Unbending Will

Following Bella’s hysterical screams, a swarm of burly security guards rushed into the glamorous banquet hall. The chaos drew a large crowd of onlookers, all craning their necks to witness the spectacle. The guards took one look at Clara and made a swift, incorrect judgment. Her plain, conservative work clothes made her stand out like a sore thumb among the sea of designer gowns and tailored suits. Mistaking her for a standard waitress, they did not bother asking questions. Two massive guards grabbed Clara by the arms. They ruthlessly dragged her away from the exclusive crowd, ignoring her protests. They forced her down a quiet corridor and shoved her into a small, claustrophobic side holding room.

Back on the banquet floor, madness erupted. Paramedics arrived with a stretcher for Bella. Still thrashing and wailing about the burning spicy gravy directly in her eyes, she was rushed out to an ambulance for immediate hospitalization. This left a disheveled and deeply humiliated Chloe standing alone in the center of the murmuring crowd. Her pristine image was ruined, replaced by the whispering judgment of the elite.

Dominic pushed his way through the sea of guests. "What happened?" his commanding voice cut through the noise, silencing the immediate vicinity.

He stopped in his tracks, staring in shock at Chloe. A bright red handprint glowed angrily on her delicate face. Dark, sticky stains ruined the expensive fabric of her crimson evening gown.

Recognizing the perfect opportunity to play the victim, Chloe let out a pathetic whimper. Crocodile tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. She threw herself straight into Dominic's arms, burying her face against his tailored suit to frame Clara.

"Dominic," she sobbed, her voice trembling with practiced false trauma. "I saw Ms. Vance just now. She was working as a waitress here... I don't know why, but she poured juice all over Bella and me on purpose." She sniffled, clutching his lapels as if she might collapse. "Then she went crazy on us. She threw food at Bella and slapped my face. Thankfully Bella stopped her, otherwise she would have kept attacking!"

Dominic's jaw set tight. Cold and expressionless, he surveyed the mess left behind. He wrapped a protective arm around Chloe's trembling shoulders, shielding her from the public eye.

"Where is she?" he asked, his tone dropping to a dangerous register.

"The security guards took her away," someone murmured from the crowd.

"Let's go take a look," Dominic ordered. He guided Chloe away from the grand hall, intent on hunting down the culprit.

Inside the dimly lit holding room, the heavy scent of spilled wine clung to the air. Clara sat rigidly on a cold metal chair, her head lowered defensively. Her clothes were soaked through, chilling her skin. A couple of security guards stood over her, reprimanding her for assaulting elite guests and muttering about filing a police report.

A heavy wave of regret washed over her battered spirit. Acting on her explosive anger had been a massive mistake. The momentary satisfaction of retaliation was fading, replaced by the grim reality of her situation. She vividly anticipated the fallout. Her boss, Tristan Hayes, was a hot-tempered, unforgiving man. He only hired her because Caleb Brooks insisted on it, and Tristan made her life a living hell ever since. He took every chance to cause trouble for her. Causing a massive public scene at a high-class venue gave him the perfect excuse. He would fire her on the spot.

Suddenly, the heavy metal door swung open. A sharp gust of cold air swept into the stuffy room, bringing with it an imposing figure. Clara looked up, her breath catching in her throat.

She stared into a pair of familiar, piercing eyes.

It had been three long, agonizing years since Dominic Thorne sent his lawyer to force her into signing those brutal divorce papers, prompting her to flee River City with nothing. Seeing him enter now, looking down at her like a conquering king, made her heart clench. His large hand was wrapped possessively around Chloe's waist.

She forced herself to push past the initial wave of paralyzing embarrassment at being caught in such a wretched state. She masked her swirling, chaotic emotions, locking them behind a facade of icy indifference. She looked away. To her, this man was nothing but a cruel stranger now. Let him judge her. Let him comfort his mistress. She didn't care.

Dominic strode further into the room, his eyes devoid of the warmth he once showed her. "Apologize now!" he demanded coldly. His deep voice left zero room for negotiation.

Clara slowly raised her head, a defiant scoff escaping her lips. Did he seriously expect her to grovel to the very woman who had destroyed her marriage?

"Apologize? For what?" she challenged, her voice steady and laced with venom. "Do you think your word is law, President Thorne?"

Dominic's eyes narrowed dangerously at her blatant disrespect. He stepped closer, towering over her small frame.

"It doesn’t matter if my word is the law," he shot back. "The point is you’ve injured Bella and she requires hospitalization! You’ll need to pay for this!"

Clara intimately knew the real reason behind his anger. He didn't care about Bella. He only wanted to vent Chloe's fabricated anger on her.

She offered him a calm, unbothered smile that didn't reach her eyes. "President Thorne, you hold a lot of power and are probably used to doing whatever you like. If you want my apology, I guess you’ll get it in your next life!"

Her apathetic expression and the chillingly cold tone of her voice pierced Dominic directly in the chest. Stung deeply by her unyielding defiance and the realization that she truly did not fear him anymore, he shot her a dark, furious look.

Without another word to her, he turned sharply to the security guards. "Have you reported this to the police yet?"

"Yes, sir," one of the guards replied respectfully.

Dominic's voice boomed through the small space as he delivered his final verdict. "In that case, let the police handle this matter fairly. Let’s see if you will still be this stubborn when you arrive at the police station!"