Page 76

Sawyer groaned deeply, his own release following as he held her tight, his body pressed firmly against hers. Their breaths mingled, heavy and uneven, as they collapsed onto the bed, tangled in each other’s warmth.
For a long moment, silence stretched between them, save for the sound of their slowing breaths. Then, Sawyer pressed a soft kiss to the back of her shoulder, his touch unexpectedly tender.
And then, as the night stretched on, he took his revenge, tormenting her until the first rays of sunlight spilled through the windows.
***
Sawyer’s eyes opened late the next morning. After staying awake most of the night, exhaustion still clung to him. Half-asleep, he reached for Ellie, patting the sheets beside him. But his hand found nothing—just cold emptiness.
His eyes snapped open. The bed was empty.
Pushing himself up, still groggy with sleep, he grabbed his phone from the nightstand. It was just ten in the morning. He threw on a pair of trousers and stalked out of the bedroom, his jaw tight with frustration. But no matter how many rooms he checked, Ellie was nowhere to be found.
His patience started to wear thin. "Ada? Ada!" he called out, his voice sharp.
The housekeeper hurried over. "Mr. Stark?"
"Where is Ellie?" His tone was clipped, his irritation evident.
"Ms. Ellie?" Ada hesitated. "She left a while ago. She looked very angry… Kept saying she was going to Miss Olivia’s house."
Sawyer’s face darkened instantly. "That stupid, stupid woman wants to get herself killed?" he barked, his patience snapping.
Without another word, he stormed back into the room, throwing on a t- shirt, and snatching his phone and car keys.
Fake Olivia had already probably killed the real Olivia. She had also attacked Ellie before. The woman had no shame, no fear when it came to getting rid of people in her way. And Ellie—reckless, infuriating Ellie—was walking straight into her hands.
Tension coiled tightly in his chest as he bolted out of the house, slamming the car door shut. He gunned the engine, tires screeching against the pavement as he sped toward Olivia’s house.
Chapter 20 Scared
Ellie arrived outside Olivia’s grand estate, her entire body seething with rage.
Jeremy had called her first thing in the morning, and the news he delivered had only fueled her fury. Not only had Olivia stolen her job the day before with fake accusations, but she had also issued a notice across the entire industry, blacklisting Ellie. She'd also issued an industry-wide notice banning Ellie from working in the entertainment industry altogether.
With Olivia being a Whitlock—one of the most influential families—and her relationship with Sawyer being widely known, no one dared to go against Olivia’s orders.
Ellie had barely processed the news before her blood boiled. She shot a sharp glare at Sawyer, who was sleeping with a care in the world.
‘Why should I even tell him?’ she had thought bitterly. ‘He’s only going to take Olivia’s side, just like last time—when she wanted to hang herself from the fucking ceiling, and he kicked me out without a second thought.’
She had stormed out of the house and now found herself charging straight into Olivia’s grand mansion, ignoring the guards, the staff—anyone in her way.
The moment she stepped inside, she collided directly with Olivia, who was impeccably dressed and seemingly on her way out.
Olivia’s face twisted in shock and disgust. "What the fuck are you doing in my house?"
Then, a flicker of panic crossed her face. She quickly turned to call for her maid. "Maria! Maria!" Olivia snapped, looking around. "Who let this beggar inside?"
Ellie smirked. "What’s wrong, Whitlock? You scared?"
Olivia’s expression hardened. "Scared of what?"
"You weren’t scared when you stole my job. You weren’t scared when you blacklisted me from the entire fucking industry. So tell me, Olivia Whitlock—what the hell is your problem?" Ellie’s voice was sharp, cutting through Olivia’s feigned confidence.
Olivia folded her arms, tilting her chin arrogantly. "Because I don’t like your face." She shrugged. "What’s so strange about that? I don’t enjoy running into pests wherever I go."
"And I don’t enjoy running into bitches first thing in the morning, yet here we fucking are," Ellie shot back.