Damien's heart pounded violently in his chest, each thud of his pulse a surge of rage and jealousy, as he stood frozen, watching the scene unfold before him.
Rico's hands caressed Elena's waist, pulling her closer as they kissed.
Damien's fists clenched at his sides.
Every fiber of his being screamed at him to tear them apart, to take Elena away from Rico's grasp.
The fury inside him built, a dangerous storm of possessiveness and jealousy that was about to break loose.
With a single furious stride, Damien closed the distance between them and grabbed Elena's arm, yanking her away from Rico.
His voice came out as a low, menacing growl, "I think you should leave."
Rico smirked, his arm wrapping around Elena's waist as though to pull her back into his embrace.
"No, you should leave," Rico snapped back, his voice smooth, dripping with confidence.
His grip on Elena tightened, challenging Damien with every breath.
What followed was nothing short of ridiculous.
The two men engaged in a silent battle of yanks and pulls, each trying to assert dominance over Elena as if she were a prize to be won.
Damien pulled her towards him, Rico yanked her back, their movements quick and jerky, their determination clear.
They tugged at her like she was some kind of toy, and Elena, caught between them, felt the tension building to a dangerous level.
After several rounds of their absurd tug-of-war, Elena finally had enough.
With a forceful pull, she freed herself from their grips, staggering backward.
Her face flushed with anger, her chest heaving, she screamed, "Enough!" leaving both men stunned.
"Leave! All of you!" she demanded, her hand trembling as she pointed toward the grand entrance of her condo.
Damien took a step forward, guilt and confusion twisting his expression. "Ms. Grey…" His voice softened, the earlier rage replaced with regret as he reached out toward her. "I didn't mean—"
But before he could get too close, Elena's hand shot out, pushing him back with unexpected force, causing him to stumble.
Her eyes blazed with fake tears as she screamed, "I said leave! Just… leave me alone!"
She stormed back into the condo, slamming the door behind her with a loud bang, locking it with a finality that sent a cold chill down both men's spines.
Inside, Elena's façade cracked. Her teary expression dissolved into a wicked, victorious smile.
Her shoulders shook with a low, menacing laugh that echoed through the empty room.
But as quickly as it had started, she stopped, her eyes narrowing as she stared at the door.
The hunger for revenge that burned deep inside her was far from satisfied.
Outside, the tension still hung thick in the air.
Rico, sensing the end of the scene, casually straightened his shirt and brushed the dust off his sleeve.
His role in this act was done for the day, and he turned to leave, satisfied with the chaos he had helped create.
But as he took his first step, Damien's hand shot out, grabbing his shoulder and spinning him around.
Rico barely had time to register the look of fury in Damien's eyes before a fist collided with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground with a groan.
The force of the punch left Rico breathless, the pain radiating through his skull as he clutched his jaw.
He tried to get up, but his body protested, and he collapsed back down with another groan, as if calling out for help.
Inside the condo, Elena's ears perked up at the sound of Rico's cry. Her brow furrowed in confusion as she quickly rushed to the window, peering out just in time to see Damien towering over Rico, his fist raised, ready to strike again.
In a flash, Elena unlocked the door and ran outside, just as Damien's fist descended again.
She charged at him, shoving him away from Rico with all her strength to send Damien stumbling back.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she screamed at Damien, her voice filled with a mixture of anger and exasperation.
She knelt beside Rico, helping him to his feet with gentle hands, though her expression was anything but soft. She was furious—genuinely furious this time.
"Are you okay?" she whispered, her voice softening for just a moment.
Rico groaned but nodded, leaning into her touch.
She turned back to Damien, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Mr. Lawson, thank you for today… for everything. But I don't want to see you again. Ever."
Damien's expression shifted, disbelief washing over his features as he took a step back.
His voice wavered with desperation as he spoke, "Ms. Grey, what are you saying? Are you really going to go back to him? After everything he's done to you?"
Elena's jaw clenched, but she didn't respond.
Her silence was deafening.
She simply stormed past Damien, her arm wrapped protectively around Rico, as if she were choosing him over Damien, as if he mattered more.
"Ms. Grey!" he called after her, his voice hoarse with desperation, but she didn't stop.
She didn't even look back. She kept walking, holding onto Rico.
The fire of vengeance that had been burning inside her since the beginning now roared, and she knew she was just getting started.