Page 57 of A Win-Win Situation
Leora and I share a quick glance, and I can see the slight unease in her eyes, pleading for me not to leave her side. I give her hand two quick squeezes, reassuring her that I will stick by her.
As Michel reaches us, he opens his arms and wraps them around Leora in a hug, momentarily breaking our connection.
I watch with a clenched jaw as he hugs her. An unsettling sensation claws at my chest, a desire to pull them apart bubbling within me. It's an unfamiliar feeling, threatening to engulf me entirely.
Leora seems uneasy in the embrace, and a surge of possessiveness urges me to draw her close. However, I resist, refusing to let the impulse create a scene.
Finally, Michel releases Leora from his grip, and she steps back, regaining her composure. I instinctively reach for her hand, seeking a physical connection to ground me. Our fingers intertwine, and in the warmth of her touch, I find my calm.
Michel pats me on my shoulder. "Congratulations."
"Thank you. We’re very happy." My gaze is still fixed on Leora, who nods in agreement with a big smile plastered on her face.
"Of course you are, with a beauty like that on your arm how could you not?" Michel says with a hint of jealousy, his eyes narrowing on Leora. "Although, Lucas isn’t the only one who should be happy, right, Leora?" he continues, his tone dripping with poison.
"I'm truly blessed. Lucas is an amazing husband," Leora says, patting my chest with each word.
"He is. He's also very rich and can offer women jobs they don't really have the experience for," he says with a sneer on his face. "Oh yes, Leora. I’ve heard about your previous job and the gossip circling around about you."
Leora's expression hardens, and I can feel my blood starting to boil. I quickly step in, placing a protective hand on her back.
"That's enough." I glare at Michael but he just smirks, clearly enjoying getting a rise out of me. It was probably his plan from the beginning to provoke me into starting a scene in front of everyone, as if to prove something.
"Oh, I’m just playing around. Right, Leora?"
Before I can say anything else, Leora speaks up, her voice steady and composed. "I married Lucas because I love him, not because of his wealth or the job opportunity." Her eyesflash with determination. "Unlike some people, I value genuine connection and mutual respect in a relationship."
Michel's smug expression falters, seemingly taken aback by Leora's response. He opens his mouth to retort, but Leora cuts him off with a polite yet firm nod. "If you’ll excuse me, I need to find the ladies room." She smiles at me before she walks away toward the house.
I watch her leave and I'm left seething with anger. I clench my fists, resisting the overwhelming urge to punch Michael in the face.
But then he speaks, a self-satisfied expression on his face. "Women are so emotional, am I right?"
That's it. I can’t hold it back any longer.
In a split second, I grab a fistful of Michel's shirt, yanking him towards me, my voice low and dangerous as I speak through gritted teeth, "Speak to my wife that way again, and you'll regret the day you ever crossed paths with me."
I can feel the tension in my muscles; everything in me is screaming to make him understand.
Nobody talks to her that way. She’s wearingmyring. To him, she’s my wife in all the ways that count, so for him to jab at her is the same as jabbing at me.
Michel's earlier arrogance fades, replaced by surprise and a hint of fear. "Is that a threat, boy?" he counters, trying to regain his composure. I keep a tight hold on him, sensing his subtle shifts beneath my hand.
I hold his gaze, unflinching. "No, it’s a promise," I say firmly, my voice resonating with quiet intensity. "I won't tolerate disrespect toward my wife or anyone in my company. Consider this your only warning."
After a tense pause, I release my grip on Michel's shirt and take a step back, my chest heaving with anger. I look around, gauging how many eyes witnessed my confrontation. When Idon’t spot anyone, I shoot him a final warning glare before I walk toward the table that’s been set up at the other end of the garden. My gaze shifts towards the mansion, and I catch a figure in one of the windows.
It’s a woman wearing white, and my mind goes to Leora straightaway.
Did she witness what just happened?
Is she upset? I don’t like the idea of someone upsetting her. I’m the only one who’s allowed to challenge her—no one else.
I need to find her, talk to her, and make sure she’s all right.
I reach the table and sit down, my mind racing with worry about Leora, but a screeching voice interrupts my thoughts.
Melina.
