I Hate That I Loved You

Seeing my silence, Elijah’s emotions spiraled further out of control.

"Or are you short on money again?" he hissed.

My mother's illness was like a bottomless pit, making it nearly impossible for me to leave Elijah.

His gaze, filled with disdain and mockery, pierced me like a needle.

"Of course. What else would I come to you for, if not money?" I countered sarcastically.

Just like how, whenever he came to me, it was only for sex.

For a split second, a flicker of shock crossed his face, quickly replaced by a simmering fury.

"Yvonne, even the women selling themselves on the street have more dignity than you."

As he spat, a black card landed at my feet.

My chest tightened painfully. I let out a bitter smile, bent down, and picked it up.

"Money is money. Does dignity really make a difference?" I deadpanned.

That night, he made me accompany him and Sophia upstairs. It wasn't until three in the morning that he finally came down, his neck covered in hickeys.

The overwhelming scent of perfume clung to him, making me nauseous.

Later that night, he was rough when he slept with me. I could barely get out of bed the next day.

It wasn’t until my friend sent me a party invitation that I forced myself up.

"Good news—our big fish is coming tonight!"

The "big fish" referred to the president of a British venture capital firm, a company that had previously expressed interest in acquiring Perez Corporation.

Enduring the pain, I carefully applied my makeup and arrived at the hotel entrance.

My friend, Emily, led me through the side entrance and into the ballroom.

By the time people noticed me, the event was already in full swing.

"Isn't that Yvonne, the heiress of the Perez Corporation? How did she get in here?"

"I heard that after the Jones family kicked her out, she became someone's mistress!"

"That's old news. Word is, she sleeps with three to five men a day just to keep her company afloat and pay for her mother's treatment!"

The whispers carried both shock and scorn.

I ignored them, scanning the room for my target.

And then—I saw Sophia.

She walked straight toward me, flanked by two women.

Away from Elijah, she no longer bothered to act demure and gentle.

"What? Henry and Elijah weren’t enough for you? You came here looking for your next benefactor?"

I had no interest in arguing with her. The last thing I needed was for Elijah to show up and make things worse.

"Playing mute now?" She sneered. "You abandoned Elijah after his accident just to marry a rich second-generation heir. What right do you have to keep clinging to him? You just wanted to harm him!"

My steps halted.

"Yvonne, you are the most despicable woman I’ve ever met!"

I lifted my gaze—only to lock eyes with Elijah, who had just stepped out of the restroom.

He stood there, watching me like a wolf tracking its prey.

A slow smile curved my lips as I turned to Sophia and answered, "Yes, I am despicable. And yet, Elijah still accepts me without question, doesn’t he?"

For a brief moment, Elijah froze.

The murmurs around us swelled like an oncoming tide.

Accusations filled the air, painting me as the most shameless, filthy woman in the room—worse than when I had been cast out of the Jones family.

Sophia’s furious scream tore through the hall. She stormed forward in her high heels and kicked me hard in the knee.

Before I could react, two people grabbed my arms, holding me in place.

Sophia seized my chin, her nails digging into my skin.

"Why do you always act so high and mighty? It makes me want to grind you into the dirt!"

She lifted a wine glass and smirked. "This drink is spiked. Tonight, I’ll make sure Elijah is completely disgusted by you."

As I stared at her, realization dawned on me—both Emily and I had walked right into her trap.

"The trick doesn’t need to be new," she sneered. "As long as it works."