The air in the ballroom felt thick and suffocating. Adeline leaned slightly toward Cade, her lips brushing near his ear.
"I need to fix my lipstick," she murmured.
Cade looked down at her. His eyes darkened as he tracked the movement of her red lips. He nodded once, his hand lingering on her waist for a second longer than necessary before letting her go.
Adeline turned and walked toward the heavy oak doors leading to the corridor. Cade picked up a fresh glass of bourbon. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Evan's rigid back as the man broke away from the crowd and slipped out a side exit, following her path. Cade's jaw clenched, but he stayed planted.
Adeline pushed through the door of the women's restroom. The space was a cavern of white marble and gold fixtures. She walked to the massive mirror, unclasped her clutch, and pulled out her lipstick.
She uncapped the gold tube.
A violent crash echoed behind her. The heavy wooden door slammed open, hitting the wall stop with a sickening thud.
Evan stormed inside. He slammed the heavy door shut and pressed his entire body weight against the wood, his broad shoulders blocking the only exit. He reached up and violently smashed the electronic sensor panel with his fist, shattering the plastic casing and tearing the wires so the door could not be opened by badge swipe. Only a physical key could override it now. His eyes were bloodshot, his chest heaving under his tailored suit. He looked completely unhinged.
Adeline did not turn around. She met his eyes in the mirror and calmly raised the lipstick to her mouth, applying a fresh coat.
The dismissal snapped the last thread of Evan's sanity. He lunged across the room. He grabbed Adeline's wrist with brutal force, twisting her arm and slamming her back against the marble counter.
The lipstick dropped from her hand, snapping in two on the floor. The cold edge of the counter dug into Adeline's spine.
"How did you do it?" Evan spat, his face inches from hers, his breath smelling of sour champagne. "How did you get him into your bed? Did you get down on your knees and beg?"
Adeline let out a cold, sharp laugh. "Cade is ten times the man you are, Evan. In the boardroom, and everywhere else."
The insult hit its mark. Evan roared in anger. He let go of her wrist and grabbed the plunging neckline of her velvet dress, his knuckles brushing roughly against her skin as he tried to rip the fabric.
Adeline's eyes turned to ice. Her free hand shot out, her fingers wrapping around the heavy, solid brass soap dispenser sitting on the counter.
Without hesitating, she swung it upward in a vicious arc.
The heavy brass cracked hard against Evan's forehead.
Evan screamed. He stumbled backward, his hands flying to his face. Thick, dark blood instantly welled up between his fingers, dripping down the bridge of his nose.
Adeline did not pause. She reached into her clutch, her fingers finding the smooth glass of her phone. She pressed the side button three times in rapid succession—a shortcut she had programmed earlier, after pulling Piper's private number from the company's HR directory. A pre-written text with her GPS location shot out to Piper's phone.
Evan wiped the blood from his eyes. His face contorted into a mask of pure rage. He lowered his head and charged at her, aiming to tackle her to the floor.
The brass doorknob rattled violently.
"Evan! Open this door!" Piper's shrill voice pierced the heavy oak.
Evan froze mid-step. The rage vanished from his eyes, replaced instantly by blind panic. He looked at the locked door, then down at his bloody hands and ruined shirt.
Adeline moved fast. She reached up and violently messed up her own hair. She grabbed the fabric at her shoulder and yanked it sideways, baring her shoulder. She let her knees give out, sliding down the marble cabinet to the floor, pulling her knees to her chest.
A heavy thud shook the door. The hotel security guard had shoved a manual master key into the lock cylinder and wrenched it open. The door burst open.
Piper rushed in, followed by three other socialites and a security guard.
They stopped dead in their tracks. Evan was standing in the middle of the room, bleeding and disheveled. Adeline was huddled on the floor, trembling violently, her dress torn.
"You bastard!" Piper shrieked. She threw herself at Evan, her manicured nails digging into his face. "You were trying to sleep with her at our engagement party!"
"No! Piper, listen to me, she hit me!" Evan yelled, trying to shield his face from her blows.
Adeline buried her face in her hands, forcing out a realistic, terrified sob.
The crowd in the doorway was suddenly shoved aside with brutal force.
Cade stepped into the restroom. The temperature in the room plummeted. He took one look at Adeline on the floor, and his eyes turned murderous.
He shrugged off his custom suit jacket. He walked over to Adeline, knelt down, and wrapped the warm, heavy wool tightly around her shoulders, completely hiding her exposed skin.
Cade stood up, pulling Adeline against his side. He looked at Evan.
"My lawyers will file the bankruptcy liquidation papers for Strong Group at 8:00 AM tomorrow," Cade said. His voice was completely devoid of emotion, a death sentence delivered in a whisper.
Evan's knees buckled. He collapsed against the sink, his bloody hands gripping the porcelain as he hyperventilated. Piper continued to scream at him, the entire scene devolving into a pathetic circus.
Cade turned his back on them. He kept his arm tight around Adeline and walked her out of the restroom, the security guards parting to let them through.
They walked out of the hotel and into the cool night air.
As soon as the doors closed behind them, Adeline stopped trembling. She lifted her head from Cade's chest. The terrified victim vanished, replaced by a cold, triumphant smile.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Adeline whispered.
