Chapter 6: The Woman in Red
539 Words
The office fell into complete silence.
The woman standing at the door looked breathtaking in a fitted red dress that hugged her figure perfectly. Her long blonde hair rested neatly over one shoulder, and the expensive diamond necklace around her neck sparkled under the lights.
She looked like she belonged in Ethan's world.
Her eyes slowly traveled from Isabella's simple clothes to the contract lying on Ethan's desk.
Then she smiled.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
It was the kind that warned trouble was coming.
"Ethan," she said softly, "aren't you going to introduce me?"
Ethan's expression remained calm.
"Victoria."
His voice was cold.
"What are you doing here?"
Victoria walked into the office without waiting for permission.
"I missed you."
She stopped beside him as if she had every right to stand there.
Then she looked at Isabella again.
"So..."
"Who is she?"
Isabella quickly stood.
"I'm sorry. I think I should leave."
"No."
Ethan's single word stopped her.
He walked around the desk until he stood beside Isabella.
Victoria watched every movement.
Her smile slowly disappeared.
Ethan looked directly into Victoria's eyes.
"Meet Isabella Hart."
There was a brief pause.
"My fiancée."
The room became so quiet that Isabella could hear her own heartbeat.
What?
Fiancée?
Nobody had told her they were pretending to be engaged already.
Victoria laughed.
"Very funny."
"I'm serious."
The laughter died on her lips.
She searched Ethan's face for any sign that he was joking.
There was none.
Her eyes widened.
"You... you're replacing me?"
"I moved on a long time ago."
Victoria's face turned pale.
"No."
She shook her head.
"You're lying."
Without warning, she walked up to Isabella.
"So you're the girl who thinks she can steal what's mine?"
"I..." Isabella began.
Before she could finish...
SLAP!
The sharp sound echoed through the office.
Isabella's face turned to the side.
A burning pain spread across her cheek.
She slowly raised her hand to her face.
For a second...
No one moved.
Victoria smirked.
"Know your place."
The next second...
Ethan stepped forward.
His jaw tightened.
His eyes, once calm, turned icy.
His voice was so cold that even Victoria flinched.
"You just made the biggest mistake of your life."
Victoria blinked.
"Ethan..."
He didn't let her finish.
He pointed toward the office door.
"Get out."
His tone carried the authority of a man who wasn't used to repeating himself.
Victoria looked from Ethan to Isabella, disbelief written all over her face.
"You... you're choosing her?"
Ethan didn't answer.
He simply pressed a button on his desk.
Within seconds, two security guards entered.
"Escort Miss Sterling out."
Victoria stared at Ethan for a long moment, her eyes filling with anger and humiliation.
"This isn't over," she whispered.
Then she looked directly at Isabella.
"You have no idea what you've just walked into."
She turned and left.
The office door closed with a heavy thud.
Silence filled the room once again.
Isabella let out a shaky breath.
She turned to Ethan.
"I think I should go."
Instead of answering...
Ethan reached into his pocket, took out a small box, and placed it on the desk.
Inside was a breathtaking diamond engagement ring.
He looked at Isabella and said quietly,
"Put it on."
- Writer
