Chapter 4 of You Want Her? I'll Have Her

Elena's POV

Nathan Sterling didn’t call again.

Not that it mattered.

I will erase him from my life, delete his number, and make sure my next steps would take me far away from him.

But before all that, there was one last thing I needed to do.

Nathan had built his empire on power and control, believing that he could have everything—his business, his fiancée, and his secret girlfriend.

For three years, I had let him.

I had been understanding when he would leave our date just to go to his office and to Sophia.

I had been patient not to tell my mom and my friends our relationship just because he wants it to be a secret.

I had been forgiving every time I found lipstick stains on his collar, perfume that wasn’t mine lingering on his skin.

And every time I doubted him, he reeled me back in.

“Baby, you know you’re the only one I love.”

“Sophia? Don’t be ridiculous—she’s like a sister to me.”

“You’re overthinking again, Elena. Don’t be insecure.”

I had been so stupidly loyal.

And Nathan had known it.

He had fed me lies wrapped in affection, just enough to keep me tied to him—never too close, never too far.

And I refused to let him walk away unscathed.

And thanks to Sophia’s oversized ego, I knew exactly where to strike.

Her birthday gala.

The biggest event of the year, filled with elite businessmen, investors, and media personalities.

The perfect place for a scandal.

The night that I’ve been waiting for finally arrived, I stepped into the grand ballroom, my heels clicking against the marble floor.

The room was filled with men in tailored suits, women in designer gowns, and waiters carrying trays of expensive champagne.

I moved through the crowd unnoticed like just another guest.

But not for long.

At the front of the room, a massive LED screen displayed a slideshow of Sophia’s life—her accomplishments, her charity work, her picture-perfect moments with Nathan.

I watched from the shadows as Nathan and Sophia stood on the main stage, the perfect power couple.

Nathan looked polished and composed, but his eyes scanned the crowd, searching.

Searching for me.

I checked my phone. Right on schedule.

As Sophia lifted her glass for a toast, the slideshow suddenly flickered.

The crowd murmured in confusion as the images on the screen glitched—then changed completely.

Instead of pictures of Sophia and Nathan’s glamorous life…

Legal documents filled the screen.

The engagement contract.

The terms of their arranged marriage.

The proof that their entire relationship was a business deal.

Gasps filled the ballroom.

A few reporters scrambled for their phones.

And at the center of it all, Nathan went deathly still.

For the first time, he looked truly afraid.

I watched as he turned to Sophia, his expression darkening. “What the hell is this?”

Sophia, for once, was speechless.

I had sent the files anonymously to the event’s media team, framing it as an “important announcement from the couple.”

Now, everyone in this room knew the truth.

Sophia recovered first. She straightened, forcing a smile. “Everyone, please, there seems to be a misunderstanding—”

“Misunderstanding?” someone in the crowd muttered. “So you mean you’re not actually engaged?”

“Or are you just pissed that we all found out like this?” another voice called out.

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

The investors in the room looked uneasy, whispering among themselves.

Nathan’s jaw tightened. He had worked years to build his reputation.

And in less than a minute, I had shattered it.

He scanned the room again, and then—he found me.

His eyes locked onto mine across the ballroom.

Shock.

Then realization.

Then rage.

I smiled.

Slowly, I lifted my champagne glass in his direction—a silent toast to his downfall.

His expression darkened, and he took a step forward, but Sophia grabbed his arm.

She was still trying to salvage the situation.

And that’s when it happened.

One of the investors, an older man with sharp eyes, spoke up.

“Mr. Sterling,” he said. “Is it true that this entire engagement is just a business merger?”

Nathan hesitated. Just for a second.

And that was enough.

Because in that second, everyone saw the truth.

One investor scoffed. “I don’t invest in people who lie.”

Another shook his head. “If you can’t handle your personal affairs, how can we trust you with our money?”

The whispers grew. The doubt spread.

Nathan was losing everything. His carefully curated image of power and control was slipping through his fingers.

His hands clenched into fists, but he couldn’t move.

I had once been the girl who waited for him to choose me.

Now, I was the woman who had just ruined him.

And God, it felt good.

I set my champagne down and turned away.

This time, he didn’t follow.

Because for the first time, Nathan Sterling had lost.

By the time I got home, my phone was already buzzing.

News outlets were running the story.

Social media was exploding with memes and headlines.

“Sterling Global CEO’s Engagement Scandal Exposed at Fiancée’s Birthday Gala!”

“Marriage or Merger? Nathan Sterling’s Business Deal Disguised as Love!”

“Who Leaked the Truth?”

I curled up on my bed, scrolling through the chaos.

Nathan’s silence was loud.

He hadn’t tried to call me.

Because he knew.

He knew that I had beaten him.

I turned off my phone and exhaled slowly.

I had taken everything Nathan cared about—his reputation, his control, his pride—and crushed it.

And in the morning?

I would board my flight to Paris.

Far away from all of this.

Far away from him.