The TV was turned on and the news was blaring loudly in the background but she could care less. She was thinking about herself as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Adrian had been arrested but it meant nothing to her.
"What a mess," she said to the empty room. "I really picked the wrong one, didn't I?"
She picked up a tube of foundation. "Adrian had the big name, the fancy family. But look at him now. Handcuffs and court dates." She smoothed the makeup onto her cheek. "And Leo… who knew? That nothing of a man I dumped would rise up to this."
Dabbing a dark, purplish eyeshadow, she leaned closer to the mirror. She blended it under her eye till it looked like a bruise. "Stupid, stupid Elena. You should have seen it coming. You should have known he had something special hidden away."
She finished her makeup, adding some pale powder to make her skin look sickly. She studied her face. Perfect. It was as if she's been crying and that's exactly the look she was going for. She'll make it look like she's the victim in all this.
"it wasn't possible," she said to her reflection, a sly smile touching her lips. "There is no way all his feelings for me could just disappear. He loved me too much. He went to prison for me! A man doesn't forget a love like that."
She walked to her closet and pushed aside her clothes until she found it. A little black dress. It was very short and very tight, with a neckline that plunged down. She put it on and turned side to side. Yes. This would remind him of what he was missing. First, she would play the poor, abused woman. Then, she would remind him of the beautiful, exciting woman he once had.
She got into her car and drove to the Grand Imperial Hotel. She knew Leo was staying there in the penthouse suite. She did her digging and found out that he was yet to get a house. She parked, took a deep breath then put on her practiced look of vulnerability.
She took the elevator up to the top floor. This was her only chance and she had to make it work. She took another heavy breath to steady her nerves before knocking on the door.
A few seconds later, the door opened. Leo stood there. He wasn't wearing a suit. He was in simple black pants and a t-shirt. He looked… bigger than she remembered. More solid. He didn't look surprised to see her. He didn't look anything.
"Leo," she said, letting her voice tremble. She let a single, practiced tear roll down her cheek.
He didn't say a word. He just stared at her, his eyes cold and flat. It was like looking at a statue.
"Can I… can I come in?" she asked, her voice a shaky whisper.
After a long moment, he stepped aside. She walked into the huge, beautiful room. The view of the city was amazing, but she didn't care.
"Leo, I'm so sorry," she began, turning to face him. She made sure the light hit her bruised-looking eye. "I made a terrible mistake. You have to believe me."
He leaned against the doorframe, his arms crossed. He still didn't speak.
"It was Adrian," she cried, putting on her best performance. "He… he forced me to do those things! He threatened me! He said he would ruin my family if I didn't help him. He's a monster! Look what he did to me!" She pointed to her fake bruise.
Leo's eyes flicked to her cheek for a second. There was no concern in them. No anger. Nothing. It was worse than if he had yelled.
"He was abusive, Leo. I was so scared. I never stopped loving you. I was just trapped!" She took a step closer to him. "But now he's gone. We can be together again. Like it was supposed to be."
She reached out a hand to touch his arm.
That's when he moved. It was fast. His hand snapped up and caught her wrist before she could touch him. His grip was like iron. It didn't hurt, but it was unbreakable.
"Don't," he said. His voice was low and quiet, but it filled the whole room. It was the voice of a man who was not playing games.
Elena froze. The act dropped for a second. Real fear shot through her. This wasn't the soft, forgiving Leo she remembered.
She tried to switch to her second plan. Seduction. She tried to lean into him, to look up at him through her eyelashes. "Leo, please… remember what we had? We can have it again. I can make you happy."
He released her wrist like it was something dirty. "The only mistake you made," he said, his words slow and clear, "was thinking I would ever care what you have to say again. The only thing you are trapped in is your own selfishness."
Elena's mouth fell open. She couldn't find any words.
"Get out," he said. He didn't raise his voice. He didn't have to. The command in it was absolute.
The coldness in his eyes was terrifying. It was a look that said he could destroy her and feel nothing. All her plans, all her confidence, vanished. She scrambled backwards, almost tripping over her own high heels.
"I… I'm sorry for bothering you," she stammered, her real voice shaking now.
He just watched her, silent and unmoving. She fumbled with the door handle and practically ran out into the hallway. The door closed behind her with a soft, final click. She stood there, trembling, her fancy dress feeling silly and cheap. He had seen right through her. And he felt nothing for her. Nothing at all.
The drive home was a blur of humiliation and anger. How dare he? Who did he think he was? She parked her car outside her building, her mind racing. She needed a new plan.
She walked into the apartment, ready to pour herself a giant glass of wine. But she stopped dead in the doorway.
The lights were on.
Adrian was sitting on the couch.
He was out of jail. He looked tired, and his nice clothes were wrinkled. But he was smiling a nasty, knowing smile.
"Well, well," he said. "Look who's back. Where have you been, Elena?"
Her heart jumped into her throat. "Nowhere," she said quickly, trying to sound normal. "I just went for a drive. To clear my head."
Adrian laughed, a short, ugly sound. "Don't bother lying. I know exactly where you were. You went running back to Leo, didn't you? You thought you could cry your way back into his life."
Elena panicked. How did he know? She felt trapped. "So what if I did?" she lashed out, her fear turning to anger. "You promised me everything! You said you would take me to the top! And look at you now! You're nothing! A disgrace! At least Leo is somebody!"
She expected him to get angry. To yell back. But he just kept smiling that cold smile.
"How did it work out for you?" he asked, his voice dripping with mockery. "Let me guess. He took one look at your fake tears and your desperate little dress and told you to get lost."
Elena didn't answer. She just stood there, clenching her fists. Her silence was all the answer he needed.
Adrian stood up and walked toward her. "You know what's funny? I'm not even mad at you." He stopped in front of her. "In fact, your little trip gave me a great idea. A perfect plan."
"What are you talking about?" she snapped.
"You proved something tonight," he said. "You proved that Leo Vance, for all his new power, has one big weakness. He's still the same soft-hearted fool inside."
Elena frowned, confused. "What? No, he's not! He's cold. He's different."
"Is he?" Adrian asked. "He didn't hurt you, did he? He just threw you out. A truly cold man would have done worse. He still has a line he won't cross. And that," Adrian said, his eyes gleaming, "is how we will break him. Your failed attempt at manipulation just showed me the way in."
He walked past her toward the door. "Get some rest, Elena. We have a lot of work to do. This time, we're not going after his business. We're going after his heart. And when we're done, he'll wish he'd never met either of us."