.
"What if she has plans to leave you already?"
My stomach turned over.