Chapter 4
“Oh hey there, Ryan. Your assistant said you were stuck with some huge client tonight. Phone off and everything. I was curious what VIP gets the full disconnect treatment-
I stopped at their table. Both of them looked like they’d been caught red–handed]
Ryan’s tender smile twisted into pure awkwardness.]
Madison ducked her head, but I caught the smug satisfaction in her eyes
“So this is your “big client? The girl who stole my research and needed her sugar daddy to get through grad school?”
Ryan shot up from his chair, voice way too loud. “Violet! What the hell? Keep it down! Madison’s just… she’s an intern on my project. After what you put her through today, she might not even graduate. As her supervisor, I-“]
I cut him off with a laugh. “Supervisors need to go off the grid? Cut up steak? Create a little just us against the world bubble?”
“Ryan, do you think I was born yesterday, or are you calling me blind?”
I pulled out my phone. Screen lit up with Madison’s post–crystal clear location tag and all.
Ryan’s face went beet red
Madison looked u
up, eyes instantly watering. Voice all shaky. “Dr. Sterling, you’ve got it totally wrong! I’m so sorry about that post… Ryan’s just trying to cheer me up after today… Why are you coming for me like this?”
Perfect tears started rolling down her cheeks on cue. 0
“Oh please, spare me the waterworks. Poor little victim who steals research? Poor baby posting couple–y shit on social? What’s next, gonna tell me being a fraud is just your coping mechanism?
“Stop it! Violet, just stop!”
Madison’s whole damsel thing had Ryan going full protective mode again.
No Dean Harrison here this time. No professors watching.
He stepped right in front of her, blocking me like I was some kind of threat.
“Are you done with this shit? Look at yourself! You’re being a total bitch right now! Do you have to scorched–earth everything?”
I stared right back at his furious face. Didn’t budge an inch.
girl! And now
“Ryan, you’re the one who keeps crossing every line I have! Lying, ghosting me, sneaking around with some other girl! you’re trying to flip this on me?”
SLAPI
His hand cracked across my face so hard
my head
snapped sideways.
My ears were ringing. Cheek burning like fire.
Chapter 1
The entire restaurant went dead quiet. Everyone staring
Ryan had never laid a hand on me before.
He looked just as shocked as I felt.]
He stared at his own hand, then at my face already swelling up. Panic flashed in his eyes.[]
“Violet!”
Dad shot up from our table and rushed over.
Mom was right behind him, white as a sheet.
Dad pulled me behind him, his usually calm face dark with rage.
- ge.
Without a word, he swung his arm back and slapped Ryan twice as hard.
“You ungrateful piece of shit! How dare you hit my daughter!”
The smack was so brutal Ryan stumbled backward into the booth.
Half his face puffed up instantly. Glasses knocked sideways. Total mess.
Madison screamed and shrank back into the booth, shaking like a leaf
“Mr. Sterling…”
Ryan clutched his face, looking scared shitless.
“Get out!”
Dad pointed toward the exit.
Ryan went ghost white. Lips trembling.
He looked at me, then at Madison who was having a complete meltdown. Finally just shut his mouth.
Grabbed his jacket from the chair and dragged crying Madison straight out of the restaurant.
