The Night I Chose Chaos

CHAPTER 1: THE ENGAGEMENT SCANDAL

"Oh my God. I can't believe this is actually happening,” Elena beamed at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing the silk ivory dress over her hips. The diamond on her finger caught the light and threw prisms across the mirror “This is dazzling, Adrian chose the perfect ring for me.”

She laughed and held her hand out again, shameless. "Mrs. Adrian Cole." She tried the name on like a coat, then snorted. "God. That sounds good."

The music blasted from the ballroom below, mingling with camera flashes and different voices. Politicians, tycoons, celebrities, reporters—everyone who mattered in this city was downstairs, all for her and Adrian. Everyone had cheered happily when Adrian slipped the ring onto her finger.

Elena pressed her palms to her cheeks; she could already feel the flush. "Okay. Relax. Don't trip too much, this day belongs to you already."

She grabbed her clutch and turned toward the door. Then stopped.

A sound from the bedroom. It was faint and muffled

She frowned. "Vanessa?"

Silence greeted her. The bedroom lights were dim, but the bathroom door stood ajar, a thin blade of light cutting across the carpet.

Then a soft breathless laugh was let out, obviously from a female.

Elena's smile slipped. Then she heard another sound – a man's voice. Low and intimate, and very recognizable

Her stomach dipped. She moved closer, her heels silent on the thick rug.

"Oh, Adrian..." Vanessa's voice rang out again, this time loud and clear, "Promise you'll stay with me."

Elena froze beside the bathroom door, fingers tightening around her clutch.

"You are my dearest love, Vanessa." Adrian's murmur was tender and devastating. "I can't go a day without you. You are to me what oxygen is to the body"

The words hit like a physical blow. Elena's knees went loose.

Vanessa laughed, quietly and was pleased. "Then why did you get engaged to Elena?"

Elena almost stopped breathing.

"You know it's for the merger. It's you I truly love."

Elena felt a spasm in her chest, as if a lump was growing around her lungs.

Inside, Vanessa giggled. "You're horrible."

"And you love me for it.” Vanessa let out a soft moan, then a wet sound of a kiss followed.

Elena's heart hammered against her ribs.

Through the gap in the door, she could see them. Vanessa sat on the marble vanity, legs parted, while Adrian stood between them. His hands slid up her thighs—the same hands that had rested on Elena's waist moments ago, downstairs, in a polite manner

Elena's stomach twisted.

"Oh God," Vanessa whispered as Adrian kissed down her neck.

He looked different. Hungry. Alive. For three years Elena had begged this man for affection. For attention. For warmth. And now he was giving her stepsister everything he'd denied her.

Vanessa tangled her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer. "I saw Elena's wedding dress earlier,” she said in a cruel and teasing manner "Don't you think it would look better on me?"

Adrian laughed against her skin. "Definitely."

"Really?"

"Mhm." His hand climbed higher. "I'd love to ruin you in that dress."

Vanessa gasped, playful. "You're insane."

"I'm serious."

He kissed her again. Slow. Deep. Like he couldn't stop.

Something cracked inside Elena's chest.

Vanessa smiled against his mouth. "What if Elena finds out?"

"She won't."

"And if she does?"

Adrian's voice turned careless, bored. "She'll cry, forgive me, and move on. Elena always does."

The words shattered whatever was left as Elena's breathing went ragged. Tears burned behind her eyes, but she blinked them back.

Vanessa leaned in, whispering. "Maybe you should break up with her tonight."

"And ruin the merger?" Adrian scoffed. "Be serious."

Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Such an excuse to slip into her bed"

"I've denied her my body. I will never touch her till after the wedding and she will be starved of my love and attention. Your bed is the only thing that keeps me sane and in between your legs, that's where my peace lies*

Vanessa laughed cheerfully as she covered Adrian with kisses while licking him at the same time.

Elena’s eyes couldn't hold back the tears anymore. The tears broke loose and were hot, as they cascaded down her cheeks

"Mhm." She heard Adrian's voice drop. "Take those off."

Elena's eyes widened as Adrian hooked his fingers into the lace beneath Vanessa's dress and pulled. Slowly.

Vanessa bit her lip. "Adrian..."

He kissed her hard enough to silence her.

Elena had never been kissed like that. Not once. Not with hunger, not with desperation. Not with anything.

And suddenly she understood: Adrian had never loved her. Not even a little.

Adrian laughed between kisses. "You're getting lipstick all over me."

"So?"

"Elena will notice."

Vanessa smirked. "Maybe I want her to notice."

Adrian grabbed her waist, harder. "You're dangerous."

"And you love danger."

Elena stared through blurry eyes. Every promise replayed in her head “I love you. I want you forever. You're the only woman I see.” Lies. All of it.

Adrian kissed down Vanessa's neck, sliding his hand beneath her dress. Vanessa moaned breathlessly.

"To the bed," she whispered.

"Bossy."

"You love it."

He lifted her off the vanity. Vanessa wrapped her legs around his waist, laughing.

That was when something inside Elena snapped.

Her gaze landed on the champagne bottle in the silver ice bucket near the door. Cold. Heavy. Perfect.

She shoved the bathroom door open so hard it cracked against the wall, then grabbed the bottle

Both of them jerked apart. Vanessa gasped. Adrian nearly dropped her. For one brutal second, nobody moved.

Vanessa's lipstick was smeared. Her underwear hung from Adrian's fingers. And Adrian—Adrian looked annoyed. Not guilty. Annoyed.

"Elena !" He exclaimed “What are you doing here? We're you not supposed to be downstairs with the—-”

She raised the bottle and before he could finish the sentence, the bottle left her hand straight towards their direction.

"Elena, don't—" Adrian shouted, while a crash echoed as the champagne bottle missed Adrian, smashing instead into the crystal display behind him. Glass shattered, sending fragments scattering across the room. Vanessa screamed.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Adrian shouted.

Before Elena could answer, the thud of approaching footsteps grew louder. The suite door burst open, and guests surged in, followed closely by reporters. The camera flashes immediately lit up the room.

"Oh my God!" someone cried. "Take pictures!" another urged. "Isn't that Vanessa Hart?" a voice wondered, quickly followed by, "What happened here?"

Vanessa instinctively moved behind Adrian, covering her mouth with her hand. "She attacked us!" she cried.

Elena stared at her. "You liar—"

"Enough!" Adrian barked, cutting her off.

A reporter stepped forward, pushing through the crowd. "Mr. Cole," he asked, "were you and Miss Hart's sister alone together?"

Adrian offered no comment. Another camera flashed. Vanessa dramatically lowered her head, murmuring, "I never wanted this."

Elena let out a bitter laugh. "You never wanted this?" Her voice trembled. "I heard every word!"

Whispers erupted through the room. "He cheated?" someone muttered. "With her sister?" Another question hung in the air. "Is that true?"

"You told her you loved her," Elena said, her gaze fixed on Adrian.

His silence spoke louder than any denial.

"You told her I was only for the merger." The whispers grew louder, more agitated

A sharp voice cut through the chaos. "You ungrateful girl!"

Elena barely turned before—Smack, Eleanor Cole; Adrian’s mother landed her palm heftily on Elena's cheek. The slap was hard enough to snap her head sideways. Gasps rippled through the room. Elena staggered, her fingers flying to her burning face.

Eleanor didn't stop. She pivoted toward the crowd, her voice climbing. "You have always known that Adrian never wanted you, but what did you do? You threw yourself at him. You practically begged him to marry you"

Elena lowered her hand slowly. "Me?" Elena asked in bewilderment "I did no such thing. All what you said are not true."

Eleanor's eyes narrowed. "Then explain the unending gifts, the constant begging for his attention, you little cheap w***e"

Murmurs swelled behind her.

"Why will a woman be that desperate?"

"No way... Poor Adrian"

"She brought it upon herself"

"That's so classless, she is a big disgrace to her family."

" Shameless and slutty behavior"

"Didn't she throw the bottle first? Crazy woman."

The words kept piling up as the cameras kept flashing and capturing relentlessly.

Tears burned behind her eyes. She looked around desperately and her gaze fell on her father, but instead of coming to her aid, he looked away. That silence hit harder than the slap which made her breath shook.

Suddenly, a half-filled wine glass splashed across her arm. Then another. Cold liquid soaked through the silk, clinging to her skin. Laughter broke out all over the room.

Then another person threw finger foods at her and the laughter grew even louder.

Her gaze fell to the floor in utter humiliation. By the time she raised her head, the one person she absolutely did not expect to help her, the one Adrian hated so much that she had automatically hated him too, the one man she would have bet money would enjoy watching her suffer—stepped forward.

"That's enough!" A voice echoed through the hall.