THE WOMAN THEY COULDN'T BREAK

Chapter One - The Wrong Door

Elena

"Let's break up," Jasper said.

Three words. That's all it took to shatter everything we built and everything I thought we had.

It's been a week, but the echo of his voice still lingers in my mind like a haunting lullaby that I can't seem to turn off. I replayed the moment over and over. The look in his eyes, not of regret, but of cold calculation. There wasn't a shred of empathy when he ended things. His lips didn't tremble nor did his hands twitch. He was as still as stone and looked unaffected.

We were supposed to get engaged next month. The date had been picked, the venue pre-booked, my heart ready. I had allowed myself to dream and to believe in fairy tales. But Jasper was never my prince, he was just a well-disguised fraud in designer suits and the reason he was breaking up was because he found out that I wasn't the heiress he thought I was. Cas, my sister was the real heiress and I didn't tell him of this because I didn't want our family issues to be out in the open but it seems someone really wanted his attention so badly and it was definitely Cas. She has always hated me and I am not surprised that she did something like this.

I was adopted into this family by Cas's father. I was just five when he took me into his family after my mother was involved in an accident and went into a coma. I had no one to look after me and he was the doctor who operated on my mom so he felt sympathy for me. Ever since then, Cas and her mother have made my life a living hell. I am happy that she did what she did because Jasper is the right choice for her, I mean 'evil begets evil'.

Ava, my best friend and the unshakable voice of fun and fire, had tried dragging me out of my self-imposed exile all week but I refused. I cried, wallowed and binged old sitcoms in my pyjamas, I barely ate and I cursed Jasper under my breath at any chance I got but tonight, something shifted.

Maybe it was anger or maybe I was just done letting heartbreak win.

"You know what?" I said, tossing my blanket aside and standing up in my worn tank top and shorts. "Let's go out and party like there's no tomorrow."

Ava's grin stretched like a cat's morning stretch. "Now that's the spirit. Finally! I was about to call a priest."

We dressed to kill. My pink satin mini-dress hugged my curves and dipped low enough to announce that I wasn't anyone's fragile little ex. Ava shimmered in gold, her red curls wild around her shoulders. We were two women on a mission to drown heartbreak in tequila and dance until regret forgot our names.

The downtown club pulsed with neon lights and loud bass. Every heartbeat felt like a drum syncing with the music. I wasn't thinking about Jasper because I didn't want to. I downed shot after shot, letting the burn of liquor replace the sting of betrayal.

I danced like I didn't have a care in the world. And for a moment, I didn't hold back, I let loose, my hips swaying and my laughter echoing. Ava twirled beside me, pointing at cute guys and wriggling her brows but I wasn't there for anyone at least, not yet.

That was until I bumped into a waiter carrying red wine which sent half the glass splashing down on the front of my dress.

"Shit," I muttered, swaying a bit. "Ava, I'll be right back, I need to use the washroom."

She gave me a thumbs-up while dancing with some guy in a leather jacket.

Clutching my stained dress, I stumbled toward the restrooms, my heels clicking against the marble tiles. I barely read the sign on the door as I barged in. My head spun from all the alcohol and my vision blurred slightly as I staggered to the sink.

I cursed under my breath, dabbing the stained area with cold water. "Come on, come off..."

Then the door creaked open behind me. I didn't turn, I was too focused on the stubborn stain. I figured it was just another drunk girl like me.

But then......

"What the hell are you doing here?"

The voice was deep, male and furious.

I froze. My heart lurched as i slowly turned around and almost collapsed.

He was tall maybe 6'3, with a chiselled jawline and ocean deep eyes that stared at me like I was trespassing on sacred land. His hair was tousled in a way that looked too perfect to be accidental and even in a plain black shirt and jeans, he radiated power. Not just power but dominance and command.

Nathan Cain.

My breath hitched.

I recognized him instantly. Jasper's estranged stepbrother. The family's black sheep. The one who refused the Cain empire and built his own as a renowned surgeon from scratch. Now, Nathan Cain was the billionaire every magazine wanted on their cover and here he was... glaring at me in the men's washroom.

"I........I didn't know this was the men's," I stammered, the alcohol making me sluggish.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, voice low but sharp. "Unless you're spying for someone, who sent you?"

"What? No!" I scoffed, lifting my stained dress to show him. "I came to clean this off, not to start a war."

My dress had hiked up a little too much and I quickly pulled it down. But not before his eyes dipped, darkening with something unmistakable.

Desire.

He stepped closer. The air changed and my skin prickled.

"You're pretty bold for someone who walked into the wrong bathroom," he said, voice now laced with something sultrier. "But I'll admit... fate has a cruel sense of humour."

"I'm not bold, I am just drunk and recently betrayed by an asshole," I replied, crossing my arms, pretending my pulse wasn't racing. "Also, Jasper's your stepbrother."

He chuckled darkly. "And?"

"And maybe you shouldn't look at me like you want to devour me."

"Maybe I do."

There it was. Plain and unfiltered, a confession which made my stomach somersault with disbelief.

He reached out, his fingers brushing the side of my face, trailing down to my collarbone. I should've stopped him, but his touch... it ignited something dangerous inside me and for a moment, I didn't want to be Elena, the girl left behind. I wanted to be wanted and craved.

"Mr. Nathan, this is highly inappropriate," I whispered, my voice weak.

"You entered my space, sweetheart," he murmured, his thumb grazing my bottom lip. "And now I can't seem to resist you."

His hands slid to my waist, then lower. My mind screamed no, but my body betrayed me. Jasper's ghost whispered warnings in my head, but I didn't care. I was ready to risk it all and give my virginity to his step brother, I mean if he could throw me away like trash, I had every right to set fire to the past.

I grabbed Nathan by the collar, pulling him close. "Well, it's not really a bad idea... Mr. Nathan."

His eyes burned as he lifted me effortlessly onto the sink counter and crashed his lips against mine. The kiss was wildfire. It was reckless and hungry.

I gasped into him, moaning softly as he deepened it. His hands slid under my dress, rough but calculated. My fingers tugged at his belt. I was done being the girl who cried herself to sleep.

I wanted chaos.

I wanted revenge.

But just as things reached the crescendo, my phone buzzed loudly between us. I pulled away, breathless and flushed and glanced at the screen.

A message from my adoptive mother.

"Get your ass here now or you'll regret messing with me."

My heart dropped.

Nathan tried to pull me back, but I pressed a hand to his chest.

"I need to go," I said.

He looked like a man starved of something precious. "You can't be serious. You woke something in me and now you want to leave?"

"I have to leave," I said adjusting my dress. "Besides there are a lot of girls here willing to give themselves to you, you could pick one" he cursed under his breath, trying to calm himself as I slid off the counter.

"Just leave from here, now," he said angrily, his eyes filled with anger which I could sense as I walked out of the washroom.

Chapter 2 – Nathan's Game

Elena

The night air slapped my face as I stumbled out of the club, breathless and shaken. My heels clicked against the wet pavement as I walked away from the building glowing in neon blues and purples. The street felt quieter than usual, maybe because my heartbeat was still pounding like a war drum in my ears.

What just happened in that restroom? Had I really kissed Nathan Cain? Had I really let him touch me and fuck.... almost had sex with him and that too, on a damn sink? I shook my head, trying to blink the alcohol away, but the memory clung to me like a second skin. His scent, his touch and the disappointment in his voice when he said, "You can't put me in this state and leave..." It echoed in my mind with a dark and dangerous thrill.

"Elena! There you are!" Ava caught up with me, her eyes wide as she steadied me by the elbow. "What the hell happened? You disappeared for ages."

I forced a smile. "I managed to get the stain out and I met a Greek god in the process."

"What?" she frowned, and then grinned. "You met someone? Well, that was fast."

"I don't want to talk about it," I muttered, glancing down at the message on my phone again.

"Get your ass here now or you will regret messing with me."

My adoptive mother never texted unless it was something dramatic or threatening and it was always about control, always. Mr. Rivers died a year ago from sudden cardiac arrest which was shocking to me because he never had any medical conditions that could cause that but i had no evidence to back up my claim so I let it die down. I wish he was here to stand for me and protect me from these vile people.

"Can we go now?" I asked.

Ava nodded, still watching me like she was trying to read my soul. She didn't press further, thankfully. We got into a cab, and I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur into a thousand diamonds.

When I got home, my adoptive mother was sitting in the living room, still fully dressed in her evening gown and sipping wine like the queen of a tiny and miserable kingdom. Her lips curled the moment she saw me.

"Did you enjoy your whoring around?"

"Nice to see you too, Mom of a whore" I said flatly, walking past her.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Elena Rivers!" she shouted.

I stopped as she slammed the glass of wine onto the table.

"Do you know what your behaviour is doing to this family? First, you are a bastard who doesn't even know her father, next your mother is involved in an accident and has been in a coma for almost twenty years but all that doesn't bother you. You choose to go around dancing in clubs like a common slut. What next? Sleeping with beggars?"

"Is that what I am to you?" I turned slowly. "A burden? A mistake you regret adopting? I do not even get to go out always, I am always focused on my studies and each time I go out, you choose to call me names, meanwhile your daughter is currently partying outside"

She smirked. "You were never meant to be more than a pawn in this game. I was supposed to raise the heiress, not the shadow and never again in your miserable life, talk about my daughter, i don't want you spreading your ill fate to her."

Her words hit like ice water.

I walked away, straight into my room, slammed the door and collapsed onto the bed. Her words sliced deeper than they should have. Not because I believed her but because part of me feared they were true. A bastard? Was that what Jasper saw too? A shadow? I always showed her nothing but love but she only saw me as an obstacle in her and Cas's life.

I curled into myself, my mind racing. I lay awake all night, my heart refusing to calm.

The next morning, Ava came visiting and dragged me out of bed shoving a smoothie into my hands. "You're pale and not the pretty kind but like the zombies in those horror movies."

"I didn't sleep."

"You need a distraction," she said. "Lucky you, I have brunch plans and you're not skipping."

I wanted to argue, but she gave me the 'Ava Look' and you don't argue with Ava when she's already dressed and has backup lip gloss in her purse.

The brunch spot she chose was fancy, too fancy for someone with smeared eyeliner and no energy. The hostess led us to our reserved table, and just as I was about to sink into the plush chair, I saw him.

Nathan Cain.

Seated three tables away, all alone. He was wearing a tailored navy suit and had dark shades on looking all calm, regal and dangerous.

My body froze. My stomach twisted into wild knots.

He turned to my direction and our eyes met.

His face had an expression of mixed feelings.

I turned quickly, facing Ava.

"Don't look now," I whispered. "Fuck.. me, your Greek god from last night is here."

"Yours, not mine," she said, her eyes lighting up. "Where?"

"Three tables away, dressed in a navy suit sitting tall and Arrogant."

She craned her neck despite my protests.

"Well, damn," she whispered. "That's Nathan Cain."

"I know right, I made out with him last night and it was mom's message that stopped me from going further."

She looked at me. "You seriously made out with 'THE NATHAN CAIN'?"

"Can we please just eat?"

But eating was impossible because ten minutes later, a waiter came by with a note.

From Mr. Cain: Join me.

Ava's jaw dropped.

"You're not going, are you?"

"I... I shouldn't."

"But you will," she smirked.

And I did.

His table felt colder or maybe it was the way he looked at me as if he could read every secret I'd buried deep.

"Miss Rivers," he said smoothly. "You clean up nicely though I did like the wild version of you too but not too much as my mood was ruined by that wild version"

I glared. "You can't just summon women like appetisers."

He chuckled. "I didn't realize you were on the menu."

"Mr. Cain, what exactly do you want from me?"

"Call me Nathan and as for what I want from you, I'm not sure yet."

I rolled my eyes and stood. "Then this conversation is over."

He caught my wrist gently, but firmly.

"There are people watching us, including someone who's very interested in seeing what we'll do next."

I looked back.

It was Jasper. He was walking in, hand in hand with Cas. My breath caught.

Nathan stood.

"Play along," he whispered. "Let's give them something to talk about."

And before I could argue, he pulled me close.

His arm slid around my waist.

His lips brushed my cheek.

His scent wrapped around me like silk.

Jasper's jaw tightened and Cas froze. I mean they could never think that they would ever see me with a guy and that too, with Nathan Cain, his brother whom he hated so much.

Nathan whispered in my ear. "Smile for the cameras, sweetheart, the game just started."

And I did.

I smiled like the woman who was no longer broken.

Like the woman who would burn the world if she had to and in that moment, I felt content with the look on their faces.

Nathan continued the show while Jasper and Cas watched from their table. Jasper couldn't take it again so he stumped to our table.

"Elena, what are you doing here with the very person, you know I despise so much" he asked angrily.

"The last time I checked, I owe you nothing, Jasper Cain. Remember, you dumped me for my sister, how do you feel now seeing the same thing play out with your brother"

Jasper tried to drag me out of there but Nathan stopped him.

"No, brother. You don't dare handle my woman like that, she is not yours anymore and i don't want to remind you of what happens to people who touch my property, right brother?" he said with an evil smirk.

I mean he was acting so well right now and damnn..... I was loving every reaction. Jasper had no choice than to walk out with Cas, Cas still shocked about all this.

"So how do you rate my acting, ma'am."

"Amazing, I loved it"

"I am glad you loved it. Well, Elena, we are having a family gala tomorrow, I don't like attending it but i think I want to now. Let's pretend to date and in return, you get to show Jasper and Cas that you are not the same person they shattered."

I thought about it and honestly it wasn't a bad idea, I stand nothing to lose from this.

"OK fine, let's 'pretend-date'" I said to him and he chuckled at the emphasis, I laid on the 'pretend-date'.

" Perfect, you will receive your dress tomorrow and I will come pick you up by 7pm."

Chapter 3: The kiss before the goodbye

The morning sun did little to ease the storm swirling inside me. I was halfway through the gates of campus when Jasper stepped out from behind his car like some ghost refusing to stay buried.

"Elena," he called, blocking my path. "I know you're doing all this to spite me, but I still love you."

I stopped, arms crossed, my bag sliding off my shoulder. "Did you just say love? Come on, Jasper. You don't get to talk about love, not after the way you betrayed me."

He exhaled like a wounded child, but I wasn't falling for the act, not anymore.

"Elena," he pleaded, stepping closer. "You know I don't love Cas. I just need her wealth and I want you by my side. Why don't we continue what we had even while I'm married to her? After a year or so, I'll divorce her and marry you."

I stared at him, stunned. My silence was not agreement, it was disgust turning into fury.

"You are evil, Jasper. Playing with her heart like that and now you want me to be what? Your mistress? In your dreams."

His expression twisted, mouth tightening as though he was offended I would dare judge him.

"Don't defend Cas. I know how she and her mom have made your life hell. Let's join forces Elena and ruin them together."

I laughed not out of humour but disbelief. "Even if I wanted revenge, I wouldn't stoop that low. Especially not with you because you are not any different. You're a cheat, a disloyal and manipulative man."

He smirked looking as arrogant as ever. "I know you still love me and you can't stay away from me for long."

"Keep dreaming, Jasper. We're done and I've moved on."

His eyes flickered with something darker, like possession then he gave a half-smile and strutted back to his car. "We'll see about that, sweetheart."

And just like that, he drove off, leaving behind fumes and unwanted memories.

I pushed past the buzzing in my head and made it to class, but his words gnawed at me. How could I ever have fallen for someone like that? My final year of medical school should've been filled with focus and dedication, not betrayal and a manipulative ex who didn't know how to let go.

By the time I got home, my head was pounding. I took a long shower and wrapped myself in my robe, trying to forget Jasper's face. I needed something.....anything that could change my mood.

As if the universe heard me, the doorbell rang.

The dress had arrived.

I rushed to the door, my heart quickening. When I opened the box, my breath caught. The dress was nothing short of breathtaking. It was designed in black and gold sequins that shimmered under the light. It was elegant, yet daring, with a slit that hinted at power and confidence. My fingers trailed over the smooth fabric as awe curled inside me.

How did Nathan know my size? How did he know this was the exact dress that would make me feel... radiant?

I slipped it on and it hugged me in all the right places. The slit revealed just enough thigh to tease, while the neckline showcased my collarbones like I was carved out of ambition and fire. My reflection in the mirror startled me. I didn't look like the girl Jasper had broken rather I looked like a woman who had been rebuilt to look sharper, bolder and untouchable.

The jewelry that came with it sparkled like stardust. I added light makeup and styled my hair into soft curls and even my favourite heels, ones I hadn't worn in a year, seemed to bow to the occasion.

At exactly 6:58 PM, the limo pulled up. Nathan stepped out, looking sinfully handsome in a sleek black suit. His hair was combed back, and his eyes..... those relentless eyes held something between admiration and desire.

"My pretend-date is looking so gorgeous," he said with a half-smile.

"You sent the dress," I replied, blushing. "That's what brought out the beauty."

He stepped closer, his gaze dropping from my eyes to my lips and then down my body. "Not exactly, i guess you don't know how pretty you are, Elena with or without the dress."

I knew that look. It felt dangerous, lingering and so familiar. I slipped into the car before it could burn me.

Inside the limo, the air thickened with tension. He kept staring. Every time I glanced at him, I found him already watching me.

"Nathan," I asked, finally breaking the silence, "why do you keep staring at me like that?"

"I can't seem to get over you, Lena," he murmured.

My heart skipped a beat.

"Well, you will. This is a pretend date, remember? It's not real."

He leaned in, voice darker now. "Then why don't we use this time to continue from where we stopped that night?"

I opened my mouth to object, but his lips silenced me.

His kiss was nothing like Jasper's, it didn't demand rather it devoured and every second pulled me deeper. He traced my bare back with his fingers, then gently tugged me onto his lap. The limo hummed forward, but inside, time stood still.

He kissed me like I was the air he had been starving for.

And maybe, I was.

I couldn't resist. I wanted to give in.

His hands danced across my back then...... my thighs. My body melted into his and I kissed him harder, our lips tingling and our hearts thudding. He whispered my name against my neck like it was the answer to a question he'd been dying to ask.

Then.........

"Hmmmm........" a sound of someone clearing their throat. "We've arrived," the driver who was also Nathan's best friend and personal assistant announced flatly.

I jerked off Nathan's lap, my cheeks flaming like fire. He straightened up, ran a hand through his hair then adjusted his jacket. I touched up my lips quickly, silently praying my dress hadn't wrinkled.

We stepped out of the limo and flashes erupted like fireworks. Paparazzi, reporters all looking like a bunch of hungry wolves.

"Is she your girlfriend?"

"Isn't she Jasper's ex?"

"Where did you two meet?"

Nathan didn't flinch. He just placed his hand at the small of my back and guided me inside like I was royalty. His presence next to me made me feel shielded and desired.

Inside, the buzz shifted. All eyes turned to us. Whispers trailed behind every step we took.

Nathan was quickly swarmed by businessmen, shaking hands and exchanging empty pleasantries. I remained poised, but every now and then, I felt his eyes flicker towards me, as if reminding me that I was the most important part of his night.

Then came a familiar face, Mr. Cain, Nathan's father.

"Son! How have you been?" he said, patting Nathan's shoulder. "I see you forgot about your old man."

Nathan chuckled. "Never, Dad. You know how business gets."

Mr. Cain's eyes shifted to me, his expression curious. "And who might this beautiful young lady be? Wait... isn't she Jasper's ex?"

"Yes, Dad," Nathan said without hesitation. "I came across her... and I liked her, we're dating now."

The older man's brows rose, but he didn't protest.

"Well, well... you have taste. Elena, is it? You're welcome. We were supposed to meet you when we got back from Singapore, but then we heard about the breakup. I'm sorry Jasper did that to you."

I gave a polite smile. "I'm fine, Mr. Cain. Nathan has been... taking very good care of me."

He laughed and clapped his son's back. "That's my boy."

The night passed with toasts, compliments, and too many curious glances. Then came the inevitable.

Jasper walked in with Cas on his arm.

I didn't flinch. I looked straight ahead, my head held high. But I saw their faces, the shock, the jealousy and the unspoken war.

I had won this round.

But the victory was short-lived.

After the party ended, Nathan escorted me back to the limo. We drove in silence for a while, the hum of the engine was the only sound between us. I glanced at him, expecting warmth, mischief or anything... but what I saw chilled me.

His eyes had gone blank and cold.

"Elena..." he began, voice detached, "let's not meet again."

I blinked. "What?"

"I used you to get into that party. My mission's accomplished. So let's not... complicate things. Don't call. Don't wait. This was just a one-time thing."

He didn't even look at me as he spoke.

He just... gestured for me to leave.

I sat frozen, disbelief hitting me harder than the kiss we ever had.

"What... what are you saying?"

He sighed, eyes still avoiding mine. "I needed someone to make a statement tonight. That's all."

My throat tightened. My chest burned. "So you used me... just like Jasper?"

No reply.

I climbed out slowly, heels scraping the pavement. My legs wobbled, but I didn't stumble. I wouldn't give him that.

He didn't say goodbye. He didn't even wait to see me enter the house.

The limo pulled away, red taillights vanishing into the dark like everything good in my life lately.

I stood there, under the dim porch light, a black-and-gold goddess had been stripped of her crown.

I have been used....... Again.

And this time... it hurt ten times more.