Your Regrets Won't Bring Me Back - Chapter 36: Chapter 36

Victor snapped, "Elena Bennett, cut the act. You ruined the engagement banquet—thrilled with yourself, aren't you?"
Elena frowned; thrilled wasn't the word, though seeing Annabelle's face turn chalk-white had been oddly satisfying.
"You're overthinking it," she said coolly. "If I'd truly wanted to destroy this banquet, I never would have agreed to break off our engagement in the first place."
"Elena Bennett!" Victor ground out her name between his teeth.
Meeting his gaze head-on, Elena's voice was steady, frigid. "President Whitmore, I stopped loving you the moment you proposed to send me away for a 'complete overhaul.'"
Victor's eyes quivered. In that instant he caught a flash of hatred in hers. She hated him—so much she had brought Grandpa here to meddle.
Loved too fiercely, turned to spite; she was lashing out just to wound him. He refused to believe the woman who once loved him to distraction could change this quickly.
"Elena, if I'd known they'd treat you like that in there, I'd have protected you no matter what."
Elena's laugh was brittle. "It's already happened. Talking about hypotheticals is a joke, Victor. You're engaged to Annabelle—so why tell me any of this? Have you fallen for me after all?"
"Don't flatter yourself! This whole scene was just a ploy to make me feel sorry for you, wasn't it?"
He tightened his grip on her chin until her skin blanched. "Congratulations—you succeeded."
"Let me go!" she hissed.
"Isn't this what you want? Or have you forgotten how eagerly you threw yourself at me in that fitting room?"
Victor's entire body leaned into hers, leaving her no space to breathe.
A sudden knock broke the tension. "Victor? Victor, are you in there?" Annabelle's voice quivered outside the door.
Elena shoved him away with all her strength.
Victor had no intention of answering Annabelle.
Elena didn't hesitate—she yanked the door open.
Annabelle's eyes burned scarlet the instant she saw them.
Elena fussed with her blouse as though nothing were amiss. "Don't misunderstand, Annabelle—nothing happened between President Whitmore and me."
Annabelle's jaw was so tight it might crack. "Of course. Victor loves me—he'd never do anything with you."
Elena tipped her a cryptic smile. "Grandpa's waiting downstairs. I'll be off."
Sir Whitmore hired the leading dermatologist in Riverton for her. Some of the wounds had already begun to scar; all the doctor could do was prescribe topical medication to keep the keloids at bay.
When Elena returned to the Bennett home, the whole family had gathered. The atmosphere was suffocating; Annabelle was sobbing so hard in Adaline's arms she could barely catch her breath.
Elena paused at the doorway, taking in the scene—all too aware that the real storm had only just begun.
Elena said nothing. She turned to leave, but Julian yanked her arm with brutal strength and hurled her onto the sofa.
Julian shouted, "Do you even have a heart? Annie is devastated, yet you're unmoved. You come home, say nothing, and think you can just disappear into your room!"
Elena raised her gaze to him. "She already has Mom, Dad, and her dear brother fussing over her—does she really need me as well?"
Julian snapped, "You can't stand to see Annie happy, can you? I'll bet you're secretly gloating over what happened today. Tell me—what exactly were you and Victor Whitmore doing together this afternoon?"
Elena glanced at Annabelle, 'So she ran crying to them again.'
Elena replied calmly, "President Whitmore was the one who pulled me into that room—you should ask him. And on what basis do you accuse me of gloating?"