Phoebe frames me
1704 Words
Elena’s POV
Tears blurred my vision as I held my phone tightly, anger and hatred urging me to smash it against the floor. Why the heck would he choose to ruin such a beautiful day?
How could he give in to such a nasty distraction? Was his heir suddenly less important to him?
A bloodcurdling noise suddenly filled the air, and my tears dried up immediately. I got up from my seat and rushed towards the door, feeling the baby jiggling happily inside my womb. I let out a soft groan as I grabbed the doorknob, heaved a deep sigh, and then forced the door open.
“Master Zane has arrived!” the maids happily screamed. “His private jet has just landed. He is back!”
Sounds of rejoicing filled the entire place as I stood outside my room with a painful smile plastered across my lips. It had been four hours since he sent that video to me through social media. Four hours of illegal club enjoyment.
“Make way for your master, for crying out loud. Get the f**k out of the way!”
“I'm gonna bite you... I'll slap your cheeks. Come on, get lost. You're standing in his way!”
I heard the angry voices of his personal bodyguards, who must have been having a difficult time clearing people out of his path so he could move through. I couldn't pinpoint why the maids were so happy, but I guessed they didn't want to lose their jobs. They had to show excitement at his arrival, even though he lowered their salaries last month simply because it pleased him.
As soon as Zane appeared in the corridor, my mood shifted. It felt as though I hadn't seen him in ten years. It had only been eight months. His handsome face, coupled with those dangling gold bracelets and necklace, pulled me in instantly.
“Zane!” I heard a distressed woman call his name out of the blue. “Why would you leave me behind?”
“I'm so sorry. Gosh. I was in a hurry.” Zane turned around as the woman caught up to him. He pulled her into a quick hug and rubbed his palm over her head.
The smile on my face vanished instantly as I stared at the horrifying scene before me. I retreated to my room and sat on the bed, keeping the door open for him.
How could he visit me with his ex standing beside him and holding his hand as though she belonged there?
The birthday cake was already on my desk, surrounded by several balloons carrying his name. I kept my gaze fixed on the doorway until I heard his voice at the entrance.
Then he walked in.
He slipped his hands into his pockets, looked me in the eye, and gave a quick shake of his head. Within seconds, the woman from the video stepped in as well.
She was wearing the same clothes she'd worn at the club, and that sneaky smile that had appeared on her face when he s*****d her returned the moment she saw me.
“It's been a long time,” Zane finally said. He heaved a deep breath as he pulled Phoebe closer to himself. She gave a quiet moan and rested her head on his shoulder. “How have you been, Elena?”
Elena?
How dare he call me Elena?
What happened to the sweet pet names that used to make his pregnant wife excited and giddy at his arrival?
“What do I say?” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady. “You... alright, I've been as good as I can be. And...?”
I rolled my eyes towards Phoebe, who wasn't even looking at me.
“Oh.” He raised a brow and lifted her chin before guiding her towards the bed. “Meet Phoebe Monroe. She had to come with me because of an emergency and some business matters.”
“Emergency?” My voice gradually faded, but he looked away and walked back towards the door. He received a gift from someone outside and returned.
“Here is the birthday cake,” he said, handing it to me. “You may need to eat it before it goes bad.”
My gaze moved across the cake in his hands before returning to Phoebe.
“Isn't this the same woman from the past? Zane, isn't this your ex?”
“And then what?”
He dropped the cake onto the floor, his gaze hardening on my face.
“I will not tolerate hostility towards Phoebe Monroe. She is new here, and you think it's a bad idea to say hello to her?”
“What?” I chortled, closing my eyes with a sigh. “Why would I do that? Did she say hello to me when she walked in?”
“When was the last time you went on a trip?” he asked, cupping my jaw as his dark gaze bored into mine. “Give me a precise answer. Does it ever happen unless I decide it does?”
“I'm back. If you need a reminder, I'll give you one.” His voice turned cold as I lowered my gaze. “I own this place, and you do what I want you to do. Do you understand?”
“Elena, do you understand me?”
He gave my cheek a series of slow taps until I opened my eyes and answered.
“I get it,” I forced out. “What I don't get is why you think it's proper to bring a w***e into our private room after eight months of ghosting me.”
“What motherfucking statement did you just utter?” He turned towards me with an angry stare. “Are you accusing me of bringing a woman here after I clearly told you she's here because of an emergency?”
“I don't get why you're so hostile towards Phoebe. I really can't wrap my head around why you hate her so much.”
“Hate her?” I shot back. “How can I hate someone I don't know?”
He looked at me and laughed quietly.
“You don't know her? Then how do you know she's my ex? I won't tolerate this level of hatred from someone like you.”
“A minute, Phoebe.”
Fuming, he stepped outside.
Phoebe rolled her eyes at me and headed towards my kitchenette to grab a cup of water.
As she emerged from the kitchenette, anger seeped into my bones.
“Who gave you the right to go in there?”
“Hm?”
“What the f**k were you doing in there? Does this place belong to you?”
“Xavier Zane, maybe?”
“I'm not sure you're in your right senses.”
“Why do you hate me so much?” Phoebe suddenly burst into tears. “I didn't steal your things. I didn't defraud anyone. Why do you despise me? What did I do wrong?”
Her sobs grew louder as my heart began to pound in my chest.
Tears streamed down her face as she shattered the cup on the floor and dropped to her knees among the broken glass.
“Get up,” I ordered, my voice shaking with fear. “Get up. You know I didn't do this to you.”
She continued sobbing, and the moment her cries became louder, Xavier entered the room again.
“Holy f**k!” He rushed towards her and helped her away from the broken shards. “Phoebe! What happened?”
His furious glare landed on me as I shook my head desperately.
I couldn't even speak.
“Look at your face. Isn't that blood? My f*****g goodness!”
Zane shouted for help. The emergency team arrived quickly and took Phoebe away while he remained behind in the room, quietly bending down to gather the shards.
“I didn't do anything.” My voice broke as tears streamed down my face. “I didn't. I swear. I was on my own. She did this to herself. I—”
“Shut your f*****g mouth,” he ordered as he continued picking up the broken pieces.
Anxiety crept into my chest as exhaustion settled over me. I considered running away from the room, but suddenly it felt like a terrible idea.
As soon as he was done collecting most of the shards, he rose to his feet and held them up.
“Is this how far you'll go? Is this the best you can do to ruin my day and prove how much you hate Phoebe, who never offended you?”
“I didn't do it.”
“I said, shut the hell up!” he yelled. His voice filled the room. “What right does a vagabond like you have to talk back to me?”
“But I can't keep quiet and let that manipulative b***h accuse me of something I didn't do!” I shot back.
He stormed towards me and delivered a stinging slap across my face.
“You must have gone crazy. Really crazy. It's all my fault.” His angry gaze remained fixed on me. “It's all my fault for allowing you to stand in this precious room and do this to someone like Phoebe.”
“You hate her but won't admit it. You've always hated her.”
“I don't even know her!”
“You're really crazy!”
The shards in his hands dropped one after another as he grabbed my shirt and kicked me to the floor.
“You're never obedient. Always ready to defend yourself, even when you're wrong!”
As I hit the floor, a sharp pain exploded through my abdomen.
I rolled weakly across the ground as my hands moved protectively to my swollen belly. My gaze filled with horror when I noticed the bloodstained shards nearby.
My terrified eyes lifted to his face as he walked out of the room, uttering his final words without a trace of remorse.
“You think I care? Go f**k yourself. Maybe you'll get pregnant again.”
- Writer
