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Zeke’s face twisted with disbelief as he processed Justin’s words.
“Ex-wife?” He scoffed, still not fully grasping the situation.
“So what? She’s still a woman, and she splashed wine on me!”
Bella, still wriggling in Justin’s grip, snapped at Zeke.
“I did it because you deserved it, idiot.
I don’t need your permission to stand up for myself.
“
Justin’s grip on Bella’s waist tightened slightly, though his eyes never left her face, reading the emotions flickering across it.
She was drunk, but there was something sharper beneath the haze.
The sight of her defiant eyes, that fierce little spark, made him realize just how much he missed her fire.
“Enough, Zeke,” Justin said, his voice icy.
“You don’t know when to shut up.
“
The moment the words left his mouth, Zeke took a step back, his jaw clenched.
Justin wasn’t just the CEO of a rival company; his reputation alone was enough to make most people think twice.
Zeke, however, wasn’t one to back down easily.
But in the face of Justin’s cold demeanor and the recognition that things were escalating far beyond his control, he just stood there, seething.
Bella tried to pull away again, but Justin didn’t let go.
She felt the heat of his body against hers, too close, too familiar, yet too distant at the same time.
“Let me go, Justin.
I don’t need your help, especially not from someone who’s only concerned about his own damn image.
“
Justin ignored her protests, his gaze shifting for a moment to the bodyguards who were still hovering nearby.
They took the hint and stepped back, not daring to make a move.
“Apologize to her, Zeke,” Justin repeated, his voice low and commanding.
There was no room for argument.
Zeke looked from Justin to Bella, and though he wanted to protest, the weight of the situation sank in.
He was caught between his own anger and the clear power Justin wielded.
He finally muttered, “Fine.
I apologize,” but his tone was laced with resentment.
Bella barely registered his words, her thoughts swirling.
The anger she’d felt earlier was being replaced by an unsettling confusion.
Why was Justin here? Why was he protecting her? It wasn’t like him—at least, not the man she remembered.
But then, as if he sensed the conflict in her, Justin’s expression softened ever so slightly.
His voice, though still stern, held a hint of something gentler.
“You don’t have to deal with people like him, Bella.
“
Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of her name on his lips.
She pulled away from him sharply, her voice tight with bitterness.
“You think that makes it all okay? You think because you step in now, everything’s forgiven?”
Justin didn’t answer right away.
He stood there for a moment, looking at her with a mix of frustration and something else she couldn’t quite place.
“No, I don’t,” he said quietly, his tone uncharacteristically sincere.
“But it’s not too late to fix things between us.
Not for you, not for me.
“
Bella froze, her breath caught in her throat.
She had no idea what he was implying, but she didn’t want to know.
She’d had enough of him, of his games, of his indifference.
She wasn’t going to let him play with her emotions again.
“Stop,” she said sharply.
“Just stop.
“
Zeke, still nursing his bruised pride, eyed them both warily.
“What is this, some kind of twisted reconciliation? Because I’m outta here.
”
Justin finally released Bella, though his eyes lingered on her, full of an emotion she couldn’t decipher.
He turned to Zeke, his voice cold once more.
“You’re dismissed.
And don’t ever think of crossing her again.
”
Zeke, still seething, threw one last glare in Bella’s direction before retreating with his bodyguards.
Bella watched them go, her heart heavy with mixed emotions.
Justin’s presence, his touch—it all stirred up feelings she wasn’t ready to confront.
As the crowd started to disperse, Bella turned on her heel, ready to leave this chaotic night behind.
But Justin’s voice stopped her.
“Bella.
”
She didn’t turn around, her back straight and posture defiant.
“Don’t call me that.
You’ve lost that privilege.
”
And without another word, she walked away.
