Kiss My Ass Dear Ex

CHAPTER 3

ELENA’S POV

The media spread around like wildfire.

Headlines screamed with breaking news about Leonard Vaughn’s engagement to me. The press releases he had carefully orchestrated painted a clear picture that Noah Sinclair’s discarded wife had found a new, more powerful man.

But that wasn’t enough.

Leonard wanted to destroy Noah, not just humiliate him.

So he took it a step further. He released statements under my name with carefully worded accusations, mixed with just enough truth to make them impossible to ignore.

“Noah Sinclair built his empire on lies and manipulation.”

“I was nothing more than a tool to him and a pawn in his game.”

“For years, I kept his secrets, cleaned up his messes, and turned a blind eye to his corruption.”

The world ate it up. Leonard’s PR team was brilliant. They knew how to make a scandal explode, how to turn public opinion against someone in a matter of hours.

By the time I saw the full extent of what had been released, it was too late to stop it.

I should have felt guilty. But I didn’t.

Not when I thought about the years I had spent by Noah’s side, believing in him. Loving him. Only to be tossed out when I was no longer useful.

Let him burn.

I should have expected Noah to come looking for me.

But when the pounding on the Vaughn estate’s gates started, I still felt a rush of shock and something close to satisfaction.

The security guards moved quickly, blocking Noah from barging in. I stepped onto the balcony overlooking the front courtyard just as he shoved one of the guards back.

“Elena!” His voice was filled with anger. “Come down here and face me!”

The guards tightened their grip on him, but Noah struggled, his eyes burning with fury.

“Elena!”

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to let the security team drag him away, but another part of me—the one I could barely recognize—wanted to see him, to face him now that the tables had turned.

I lifted my chin and walked down the staircase. The moment I stepped outside, Noah’s gaze locked onto mine. From his stare, I could see how brutally I wounded his pride.

“Elena.” His voice was lower now and desperate. “What the hell is this?”

I crossed my arms. “You’ll have to be more specific for me to be able to answer your question.”

His jaw clenched. “Don’t play games with me. This marriage, these statements, what the hell do you think you are doing?”

I tilted my head. “Getting back at you.”

Noah recoiled slightly, as if the answer had been a physical blow.

His fingers curled into fists. “You think you can just run into Vaughn’s arms and try to bring me down?”

I let out a hollow, bitter laugh. “Trying? No, I am not. Vaughn and I love each other, and he just wants to make you suffer for using me and throwing me away the moment you found a better option. I get that you are angry that I didn’t stay broken...”

“I am not…” He exhaled sharply. “Damn it, Elena, you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.”

I arched a brow. “Oh? Enlighten me.”

He stepped forward, and the guards moved in. But I lifted a hand, stopping them.

Noah took another step, lowering his voice. “Vaughn isn’t the type of man you should be around. He’s a monster. He doesn’t protect people, he owns them.”

“You have no right to talk about my husband like that,” I said coldly. “And FYI, he is better than you.”

The lines of his forehead twitched. “What has gotten into you? Just because of a divorce, you turn into this?”

I sighed, already tired of this conversation. “Go home, Noah.”

I turned to walk away. That was my mistake, because in the next second, Noah grabbed my arm, yanking me back.

“Elena, listen to me…”

His grip was tight, and his fingers dug into my skin—way too tight.

Before I could react, a thunder-like voice cut through.

“Take your hands off my wife.”

Noah barely had time to turn before Leonard’s fist connected with his jaw.

The blow was so unexpected, it made Noah stumble back, with blood trickling from his lip.

Leonard stood over him. He was fuming with rage, and I couldn’t figure out why. What I mean is that I wasn’t even truly his wife, so why was he this angry?

“Touch her again, and I’ll break every bone in your body.”

Noah coughed, glaring up at him. “This is between me and Elena.”

Leonard’s expression didn’t change. He simply gestured.

Immediately, his security team moved in. In the span of seconds, Noah was bundled to his feet, his arms restrained by Vaughn’s men.

Leonard took a slow step forward, with a mean glance.

“You think you can storm into my home, lay your hands on my wife, and walk away?” He tilted his head slightly, his eyes were dark and spelled danger. “You must be even more pathetic than I thought.”

Noah struggled against the guards. “She’s not yours.”

Leonard’s lips curved into something cold and unforgiving. “She bears my name. She lives under my roof. And if you dare to touch her again…” He leaned in, voice dropping to something almost gentle. “I’ll bury you.”

Noah swallowed, and for the first time, I saw fear.

He knew Leonard wasn’t bluffing.

There was silence between them, broken only by Noah’s ragged breathing, and finally Leonard nodded to his men.

“Get him out of my sight.”

Noah was dragged away. He was still angry at me—I could tell from the furious gaze he gave me as he got dragged through the gates.

Only when the sounds of struggle faded did Leonard turn to me.

His expression remained unreadable, but his eyes searched my face.

“Elena.” His voice was quieter now.

I didn’t realize I was shaking until he took my arm—the same arm Noah had grabbed—and gently ran his thumb over the red marks.

His touch was surprisingly careful.

I should have pulled away, but I didn’t.

“I had it handled,” I muttered.

Leonard let out a short, humorless chuckle. “You keep telling yourself that. That man could have hurt you if I didn’t show up just in time.”

His fingers rested on my wrist for a second longer before he finally stepped back, putting distance between us. “There will be a dinner party tonight. I will get my stylist to dress you up.”

“Huh? But…” He didn’t wait to hear me. He turned and walked inside.

Later that day, a team of stylists arrived, and in no time I was transformed from a broken woman Noah left behind into someone entirely different. Gone was the simple, overlooked housewife.

In her place stood Mrs. Vaughn, looking all polished, poised, and untouchable.

“Sir, we are done,” the head stylist said, and I turned from the mirror to see Leonard staring at me. His eyes looked excited—or so I thought. But they quickly changed to disinterest.

“Your payment will be transferred to you, thank you,” he said to her, and she nodded before leaving with the others.

Once it was just the two of us left, he walked close to me, giving me this dangerous look. I felt scared for no reason and took steps back as he approached me, hoping he would stop, but he didn’t. I kept moving until my back hit the wall. Realizing I had no means of escape, I opened my mouth. “Stop!”

He paused at once, which I didn’t expect. “What is wrong with you? Do you always have to scare people?”

“Scare people?” He repeated in a questioning tone, looking all confused. “I was just walking to you.”

I bit my lower lip, not knowing what to say. Maybe I was the one overreacting. He stretched his hand to me and soon pulled something out of my hair, bringing it to my face.

“This?” He said, looking into my eyes. “I wanted to get it out of your hair. Stop with your illusions, you are not my type. We are leaving in thirty minutes. Make sure you are not forgetting anything.”

About fifty minutes later, we walked into a ballroom filled with noises, littered with expensive champagnes and freshly prepared delicacies, with some of the most influential business elites in the country moving about, engaged in conversation.

The men were dressed in tailored suits, while the women stunned in their elegant gowns. Every person here was someone of importance, and I was standing in the center of it all as Leonard Vaughn’s wife.

I still wasn’t used to it, and I wondered if everyone in the room knew about it. Of course, they did. I made the headlines.

Not long ago, I had been nothing more than Noah Sinclair’s discarded wife.

Now?

I was a woman of power. Or at least, that’s what the world was starting to believe.

Leonard had arranged this business dinner to celebrate the closing of a major deal, and everyone who mattered in our world was present. Billionaires, CEOs, politicians—this wasn’t just a party; it was an arena where partnerships could be formed and rivals put in their place.

I stayed by Leonard’s side, perfectly composed, smiling when necessary, but beneath the surface, I was nervous.

This was my first real public event since our marriage.

Every move I made, every word I spoke—they all needed to be analyzed.

And then, as if the night wasn’t challenging enough, Noah walked in.

With her. Sophia Lancaster, the woman he left me for.

From the way she walked in, acting all high and mighty, everyone could see that she was just spoiled and arrogant.

She wasted no time making her presence known by laughing out loud and having her hands all over Noah, as if to show the world that they were both happy and unaffected by the statement I gave against him.

Very childish and predictable of them.

I kept my expression neutral. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of knowing they affected me.

Leonard, who I had forgotten was standing beside me, murmured, “The arrogant ex-husband shows up with another woman.”

I turned to him. He was sipping his drink as he watched Noah from across the room.

I glanced up at him. “What?”

“Noah is here, which is unexpected. He wasn’t on the guest list.”

“Then how did he get in?”

Leonard let out a slow, knowing smirk. “There was an extra invitation that was granted at the last minute. A favor from someone trying to stay in his good graces, no doubt. If I had known it was this man, I would never have agreed.”

I breathed out sharply. Of course. Even after everything, Noah still had his connections. But that didn’t mean he belonged here. I had a feeling he was about to prove exactly why.

The crowded room was starting to suffocate me, so I stepped outside onto the terrace for a breath of fresh air.

I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply, when a cold voice ruined it for me.

“You still think you belong here?”

I turned, not surprised to see Sophia standing there, with her arms crossed and her lips curled in amusement.

Noah stood beside her, looking as smug as ever.

“What do you want?” I asked, keeping my tone even.

Sophia scoffed. “You mean aside from a good laugh? Because that’s exactly what this is—watching you parade around like you’re suddenly someone important just because you married Vaughn.”

Noah chuckled. “You always did like pretending you were more than you were, Elena. I suppose this is just another one of your delusions.”

I folded my arms, meeting his gaze with cold amusement. “Delusions? Funny. I don’t recall being the one desperately trying to get into an event I wasn’t invited to.”

His smirk faltered, but Sophia cut in before he could respond.

“Oh, please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “We belong here. You are the odd one here.”

The audacity of this girl. The sheer arrogance. I had dealt with people like Sophia my whole life—privileged, entitled, who believed they were untouchable.

And right now, she thought she could humiliate me.

“Tell me something, Sophia,” I said smoothly, tilting my head. “Do you even know whose party this is?”

She scoffed. “What does it matter? The people who actually matter wanted us here.”

A deep, amused voice interrupted from behind. “Interesting theory.”

My pulse jumped.

Leonard.

I turned just as he stepped beside me, his presence instantly commanding the space.

Noah’s posture stiffened, and Sophia faltered.

Leonard’s gaze swept over them—it was sharp and unreadable. “But unfortunately for you,” he continued, “this isn’t just any business gathering.”

His smirk was slow.

“It’s my party.”

The color drained from Sophia’s face. Noah’s fists clenched. And I smiled.

“Which means,” Leonard continued, “I have the right to decide who stays and who leaves.”

He looked directly at the security detail stationed nearby. “Remove them.”

The guards immediately stepped forward.

“No,” Noah snapped, stepping back. “You can’t just—”

“I can,” Leonard said smoothly. “And I will.”

Sophia looked around, panicking. “You can’t do this! I’ll call my father…”

Leonard raised a brow. “Go ahead.”

She hesitated.

For the first time tonight, she looked truly uncertain, and that’s when an idea struck me.

A way to turn this into something even better.

I turned to Leonard. My voice was calm but deliberate. “I don’t want them thrown out.”

Leonard’s brow lifted slightly—he was surprised.

“They can stay, but that is only if they apologize.”

There was a beat of silence.

Then Noah laughed. “Not happening.”

I shrugged. “Then leave.”

His jaw clenched. His pride was bleeding—I could see it. He didn’t want to give me the satisfaction of watching him get humiliated.

But he also didn’t want to be publicly thrown out at a party as big as this. It could tarnish his image and make him lose business partners.

His eyes moved to Leonard, and after what felt like forever, he exhaled sharply and muttered, “I’m sorry.”

He sounded so reluctant. Like he was forced. But it was still a public apology, so it was a win.

I turned to Sophia next. “We are waiting.”

She glared at me. “I don’t owe you anything.”

Leonard let out a hum of amusement. “Suit yourself.”

She squared her shoulders. “I’ll call my father. He’ll…”

She didn’t get to finish, because at that moment, her father walked in.

And the second he saw Leonard Vaughn standing beside me, the security team closing in, and his daughter looking like a spoiled child caught throwing a tantrum, he knew.

His expression darkened. “Sophia. What did you do?”

She paled. “Dad, I…”

He didn’t let her finish. “Apologize. Now.”

Her face turned red. “But…”

“No excuses,” he said sharply. “Do it. How dare you go against Mr. Vaughn?”

Sophia clenched her fists, looking like she might actually cry.

But finally, she swallowed her pride and muttered, “I’m sorry.”

“Louder,” her father commanded.

Her jaw tightened. “I’m sorry,” she repeated, this time loud enough for the entire room to hear.

I smiled. “Good girl.”

Leonard smirked. “Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

Sophia turned and stormed out, her father following after her.

Noah, who was humiliated and furious, walked off without another word.

And just like that, they were gone.

I turned to Leonard with a smile.

“Well played,” he murmured.