The Abandoned Wife Dumped Him First (Victoria and Elias) novel Chapter 39

In the rooftop garden.

Victoria was startled by the man who suddenly appeared in front of her. She instinctively took a couple of steps back, only relaxing slightly when she recognized him.

It was Ben, a male colleague from Team Three.

"Ben, you—"

"Victoria, I like you!" Ben suddenly dropped to one knee, holding out a necklace. He gazed at her adoringly. "I know this is out of the blue, but I’ve liked you for so long. I’ve been watching you since your first day at the Design Institute, but I was too shy to say anything. Today, I finally found the courage to tell you! Victoria, will you be my girlfriend?"

Victoria was stunned for a moment before she recovered. "I'm sorry, I can't."

With that, she turned to leave.

Ben hadn't expected such a swift and decisive rejection.

He panicked, grabbing her wrist. "Victoria, I’m serious about you. Just give me one chance. I’ll treat you so well—ah!"

A fist flew past Victoria's side, connecting with Ben's face with a sickening thud. He cried out in pain and stumbled to the ground. Before he could even register what had happened, he was yanked up by his collar.

"You... you... ah!"

Ben's tongue felt tied. Before he could form a word, another series of punches landed squarely in his stomach. He was powerless to fight back, and his vision started to go black from the pain.

Victoria snapped back to reality, her face a mask of shock and disbelief. Why was Elias here?!

She saw Elias's fist draw back again, ready to strike Ben.

"Elias, stop!"

Without thinking, Victoria rushed forward and shielded Ben with her own body. The punch came with brutal force. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the impact.

But the pain never came.

She slowly opened her eyes. Elias's face was terrifyingly grim, a storm brewing in his dark, cold eyes. His fist was frozen just inches from her nose, the veins on the back of his hand bulging with the force he was restraining.

If he had been a second slower, she would have had a broken nose at best, and been knocked unconscious at worst.

Ben, gasping for breath, scrambled to his feet and fled without a second glance at Victoria.

"Elias—"

Victoria's face was pale. She had barely spoken his name when he grabbed her wrist and dragged her out of the garden and into an empty private room, slamming her against the door.

"One Justin isn’t enough? You have to go chasing after other men now? That desperate for your next free ride?"

Elias's eyes were filled with a dark fury, his voice cold and heavy. The crisp, woody scent of his cologne, now mixed with the sharp tang of liquor, dominated the air between them.

Victoria winced in pain. "What are you talking about? I didn't do anything! Let go of me, Elias, you're hurting me!"

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