Chapter 3 Chapter 3

The silence in the ballroom was absolute, a heavy blanket of shock and anticipation. All eyes were on the three of them, a tableau of betrayal and fury.

Gloria stood her ground, her hand still tingling from the impact. Her face was a cold, impassive mask, but inside, a storm of pain and rage was breaking loose.

"Darwin, I asked you a question!" His voice was harsher now, the public facade cracking under the strain.

Elyssa, seeing her chance, let out a sob. She stumbled towards him, her face a picture of wronged innocence.

"Darwin, she... she hit me," she cried, reaching for his arm. "I was just complimenting her, and she attacked me."

She tried to press herself against him, seeking comfort and protection. Darwin's eyes were fixed on Gloria, but his gaze flickered down to Elyssa's dress. The red Valentino. A flicker of something-annoyance? guilt?-crossed his face.

Then his eyes landed on the faint red mark on Gloria's cheek, the imprint of Elyssa's hand.

His expression changed instantly. The anger directed at Gloria morphed into a cold, dangerous fury aimed at his mistress.

"Did you touch her?" he demanded, his voice dropping to a low growl.

Elyssa froze, confused by the sudden shift. "What? She hit me too!"

"I asked you a question," Darwin repeated, his grip tightening on her arm. "Did. You. Touch. Her?"

"I... yes, but-"

He didn't let her finish.

"You worthless tramp," he hissed, his voice low enough that only the three of them could hear. The public smile was gone, replaced by the face of a cruel stranger. "Who gave you permission to put your hands on my wife? Apologize to her. Now."

The humiliation was a physical blow. Elyssa's face crumpled. "But... Darwin, you said... you told me to test her, to see how she'd react!"

"Shut up!" he snarled, cutting her off before she could reveal more. He yanked his arm away from her. "Security!" he called out, his voice ringing with authority. "Get this woman out of my sight. And make sure she never sets foot in this building again."

Two guards moved in immediately. Elyssa looked at him, her eyes wide with disbelief and betrayal. Tears streamed down her face as they escorted her away.

Darwin turned back to Gloria, his expression instantly shifting back to one of deep concern and unwavering support.

"Gloria, are you alright? I am so, so sorry. I don't know who that woman was, but I promise you, I will handle this."

He reached for her, his voice a soothing balm of lies.

Gloria watched him, her eyes cold and clear. She saw the flicker of panic in his eyes, the sweat on his brow. He wasn't protecting her. He was protecting himself, frantically trying to patch the hole Elyssa had just blown in his perfect world.

The next day, the incident was all over the news, spun as a heroic husband defending his wife from an unhinged party crasher. Darwin's public image was more polished than ever. Elyssa Daniel, it seemed, had been erased from existence.

Gloria felt a cold smile touch her lips. He was good at making people disappear.

That night, driven by a morbid curiosity she couldn't explain, she went to the private villa Darwin kept on the other side of town. A place he said was his "creative retreat."

The gate was slightly ajar.

As she approached the house, she heard it. The sound of moans, carried on the night air. The same sounds she'd heard through the security feed.

Nausea rose in her throat. She crept to the large glass window, peering through a gap in the curtains.

And there they were. Darwin and Elyssa, tangled together on a white fur rug in front of a roaring fire.

"Did you really mean it, Darwin?" Elyssa was whispering, her voice husky. "That you'll handle Gloria?"

"Of course," he murmured, his voice thick with lust. "She's becoming a problem. But don't worry. I love you, Elyssa. Only you."

I love you.

The words, once the center of her universe, were now just a dirty, meaningless sound. He had said them to her just that morning, with the same convincing sincerity.

She realized then that Darwin's love wasn't a feeling. It was a tool, a weapon he used to get what he wanted. He loved her position as his perfect wife. He loved Elyssa's willingness to be his toy.

A sharp, unbearable pain shot through her chest, so intense it felt physical. She backed away from the window, stumbling into the darkness.

She didn't need to see any more.

He would regret this. He would regret ever thinking he could play her for a fool. One day, he would be on his knees, begging for a forgiveness he would never receive.