6. The Confrontation

Elysia barely had time to adjust to the tumultuous rollercoaster feelings swirling inside her when the door to her hospital room swung open with a force that rattled the walls. James Carter stormed in, his face flushed with rage, his eyes burning with fury. His whole presence radiated anger, and Elysia felt herself shrinking in the bed, as if her body instinctively knew the storm was coming.

“You sued me?!” James bellowed, his voice echoing off the sterile walls. “How dare you?” His fists clenched, his knuckles white, his body tense with a barely contained rage. He stepped toward her, each movement filled with authority, but also desperation. Elysia could see it now—the cracks in his veneer of control.

Before she could even speak, Adrian was already on his feet, a commanding presence between her and her ex-husband. His posture was unwavering, his eyes cold and merciless. It was as though the air had thickened with his energy, and in that instant, Elysia saw him as something else entirely—a protector, a man who would not let anyone, not even James, get close to her.

“Keep your tone down,” Adrian said, his voice low but dangerous, each word precise and filled with an icy calm. “How dare you talk to a woman like that.”

Elysia froze, her breath catching in her throat. She had never heard Adrian’s voice like this—so powerful, so detached, as if he were speaking from a place far removed from emotions. His words rang in the air, slicing through James’s rage like a blade. And in that moment, Elysia realized that there was far more to Adrian than she had ever imagined—there was a raw, ruthless strength that was only just beginning to show itself.

James faltered, looking between the two of them, confusion briefly clouding his fury. But it didn’t last. He scoffed, trying to maintain control, as if his words could somehow take back the power that had slipped from his grasp. “Yes, Mr. James Carter,” Elysia replied, her voice steady despite the whirlwind inside her. “I did sue you. For forging my signatures. For theft. For the lies you’ve been living.” She paused, locking eyes with James. “And for emotional distress.”

The weight of her words seemed to hit James harder than anything she had said before. He looked like a man who had just been blindsided, caught off guard. His jaw tightened, but he quickly tried to regain control, his eyes shifting to Elysia, now drenched with false innocence. “Theft? I never stole anything from you. You gave it to me,” he insisted, his voice strained, feigning innocence.

Elysia’s heart clenched at his audacity, but she held her ground. She wasn’t the naive woman she used to be. “Correction,” she said, her words cool and cutting. “I did not give it to you. I lent it to you. I entrusted you with it. But you didn’t guard it—you took it and threw me out.” She couldn’t contain the bitterness that spilled from her, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “You hosted a party in my home as if it were your own.”

James’s face contorted, anger mixing with panic. He tried to cover his tracks, but it was too late. “Ely, honey, we can sort all of this out,” he said, his voice shifting into something softer, something manipulative. He dropped to his knees beside her bed, reaching for her hand with a pitiful attempt to appear sincere.

Elysia recoiled, disgust twisting her stomach. But before she could even pull her hand away, Adrian was there, stepping forward and pushing James back with a quiet but firm command.

“Stay away from my wife,” Adrian said, his voice a quiet force. It was the way he said it—so matter-of-fact, like the words had always belonged to him. Elysia’s breath caught in her throat, her heart skipping a beat. His words settled in her chest, heavy and unshakable, like a truth she hadn’t known she needed to hear.

Her mind raced, and for the first time, she felt a strange sense of security flood through her, something she hadn’t felt in years. The weight of those words was immense, grounding her in a reality she had never expected. Adrian was right—she was his wife now. She swallowed, the emotions threatening to overwhelm her, but she couldn’t look away from him. Not now.

James’s face drained of color, his eyes darting from Adrian to Elysia, confusion and anger swirling in equal measure. “Wife?” James spat out. “What are you talking about? We’re not divorced yet.”

Adrian didn’t flinch. He remained unshaken, his demeanor cool as ever. Without a word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his own wedding ring. Elysia’s heart stopped as she watched him slide it off his finger. Her breath hitched in her throat as Adrian, with careful precision, rolled the ring onto her own finger, the metal cool and firm against her skin.

Elysia’s heart pounded in her chest as the ring settled on her finger. It wasn’t just a ring—it was a promise, a statement that she was no longer bound to James. Her mind reeled with the force of the moment, the weight of Adrian’s actions, and the flood of emotions that rushed in.

“Yes, you heard it right,” Adrian said, his voice calm but unmistakably firm. “Wife.”

And then, as if to seal the finality of it all, he added, “And as for the divorce, I think you should check your mail more often. Because, as far as I know, she did divorce you.”

James went pale. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He staggered back, his face a picture of disbelief and anger. His eyes flashed with something—fear, maybe regret?—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

“You’ll regret this,” he muttered, his voice thick with fury. He turned on his heel, ready to leave, but just before he reached the door, Elysia’s voice, soft but unyielding, stopped him.

“James, wait,” she called, her voice steady, though her heart hammered in her chest. Her eyes met his, and for the first time, she felt a sense of power she had never thought possible.

“Leave the watch you’re wearing,” Elysia said coolly, her gaze unflinching. “And also that ring. It belongs to my father. And I’m sure you don’t want any other ways to get sued.”

James hesitated, his eyes flickering with something like uncertainty, but then, with a sneer, he tossed both items aside, his pride refusing to allow him to do anything more. With one last defiant glare, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

The sound echoed in the room, but Elysia didn’t flinch. She was done with him.

Adrian’s steady gaze followed James’s departure, but his expression softened just slightly when he turned back to Elysia. He looked at her like he saw something more than the woman who had been betrayed. There was something in his eyes, something fragile, something that told her that he understood. He nodded once, approving of her strength.

“You did well,” Adrian said quietly, his words simple but layered with unspoken meaning. His voice was rougher now, as if he wasn’t quite sure how to express the approval he felt.

Elysia exhaled, her chest tight with emotions she couldn’t name. She wasn’t sure how to respond. She wasn’t sure if she could. But as Adrian turned to leave the room, there was a strange warmth in his eyes, something that pulled at her heartstrings in ways she hadn’t expected.

Elysia looked down at her hand, the ring still resting on her finger. The weight of it was undeniable. It was a promise, a binding agreement—but more than that, it was a symbol of what she had lost and what she had gained.

Her heart beat faster as she realized, for the first time in years, she wasn’t alone. And this time, she wasn’t going to lose herself again.