Chapter 5 — The Rival
1174 Words
The gala felt endless, a sea of glittering gowns and calculating smiles. Elena kept her posture straight, her hand steady on Alexander’s arm, though inside she was unraveling. Every glance was sharp, every whisper a dagger.
She knew she didn’t belong here. And Sophia Scott made sure she never forgot it.
From across the ballroom, the other woman seemed to glide effortlessly between groups of guests, her laughter warm, her touch familiar on Alexander’s old acquaintances. Whenever Elena caught her eye, Sophia’s lips curved into that same mocking smile—a silent challenge.
“Breathe,” Alexander murmured under his breath, his hand tightening at her waist. “You’re stiff as marble.”
“Maybe because everyone in this room is staring at me like I’m a fraud,” Elena whispered back, her jaw tight.
“They are,” he said simply.
Her head snapped toward him, eyes flashing. “You’re supposed to deny it.”
Alexander smirked faintly, guiding her toward another circle of guests. “Why deny the obvious? They’ll underestimate you. Use it.”
His words rattled in her chest. Was he mocking her? Or offering advice? She couldn’t tell.
---
Dinner was served on long crystal tables under chandeliers. Elena sat beside Alexander, acutely aware of the eyes on her every move.
It was halfway through the first course when Sophia made her move.
She approached their table with a smile so radiant it almost blinded. “Alexander,” she purred, placing a manicured hand on his shoulder, “it’s been far too long.”
Alexander rose politely, kissing her cheek in greeting. “Sophia.”
The sight tightened something unpleasant in Elena’s chest.
“And you must be Elena,” Sophia said, turning with a dazzling smile that was all teeth. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Elena returned the smile, though hers was sharper. “Funny, I’ve barely heard a word about you.”
Sophia’s eyes glittered. “That’s because Alexander is such a private man. We were very close once, though.” She tilted her head, her gaze sliding toward him with deliberate intimacy. “Weren’t we?”
The air shifted. A few guests leaned closer, sensing drama.
Elena’s spine stiffened, but she refused to look at Alexander. Instead, she lifted her glass and met Sophia’s gaze head-on. “And yet, here I am sitting beside him. Life is full of surprises, isn’t it?”
A flicker of irritation crossed Sophia’s face, gone as quickly as it came. She laughed lightly, the sound brittle. “Indeed. But let’s see how long surprises last.”
Before Elena could respond, Alexander cut in smoothly. “Sophia, I’ll have my assistant send you an appointment. We can catch up privately.”
The words were polite, but the dismissal was sharp. Sophia’s smile faltered. For a moment, the mask slipped, revealing a flash of anger.
Elena caught it—and savored it.
---
Later that night, Elena slipped away to the restroom, her nerves frayed from endless scrutiny. She splashed cool water on her face, staring at the stranger in the mirror.
The gown, the jewels, the perfect hair—it was all a costume. Beneath it, she was still the same Elena Roberts, a waitress from a rundown neighborhood.
The door opened behind her.
Sophia’s reflection appeared in the mirror, her beauty almost cruel in its perfection. She stepped closer, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor.
“You put on a good show,” Sophia said, her voice silky but sharp. “But you’ll never last in his world. Alexander is mine, Elena. He always has been.”
Elena turned slowly, meeting her rival’s gaze. Fear coiled low in her stomach, but she pushed it down, lifting her chin. “Funny, I don’t see him proposing to you.”
Sophia’s smile turned razor-sharp. “You think a ring means anything to a man like Alexander? He doesn’t love you. He never will. And when he grows bored, when you make your first mistake, I’ll be right here to pick up the pieces.”
The words sliced deep, hitting the insecurities Elena tried to bury. But she refused to let Sophia see her bleed.
“Maybe,” Elena said quietly, stepping closer until they were nearly nose-to-nose. “But right now, you’re the one standing in the restroom, jealous of me. That tells me everything I need to know.”
Sophia’s eyes blazed, her composure cracking for the first time.
“Enjoy your little victory,” she hissed. “It won’t last.”
She swept out, leaving Elena trembling but standing tall.
---
Back in the ballroom, Elena found Alexander speaking with a group of investors. The moment his eyes found hers, his brows knit slightly, noticing the tension in her shoulders.
He excused himself and crossed the room with his usual commanding presence. “What happened?” he asked under his breath.
“Nothing I couldn’t handle,” she said, forcing a smile.
His eyes narrowed, as though he didn’t quite believe her. “Sophia cornered you.”
Elena’s silence was answer enough.
Alexander’s jaw tightened. His hand settled firmly at her back, his voice low and dangerous. “Stay close to me.”
The possessiveness in his tone sent a confusing shiver down her spine.
---
The gala finally ended after midnight. Exhausted, Elena let herself sink into the leather seat of the car as they pulled away.
For a while, neither spoke. The city lights streaked past, and Elena tried to breathe through the whirlwind of the night.
Finally, she broke the silence. “Why her? Why was Sophia acting like she owns you?”
Alexander’s jaw flexed. “Because she tried to.”
Elena turned to him, searching his profile for answers. “You were together.”
“Once,” he admitted. His voice was clipped, distant. “She wanted power more than me. When she realized she couldn’t control me, she left.”
The admission left Elena strangely unsettled. “And now?”
“Now she’s irrelevant.”
Elena almost laughed. “She doesn’t seem irrelevant to me.”
He turned then, his storm-gray eyes locking on hers. “Sophia doesn’t matter. You do.”
The intensity in his gaze stole her breath. For a moment, the world outside the car disappeared, leaving only the two of them and the unspoken tension crackling in the air.
Her lips parted, words tangled on her tongue.
But before she could speak, the car slowed. Alexander looked away, his mask sliding back into place. “We’re home.”
---
As Elena stepped into the grand mansion, her heels clicking against the marble floor, one thought echoed in her mind.
Sophia was dangerous.
Alexander was colder than she’d imagined.
And she?
She was trapped between them, her heart already betraying her with every stolen glance.
Upstairs, as Elena entered the guest room prepared for her, she found a single red rose on the pillow. No note. No explanation. Just a silent promise—or a warning.
- Writer
