The Billionaire's Regret: Ruining My Arrogant Ex

A gleaming Porsche 911 pulled up at the main entrance of Thorne Enterprises. The guards standing outside the building immediately saluted, thinking a new investor had arrived. The car door opened, and an expensive, red stiletto heel clicked to the ground. Out of the car stepped a woman who stopped all traffic. A designer suit, dark sunglasses, and that cold confidence that only comes with millions in your bank account. It was none other than Miss Vaughn. But she was a stranger to this town, because three years ago... she was simply Elena. Elena took off her sunglasses and looked up at the tall building that stood like Ethan Thorne's pride. She took a deep breath and softly muttered, "Three years... it took me a thousand days to get back here. I'm coming for you, Ethan. I'm coming to settle my score." As she saw her reflection in the glass of the building, her vision blurred... and she was transported to the dark alleys of the past where it all began. 3 years ago... Elena was just 20 years old, a naive college student. The world meant everything to her, her college assignments, and her ailing father's medications. She was a girl who was afraid of getting wet in the rain and shy about talking to strangers. That day, Elena was returning home from college. The afternoon sun was shining brightly, and she was wearily walking towards the bus stop. Then, a large LED billboard in the middle of the road caught her eye. A news interview was going on. "The King of the Business World: Ethan Thorne," the anchor's voice echoed throughout the street. The screen displayed a man God had probably created in his leisure time. With a sharp nose, deep blue eyes that could hypnotize anyone, and a jawline that was no less than a sword. Ethan Thorne looked more like a Greek god than a business tycoon. Elena's steps stopped. She was about to drop her bag. She had never believed in love at first sight before, but at that moment... she felt as if her heart had stopped beating. She was captivated by his voice, his manner of speaking, his aura. "I have to meet him," she promised herself. "No matter what, I will." As soon as she got home, Elena opened her old laptop. She searched for hours about Ethan. She discovered that meeting Ethan Thorne seemed like an impossible dream. But there was a way—on the Thorne Enterprises website, there was a "General Appointments" column, where Ethan met with new entrepreneurs and ordinary people once a month. Without a second thought, Elena immediately booked her appointment. She had no business idea, but she had a heart that was head over heels for Ethan. That evening, she went to the shopping mall. She was short on money, but she spent her entire monthly savings on a beautiful royal blue dress. When she wore it, she looked no less than a princess. The dress fit her perfectly, emphasizing her simplicity. Next morning... The next morning, Elena woke up early. She applied some light makeup and put on her blue dress. She smiled at herself in the mirror. Today was the biggest day of her life. She took the subway to Thorn Enterprises. Her heart sank at the sight of the building. There was a line of people so long, it seemed to end. "Madam, your number is 482," the receptionist said with a dry smile. Elena didn't give up. She stood in line for four hours. She held a small bouquet—yellow roses, a symbol of friendship and new beginnings. Her feet ached, she was thirsty, but all she could see was Ethan's face. Finally, after four hours, her turn came. "Miss Elena? Mr. Thorne is waiting for you. You only have two minutes," the bodyguard said coldly. Elena's hands were trembling. As she entered Ethan's cabin, the coolness and luxury of it terrified her. The cabin had glass walls, overlooking the entire city. And in front... sitting in his chair was him—Ethan Thorne. Ethan looked up from his laptop and looked Elena up and down. There was no emotion on his face, only a coldness that would make anyone feel like dust. "Who are you?" Ethan's heavy, masculine voice echoed through the cabin. "And what are you doing here with these flowers? What business do you have? Tell me quickly. My time is valuable." Elena's tongue stuck to her lips. Ethan's eyes sparkled so brightly that she was frightened. She placed the bouquet on the table and said in a trembling voice, "Mr. Thorne... I... I've come to tell you that..." Ethan raised an eyebrow. He was perplexed, wondering why a girl would do something so childish instead of doing business. Ethan placed his pen on the table, his voice as cold as an iceberg. "Your silence is wasting my time, Miss Elena. If you don't have a business proposal, you better leave. There are people waiting in line outside who could spend their entire lives on charity just to meet me." Elena tightened her fingers in her blue dress. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought Ethan could hear it. She gathered courage and looked into Ethan's deep blue eyes. "I'm not here for money or contracts, Mr. Thorne. I... I'm here to tell you that you've changed my life. When I saw you on that screen, I felt like every question I had was gone. I'm impressed by you... and maybe even more than that." A strange glint flashed in Ethan's eyes—but it wasn't love, but a predatory attempt. He rose from his chair and slowly walked closer to Ethan. His height was so tall that Elena had to raise her head completely. The scent of his 'Sandalwood' perfume was intoxicating. "Inspired?" Ethan took a step forward; Elena was now trapped between the wall and Ethan. Ethan placed one hand on the wall near Elena's head and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Innocent girls like you come here every day, Elena. Everyone thinks this is a fairy tale and I'm their Prince Charming. But do you know how dangerous a lion can be when it's hungry?" Elena's breath caught. She wasn't sure if Ethan was scaring her or testing her. Ethan picked one of her yellow roses and touched its petals to his lips. "These flowers... are they for friendship? Friendship is a weakness in business, and I have no room for the weak." He tossed the rose back on the table and sat back in his chair. "But... I have to admire your courage. There's no one in this entire town who would come to my cabin and talk to me about such nonsense. Do you think you're special?" Elena tremblingly nodded. Ethan wrote something on a piece of paper and pointed it at Elena. "My birthday party is tomorrow night, at my mansion. This is the address. If you really want to meet me, come there. There I'll show you what Ethan Thorne's world is like. But remember, the way back from there is very difficult." Elena picked up the card as if it were a treasure. A small smile appeared on her face. She thought she had won Ethan's heart, but she couldn't see that there was a devilish smile on Ethan's face. He hadn't invited Elena to the party because he was impressed by her, but because he wanted a new spectacle. Elena left the cabin, her feet not touching the ground. She felt like she was floating in the air. "He wants to meet me! Ethan invited me to his house!" she thought, screaming with joy.