SWNOVELS Chapter 5
Chapter 5: A Breakup Gift
That night, after her love had run away, Elsa had collapsed and cried bitterly as she held her mother’s body. Later, she’d walked to a bridge in a daze and stood on the edge, until Cherry had rushed in to pull her back and give her a slap.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Her words had shaken Elsa awake. It hadn’t been her fault. Why should she kill herself?
And now, these memories only inflamed Elsa’s rage further. “Get out of my sight, Ryan Hyde. I still have those pictures. Don’t make me send them to the media!”
She’d wanted to send them to the press when he’d first left her. The only thing that had kept her from really doing it had been the last of the love she’d had for him. How did he have the guts to even face her now?
“Elsa, I was wrong. Scream at me all you want.” Ryan licked his lips nervously. “I just hope you’ll forgive me.”
After a pause, he spoke again. “I know that you got with Stan Laurier after we broke up. Were you trying to get back at me? You’ve been with him for a year… Don’t you think that’s hurt me enough?”
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“Hurt you?” Elsa laughed, incredulous. “Where do you get the audacity?”
Ryan’s voice had a ring of certainty to it. “I know you still love me, Elsa. You wouldn’t have avoided me earlier when the guests came in if you didn’t still have feelings for me.”
“That’s called being a good host, Mr. Movie Star. And I went after Stan Laurier all on my own–he’s got money and looks, and just being with him made me money too.
“I had no idea what a real man was until I met Stan. He loves
me, and he’ll give me what I want. But you? You still have to rely on women.”
Ryan was clearly uncomfortable, hearing her praise another man. His brow wrinkled. “He’s a businessman who’s only using you to make money for himself. But I still love you-”
“You really do deserve those acting awards!” Elsa interrupted him with a scoff. “Love me? Whatever. Did I mention Stan Laurier is good in bed, too? I’d let him use me whenever he wanted.”
Elsa was still as charming as ever, and Ryan had noticed that. He thought about her underneath another man every night, and his eyes grew hostile and his fists clenched at his sides.
Not to be outdone, Elsa batted her eyelashes at him smugly.
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A knock on the door interrupted their stalemate. Afraid she’d never be able to explain why she was half–naked in here with Ryan Hyde, Elsa hurried to the door.
“Morton?” Elsa practically jumped when she opened it to see Stan’s personal assistant waiting outside. She hurriedly closed the door behind her as she stepped out, just to be sure he
wouldn’t see who was inside.
But Morton had already caught a flash of a man standing inside the dressing room, and he’d been standing there for long enough to catch a few of the words being said.
Elsa smiled at him, red lips curved up. “Why are you here?”
“I had to give you something.” Morton tucked everything he’d seen and heard away, handing the document in his hand to Elsa. “Mr. Laurier asked me to deliver this to you.”
Elsa opened the paper up to see something she’d mentioned to Stan before–the big single–family house downtown. How sweet and generous… Was this his idea of a breakup gift?
“Tell Mr. Laurier I love it.” Elsa hastily signed the document and pressed a sticky red kiss into the note she was carrying with her, then gave both back to Morton with a big smile. “Thank Mr. Laurier for me. Oh, and I saw the news this morning–Ms. Duke really is better suited to his tastes.”
She leaned against the door, movements smooth, and her
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voice was so sweet and seductive that Morton found himself nearly entranced by it all as he took the document back. He swore inwardly and nodded to Elsa. “Thank you then, Ms. Ayesa. I’ll be off.”
“Safe drive.” Elsa smiled at him again.
Once he’d left, Elsa immediately withdrew her friendly expression and glanced back at the dressing room behind her with half–lidded eyes. She sneered and headed away.