"Honestly, I don’t care whether you leave or not," she murmured, her lips curving into a slow, venomous smile.

"Because what I really want… is to ruin you completely."

Before her words could even settle in my mind, she suddenly tore at her own blouse, sending buttons scattering to the floor. With swift, practiced movements, she mussed up her hair, then seized my wrist and forced my hand to strike her again and again.

Then, as if on cue, she crumpled to the floor, her body trembling, tears spilling down her cheeks in violent torrents.

"Miss Hale," she sobbed, her voice breaking. "I know you hate me, but how could you force me to do something like this?" Her fingers clutched at her chest as she gasped out her next words.

"I’d rather die than agree to it!"

With a sudden, dramatic lunge, she grabbed a fruit knife from the coffee table, angling it toward her throat.

Instinct took over. I surged forward, reaching to stop her.

But before I could even touch the blade, a brutal force slammed into me, sending me crashing backward.

"Nathalia!"

The next moment, Mathias had her wrapped tightly in his arms, his voice thick with desperation.

Nathalia let the knife slip from her fingers, collapsing against him as she sobbed uncontrollably, her entire frame quivering like a fragile bird seeking shelter in his embrace.

"Mathias, you finally came."

"If you hadn’t, Miss Hale would have already sent me to President Liam’s bed!"

I had slammed into the corner of the table, pain searing through my already bruised lower back, leaving my vision swimming. The agony threatened to pull me under, but I bit down on the pain and forced out a hoarse, desperate rebuttal.

"I didn’t!"

"How could I possibly do something like that?"

"Mathias, after everything we’ve been through, do you really believe something this absurd?"

For a fleeting second, something in his expression wavered. His brows furrowed ever so slightly, hesitation creeping in.

But before that moment could solidify, Nathalia whimpered, tightening her grip on his sleeve, her fragile form quivering against him as though she might shatter at any second.

"Mathias, is it because Miss Hale thinks I stole you from her that she wants to destroy me?"

"But the only person I love is you."

"If another man dares to touch me, I’d rather die!"