With the last lecherous man unconscious on the floor, Elliana tilted her head toward the surveillance camera. A flicker of realization crossed her face. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her phone, and started typing quickly.
Within seconds, the screen in the surveillance room went pitch black. “What the-” Manley scrambled to the keyboard. “No way. The whole system’s been wiped! Who the hell had the guts to hack into my family business’s network like this?”
Without a word, Cole rose to his feet and strode out, his expression unreadable.
Back in the room, Elliana slipped her phone back into her pocket and moved toward the door. She paused to check the peephole.
Sure enough, the hallway was crawling with Kiara’s guards. They weren’t just loitering-they were stationed. Once she left through that door, they’d know.
Elliana didn’t waste a second. She hurried back to the bathroom, pushed the window open, and climbed out without hesitation. Her hands gripped the drainpipe as she descended carefully, inch by inch, before sliding herself into a narrow ventilation opening on the far side of the building.
Right as Elliana was about to leap down, she went rigid. Standing in the hallway, tall as ever and twice as furious, was Cole.
Elliana’s breath caught. “Why are you here?” she asked, stunned.
Cole didn’t bother answering. With a storm brewing behind his eyes, he marched forward, grabbed her by the waist, and lifted her off the windowsill like she weighed nothing.
Elliana barely had time to catch her breath, let alone speak, before he spun her around and pinned her wrist to the wall. The sudden motion jarred her spine against the cold surface, drawing a sharp inhale from her lips.
“What is wrong with you?” Elliana snapped, glaring up at him, irritation sparking in her voice.
Cole stepped in, his chest nearly flush with hers, the wall at her back, frustration written in every taut line of his body. “Seventeenth floor. Climbing walls like it’s some action film. Have you lost your mind?” Getting caught had never been part of Elliana’s plan. Judging by the fire in his eyes, he was more than angry-he was furious. Her teeth caught her lower lip, buying her a second to think. Then, chin high, she looked away from him. “Whatever I do is my own business. You don’t get to interfere. We agreed-your life, my life, separate. That was the deal.”
Not his business? She actually had the nerve to say that out loud? Cole’s expression darkened, his jaw clenched. He was her husband, damn it-and she expected him to stand by while she dangled off buildings like a lunatic? Unbelievable. The nerve of this woman was almost impressive. Every inch of her screamed defiance. Maybe it was time she remembered what it meant to be his wife.
Elliana could sense the tension rolling off Cole, his fury almost crackling in the space between them. Her heart gave a nervous jolt. She figured she might have gone a step too far this time and decided it was probably wise not to stir the beast any more than she already had. Flashing a quick, nervous smile, she tilted her head up. “Let’s just…”
Before the sentence even finished, Cole silenced her the only way he knew how-his mouth crashed down onto hers, wild, forceful, and utterly unforgiving
Trailing behind Cole were Allan, Merlin, and Manley. The three of them froze in place the moment they caught sight of what was happening. Manley could hardly believe his eyes. “Hold on, are my eyes playing tricks on me, or is Cole actually kissing that plain Jane? Cole’s never once shown the slightest interest in women for years. And now he’s all over Elliana? This is unreal. It’s completely shattering everything I thought I knew.”
Spinning toward his friends, Manley threw his hands up. “Seriously? Is anyone gonna comment, or am I losing my mind alone?”
Allan loosened his tie, clearly rattled. “Yeah… I didn’t see this coming either.”
Merlin said nothing. His gaze, sharp and unreadable, stayed locked on the scene, his thoughts racing.
Elliana had no chance to brace herself. The kiss wasn’t soft or tentative-Cole deepened it before she could react, his tongue slipping past her defenses as if he’d done this a hundred times. Heat surged through her like a shockwave, scattering her thoughts and instincts. It was unfamiliar, intoxicating, and completely short-circuited her ability to resist.
By the time her mind caught up, the kiss had already left its mark-her lips buzzed, her breath uneven. Hands shaking, she pressed against his chest and tried to shove him away. “You’re way out of line. Who told you kissing me was okay?”
Cole finally let her breathe but didn’t release her. Holding her close, his voice dropped to a steady, deliberate tone. “Now tell me, honey-do I have the right to get involved in your business?”
Elliana’s thoughts were still scrambled, but she managed to glare at him. “Back off. You’re one step away from pushing me too far.”
Cole chuckled, amused. “Oh? What’s your next move then? Planning to knock me out like you did those losers in the other room?”
Elliana stilled, the realization dawning in her eyes-he’d watched everything from the surveillance footage. “If you want to find out firsthand, I’d be more than willing to demonstrate.”
No sooner had the words left her lips than Elliana sprang into motion. She wasn’t naive-Cole had skill. That much was obvious from what she’d witnessed the night before. But today gave her a chance to test the waters, to see who truly held the upper hand if they ever went toe-to-toe again.
Right before things could escalate, Manley darted between them, waving his arms like a referee. “Alright, timeout! You’re newlyweds, not cage fighters. Save the tension for a steamy reunion. Let’s go cool off with a drink, yeah?”
Reluctantly, they all headed back to the private room, the tension still crackling in the air. After witnessing everything just now, Manley didn’t dare say another bad word about Elliana. In fact, he suddenly found himself on his best behavior, as if Elliana were royalty. Since Cole was on her side, looks didn’t matter. Affiliation with Cole alone commanded respect-and he wasn’t stupid enough to test that.
As soon as they sat down, Manley jumped to pour Elliana a drink.
“Here you go, something to take the edge off.”
Elliana offered a polite smile and lowered her gaze. “I don’t drink.” Without a word, Cole reached for the juice, filled a glass, and slid it over to her. She accepted it calmly and took a slow sip.
The men across from them froze, speechless. Cole-Mr. Untouchable himself-had just served someone a drink. Willingly. And not just anyone-Elliana, the woman they’d all written off as plain and forgettable.
The couple couldn’t have looked more mismatched. Cole exuded polish and power, while Elliana, in their eyes, looked painfully out of place. Yet, here they were, sitting together, intimate, aligned, and entirely unfazed by how it looked.
Grinning now, Manley leaned across the table, curiosity gleaming in his eyes as he said, “So, Elliana… Rumor has it you’ve been stuck in the back room for years. Where’d you learn to fight like that?”
“Self-taught,” Elliana said smoothly, her faint smile giving away nothing.
Not for a second did Manley believe her. That kind of skill didn’t come from watching TV or sparring in a basement. But one glance at Cole-and at Elliana’s calm expression-told him to drop it. This was one mystery better left untouched.
Without a word, Merlin tilted back his glass and emptied it in a single swallow. The next moment, he snapped his wrist-and the wine glass flew through the air, aimed directly at Elliana’s face.
Allan and Manley paled instantly. The move had come out of nowhere, too fast to predict and far too fast to stop.
Merlin had once ranked among the elite in international special forces, and his aim was nothing short of lethal. If that glass struck Elliana, the outcome would be far from pleasant.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.