Eleanor gently swirled the champagne in her glass. She didn't even look at Caleb. She locked eyes with Perry Dalton and offered him a slow, respectful nod.
Perry, a seasoned shark in the business world, raised his scotch glass in return. He saw the sheer dominance radiating from Eleanor, and he respected it. He stayed silent, waiting for the bloodbath.
Caleb swallowed hard. He stepped in front of Isla, puffing out his chest to look bigger. "You shouldn't be here, Eleanor. You're making a scene." His voice trembled slightly, betraying his fear.
Caleb leaned in closer, dropping his voice to a vicious whisper. "If you throw a tantrum here, I will make sure you are blacklisted from every studio in this town."
Eleanor let out a sharp, mocking laugh. She didn't lower her voice at all. "Are you going to blacklist me using forged signatures, Caleb?"
The surrounding guests gasped. The whispers erupted like a swarm of bees. Perry Dalton's eyebrows shot up, his expression instantly turning serious.
Caleb's face turned the color of spoiled milk. He shot a panicked glance at Perry. "That's-that's slander! She's lying!"
Isla realized Caleb was losing control. She decided to play her only card. Her eyes welled up with fake tears. She stepped out from behind Caleb and reached out, trying to grab Eleanor's hand.
"Please, Eleanor," Isla whimpered, her voice trembling perfectly. "Don't do this just because you're jealous. Caleb and I truly love each other."
Eleanor felt a wave of physical nausea hit her stomach. She yanked her hand back as if Isla's touch was acidic. She looked at Isla with absolute disgust.
Seeing Eleanor pull away, Isla made her move. She deliberately twisted her ankle. She let out a dramatic shriek and threw her body backward, collapsing heavily onto the wet, hard tiles at the edge of the infinity pool.
Isla clutched her ankle, sobbing loudly. She looked up at Eleanor with wide, terrified eyes, playing the ultimate victim.
Caleb dropped to his knees, pulling Isla into his arms. He whipped his head around and screamed at Eleanor. "Are you out of your fucking mind?! You pushed her!"
The crowd murmured angrily. A few people glared at Eleanor, buying into the pathetic performance.
Eleanor didn't defend herself. She didn't say a word. She slowly walked over to where Caleb was kneeling. She looked down at them, her face completely blank.
She reached into her clutch and pulled out her phone. She opened the high-definition video from the hotel hallway and shoved the screen directly into Caleb's face.
"Since you love accusing me of physical assault," Eleanor said, her voice dropping to a terrifying, dead whisper, "I'd hate to be accused of a crime I didn't actually commit."
Before anyone could blink, Eleanor shifted her weight. She lifted her right leg. The sharp, red sole of her stiletto shot forward and slammed directly into Caleb's shoulder.
The physical impact was brutal. Caleb lost his balance entirely. He tumbled backward, his arms still wrapped around Isla.
A massive splash echoed across the patio. Caleb and Isla hit the freezing water of the infinity pool. Water splashed up, wetting the hem of Eleanor's red dress, but she didn't even flinch.
Caleb and Isla broke the surface, gasping for air, thrashing in the water. Isla's expensive makeup ran down her face in black streaks. They looked like drowned rats.
The entire patio was dead silent. No one breathed. The sheer, unapologetic violence of Eleanor's action paralyzed the crowd.
Eleanor calmly placed her champagne glass on a passing waiter's tray. She reached into her clutch again and pulled out a thick, folded legal document.
She walked to the edge of the pool. As Caleb wiped the water from his eyes, Eleanor threw the lawsuit directly at his face. The heavy paper slapped against his wet cheek.
"My lawyers filed the fraud and embezzlement charges an hour ago," Eleanor announced, her voice ringing clear across the water. "Enjoy prison, Caleb."
Eleanor turned her back on the pool. The rage vanished from her face, replaced instantly by a flawless, professional smile. She walked over to Perry Dalton.
"Mr. Dalton," Eleanor said smoothly. "Shall we go to your study? I believe we have a contract renewal to discuss, and a very profitable crisis PR strategy to map out."
Perry looked at the pathetic mess in his pool, then looked at the terrifyingly competent woman standing in front of him. He threw his head back and laughed loudly. He extended his arm toward the house. "After you, Miss Vance."
