REJECT ME NOW, I DARE YOU!

I'm Not Begging Anymore

*RILEY HARRINGTON'S POV*

“Tell that man-stealing w***e to go to hell.”

The words left my mouth before I could think them through. Mary’s face fell, but I didn’t regret it.

She left, closing the guest room door softly behind her.

Silence swallowed the room. Three years in this house, and I was being demoted to a room I didn’t even know existed.

Then I heard it—laughter. Low, pleased, coming from downstairs. Briana’s laugh.

I wasn’t going to lie here and let her celebrate taking everything from me. Not without making her say it to my face.

Briana was sitting on the white velvet couch like she owned it. She’d changed into a silk robe now, hair down, barefoot. Wilden wasn’t in sight.

She looked up when I entered, surprise flickering across her face.

“Riley,” she said, standing slowly. “Mary said you didn’t want to talk.”

“I don’t.” My voice was hoarse, but steady. “But you wanted to talk to me. So talk.”

“I wanted to apologize. For how things looked at the party. It wasn’t planned.”

“Not planned?” I laughed, and it sounded bitter even to me. “You had your arm through his. You kissed him back. You’ve been dreaming of this for years, haven’t you?”

Her jaw tightened. “I love him, Riley.”

“Good for you.” I stepped closer. “But you don’t get to love him in _my_ house. In _my_ bed. After _my_ sacrifices.”

Briana’s eyes flashed. “ What sacrifices? You quit modeling to play house while I built a career. Wilden’s brand grew because of _me_, not because you stayed home and cooked his dinner.”

The insult hit, but it didn’t break me.

“You’re wrong,” I said quietly. “I was the one who told him to take the risk on the Milan line. I was the one who worked on the branding pitch at 3 AM while he slept. I was the one who told him ‘no’ when he wanted to sell out to LuxeCorp.”

Briana blinked. “You’re lying.”

" Ask anyone who was here before you showed up with your fake smiles and designer claws.”

For the first time, she looked unsure.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs. Wilden.

He stopped at the top, taking in the scene—me standing, Briana tense, the air between us thick enough to cut.

“What’s going on?” he asked, voice cold.

Briana walked to him, sliding her hand into his like she had a right to. “Nothing. I was just trying to talk to Riley. But she’s… upset.”

“Of course she’s upset,” Wilden said, not even looking at me.

There it was again. Like I was a problem to be managed, not a person he’d promised to marry.

I met his eyes. “You said I’m worth nothing.”

“I said what needed to be said,” he replied.

“Fine.” I nodded slowly. “Then hear this.”

I pulled the folded paper from my pocket and held it up.

“What’s that?” Briana asked, suspicious.

“My contract,” I said. “From Voss Models. Signed this morning. They saw the clip of me collapsing. They thought it was good PR. ‘The mysterious woman who fainted for love.’”

Wilden frowned.

Briana’s face went pale. “Voss? They’re Luxe’s biggest competitor.”

“Exactly,” I said, smiling for the first time since I walked in. “I start next week. Milan Fashion Week. Opening look. For Luxe’s rival campaign.”

Wilden took a step forward. “You can’t—”

“I can,” I cut him off. “And I will. You wanted me gone, Wilden? Fine. I’m gone. From your house. From your bed. From your life.”

I dropped the contract on the coffee table between them.

“But don’t think for one second that I’m going to be your secret wife while you parade her around".

I turned to Mary, who was standing in the doorway with tears in her eyes.

“Pack the rest of my things. I’m leaving tonight.”

Briana looked at Wilden, waiting for him to stop me.

He didn’t.

This time, I was leaving on my terms.