5

RAINA

I couldn’t believe the nerve—the audacity he had to corner me like this. The moment I saw Alexander’s cold, piercing gaze, I knew nothing good could come from whatever words he had ready for me. I tried to slip away unnoticed, to avoid this exact situation, but his grip on my arm was unyielding, almost painful.

I clenched my jaw, meeting his gaze with defiance. “What I do is none of your business, Alexander.”

He scoffed, his eyes narrowing. “Oh, but it is. Everything you do seems to be about flaunting yourself, doesn’t it?”

The sting of his words was sharper than I’d anticipated, but I refused to let him see it. “And here I thought you’d moved on,” I replied, keeping my tone steady. “Or is that just what you want people to believe?”

For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something else in his expression, something like hurt. But it vanished just as quickly, replaced by a hardened mask.

“Don’t mistake my tolerance for forgiveness,” he said, his tone biting. “I haven’t forgotten what you did.”

I scoffed.

“Where the hell have you been hiding?” His voice was low and icy. The sneer on his face only made it worse, as if he were talking to something filthy on the bottom of his shoe. I almost laughed—almost. He was here, the man who once vowed to protect me, now treating me like a stranger or worse, an enemy.

My pulse quickened, and I felt a rush of defiance surge through me. Don’t let him get to you, Raina. I steadied myself, pulling my arm back, but his grip tightened.

“You’re still here? Still...doing this?” he sneered. His gaze flicked over me like I was something cheap, something worthless. “Whoring your way up to the top—sleeping with the right men. Is that the kind of example you want to set for Ava?”

The shock of it—the brutal, effortless way he lashed out. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. The idea that this was the man who was once everything to me, who had once whispered words of love in my ear, felt like a cruel joke.

“Let me go,” I whispered, barely able to contain the sharp anger simmering underneath. “I don’t have time for whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish here, Alexander.”

But his expression didn’t change, and the coldness in his eyes deepened. He leaned in, his breath warm against my skin, the proximity making my skin crawl.

“Maybe you’ve been watching me,” he continued, his voice dripping with disdain. “Waiting for the right moment to ruin things for me with the Grahams.”

His accusation stung. And yet, a dark sense of satisfaction bubbled under my anger—he wasn’t completely wrong. I had watched him over the years, watched and waited for the moment when I’d finally get my say, my piece of retribution. But this, his wild assumptions, the smug righteousness on his face...he couldn’t be more wrong.

“Get over yourself,” I spat back, twisting my arm free, though the spot where he’d held me throbbed. “You’re not even close to being worth that much of my time.”

I turned, my heart racing, hoping to escape his hateful stare, but then I heard her.

“Oh, isn’t this perfect?” Eliza’s voice, sharp and loud, sliced through the moment. I turned to see her flanked by Vanessa and his mother, all three of them staring daggers. It was as though they’d been waiting just outside, biding their time. She glared at me, jealousy and disgust written across her face.

“Eliza, not now,” Alexander muttered, though his grip still lingered on my arm, barely loosened, like he was reluctant to let go even with his precious wife glaring in our direction.

“Get your filthy hands off of him,” Eliza snapped, stepping forward and pulling at my shoulder as if I were some cheap prop that didn’t belong in the scene.

I wanted to laugh. Alexander had been the one holding onto me, yet here she was, blinded by possessiveness. “Maybe you should learn who you’re talking to before you start with the accusations,” I retorted, feeling my heart rate steady, my composure returning as I slipped my arm free from Alexander’s grip at last.

Alexander finally looked away, annoyed, as though the entire exchange were beneath him.

His mother, always cold and unflinching, only offered me a sharp, appraising look. Vanessa, predictably, sneered.

“Alexander, dear,” Vanessa cooed, that same sickly-sweet tone she’d used even before, back when I was his wife and she hated it. “Surely you don’t mean to entertain...her here.”

I could practically feel the disgust dripping from her words, the venom hiding just under the surface.

But Alexander only gave her a hard look, dismissing her concern. “This isn’t what I wanted to discuss,” he snapped.

In the confusion, I managed to take a step back, inching toward the door, desperate to escape before I could hear another word from him or any of them.

“Raina!”

Dominic’s voice—calm, familiar. I turned to see him standing just a few feet away, watching the unfolding scene with a cool, guarded expression. Relief flooded me, and I walked over to him, away from the chaos and the hurtful eyes fixed on me.

He gave me a quiet, searching look, lowering his voice as he asked, “Are you alright? What did they say to you?”

“It’s fine, Dom. I just need a moment.” I tried to smile, though the weight of their scorn still lingered, like a bruise.

But Dominic wasn’t having it. His face hardened, his usual easygoing demeanor shifting as he turned to look at Alexander and his family. “It’s unacceptable, the way they’re treating you. They’re like...vultures.”

I gave a small laugh at that. “Vultures would probably be kinder.”

The last of Alexander’s words still echoed through my mind as I left the room, my hand tingling where he’d held it tight. No matter how much time passed, I realized, he would always be that same man, sharp and closed off, unwilling to look beyond his assumptions. My pulse still thudded, but I shook off his hateful sneer, taking a long, steady breath. This is bigger than him, I reminded myself.

Dominic waited just down the hall, and the second he saw my face, his expression shifted, darkened with something close to anger.

“Raina, what did he say?” he asked, his voice low and tense. He hadn’t missed the look in Alexander’s eyes, the possessive way he’d held my arm. “Did he hurt you?”

“No, nothing I can’t handle,” I answered, grateful for his steadiness. Dominic had always been my anchor in times like this, his easygoing warmth the perfect antidote to Alexander’s frosty arrogance. I wasn’t here to confront Alexander over the past. Not yet. But even Dominic knew how close he was to pushing me past a point of no return.

We walked out together, returning to the bustling hall where voices overlapped and glasses clinked under the chandeliers’ soft glow. Guests mingled in fine suits and dresses, enjoying the evening with effortless grace. The host was now on stage, addressing the crowd, but Alexander’s unmistakable presence weighed on the room as he moved, expression locked in place, trying to project an air of untouchable control.

When he saw us, his gaze lingered a moment too long on Dominic, then flickered to me with a coldness that bordered on disdain. It was as though his every attempt to keep himself composed frayed the edges of his calm.

I watched, curious, as Alexander approached Dominic, his expression shifting, trying to be polite. But I could see the effort it took—Alexander was not a man accustomed to being second to anyone, and his pride made him wear a cool, almost rigid mask.

“Dominic Graham,” he greeted, his tone dripping with forced courtesy. “It’s an honor to have you here tonight.” His gaze flicked to me, something akin to amusement glinting in his eyes. “And Raina—always a surprise to see you.”

I bit back a response, my heart beating faster, but Dominic wasn’t about to let him set the tone.

Dominic raised an eyebrow, a wry smile on his lips. “An honor?” He chuckled, shooting a glance at me. “Not much of an honor if it means my date has to be treated like some common nuisance.”

Dominic said, voice low but unmistakable. The remark struck Alexander, but he barely let it show, his mouth setting in a line, jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. “It’s one thing to conduct yourself in private, Alexander. It’s another to act so blatantly in public.” His tone was firm, his words cutting.

Alexander’s face remained blank, but I knew the words landed with force. His eyes darkened, and for a second, I caught the barest flicker of irritation—just enough to confirm that he knew exactly how his family had behaved tonight.

Dominic didn’t give him a chance to respond. “I understand you’re interested in partnering with us.” He raised an eyebrow, his hand resting comfortably on my shoulder. “But that decision won’t be up to me alone.”

I felt Alexander’s eyes shift back to me, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of looking away. Instead, I smiled—a small, deliberate gesture meant to show him that whatever he’d tried to tear down tonight hadn’t even left a scratch.

Dominic turned toward me with a grin, one I knew all too well. He was enjoying this far more than he should, making it abundantly clear that any future dealings between us would need my approval. He leaned closer, his voice warm and slightly teasing. “What do you say, Raina? Should I hear him out?”

I could feel Alexander’s gaze burning into me, waiting to see what I would say. This moment felt surreal, the tables turned in a way I never imagined possible. I took a breath, allowing myself to meet Alexander’s eyes, and held his stare without flinching. There was no bitterness in my voice, only a quiet confidence.

“Does he know what my answer will be?” I asked, directing the question more toward Dominic than Alexander, but the pointed look I gave Alexander made my meaning clear.

Alexander’s expression remained stony, but I could see his frustration—a momentary flash of doubt, his gaze flickering between us, piecing together something he hadn’t anticipated. He masked his reaction quickly, replacing it with that familiar, indifferent coldness, but it was enough to tell me that I’d unsettled him.

For the first time in years, the power between us was balanced, and I didn’t plan on letting it tip back in his favor.