Chapter 201: Partner?

Five days later.

Inside a beautifully decorated bedroom, an equally beautiful woman could be seen sitting on a couch. She was wearing a black, body-fitting dress that not only showed her curves but revealed a lot of cleavage, leaving little to the imagination.

She fixed her eyes on the television, which was currently showing entertainment news where they talked about the private lives of many famous people.

The woman picked up her glass of wine, slowly sipping on it as she watched the television.

Later, the presenter began talking about someone she didn’t pay attention to, but slowly, the presenter’s words started to sink in, and as recognition washed over her, her expression gradually turned ugly.

“…Reports say that he was spotted with a woman and two children at the mall, seemingly out shopping. There was an intimate air around what sources suspect to be a family of four. Rumors have been going around that the business tycoon had been previously married in secret and just been reunited with his family. Either way, we can say we are all happy for the business tycoon Tristan Grayson’s new life—though a heartbreak for a lot of women who have fervently adored him for years.”

Erica’s hands tightened around the wine glass, her once relaxed and laid-back eyes turning darker.

“Che… a family?” she muttered, her tone low, almost amused—but her eyes burned with something far more dangerous.

Erica’s lips slowly curled, but there was no humor in it, only something cold and deliberate, like a blade being sharpened in the dark.

It had taken her five years—five freaking years of painstaking effort to get Tristan to be hers, to stand in that woman’s place beside him. However, no matter how hard she tried, he remained indifferent. He continued to ignore her.

Erica angrily smashed the cup on the floor, the glass shattering into pieces.

She glared at the screen, watching the blurry images, probably taken stealthily by paparazzi, of Tristan holding two children: a little girl in his arms while holding a little boy’s hand, with a woman beside them. They all seemed to be smiling.

Her fists clenched tightly as she seethed with fury.

She grabbed the wine bottle and chugged it down furiously, then slammed it down, her eyes still fixed on the screen even after the image of Tristan and his supposed family disappeared, replaced by something else.

“Do you think you can have a family and I’ll just let you be? After you humiliated me and threw me out of your life?” she chuckled, her eyes filled with venom. “You are mistaken, Tristan. You can’t just get rid of me like that. In this life, I must have you or… destroy you!”

To her, Tristan had never only been a man to love, he was something to own. And if she couldn’t have him, then no one else would be allowed to keep him either.

A twisted smile spread across her face as she threw her head back, bursting into laughter.

She had given him a chance to choose her, but he chose that woman instead. They couldn’t blame her now, because she would make sure their lives became nothing short of a living hell.

Erica suddenly stood up and headed toward the closet. She picked up a jacket and wore it over her dress, slipped into her heels, then left the house.

She drove straight to a hotel, pulling into the parking lot. Taking her purse, she pulled out a card and stared at it for a moment, turning it over thoughtfully before heading into the lobby.

“Hello, ma’am. How may I help you?” the receptionist asked politely.

Erica slid the card across the counter. “I’m here for Mr. Blakewood. He sent me a room card.”

The receptionist checked its validity before returning it with a smile.

“You may go ahead, ma’am.”

Erica walked to the elevator and headed to the twenty-first floor. The elevator chimed as it stopped, and the doors opened.

Her heels clicked against the floor as she walked down the hallway, her presence commanding attention. Every man she passed couldn’t help but turn to look.

She was an incredibly desirable woman, and she knew it. She knew how to charm men, and they always fell for her, until Tristan. No man had ever resisted her charms the way he had.

She stopped in front of a room at the end of the hallway. With a smirk, she swiped the card, and the door clicked open.

She stepped inside to find the room dark, the lights off. Still, she knew the man she came for was there.

As her heels echoed through the room, a man’s voice broke the silence.

“You came…”

The lights suddenly flicked on, illuminating the room. A man sat sprawled on a sofa, his head tilted back.

Slowly, he lifted his head, his eyes scanning Erica from head to toe before a smirk curled on his lips.

“So this is what my stupid cousin turned down?” Ryan said. “Then I must say, he’s a big fool.”

“Are you sure?” Erica replied coolly. “Because from what I know, you should be more than aware of why he turned me down, since you yourself are hopelessly smitten by that reason.”

Ryan’s expression stiffened instantly, Celine’s image flashing through his mind. His face darkened.

“My cursed cousin chose her over his own blood and threw me into prison for it…” His lips curled slightly. “Do you really think I’d let him keep everything after that?”

Erica didn’t reply. Instead, she strolled around the luxurious room, her gaze drifting over the expensive paintings on the walls.

“Why did you ask me here, Ryan?” she asked casually, as though she were merely out shopping.

“Simple. I want to make a deal with you.”

Erica stopped and turned to him. “A deal?”

“Very straightforward. Let’s join forces,” Ryan said bluntly.

She crossed her arms beneath her chest, raising a brow. “Join forces?”

“Oh, come on. Five years ago, ruining Celine’s image, hiding her pregnancy from Tristan, even trying to have her eliminated just to get him. I’m sure you remember the rest.”

“I see you’ve done your homework, Ryan.”

He stood up. “Of course. I recognize a valuable partner when I see one.”

“Partner?” Erica echoed softly, as if testing the word. Then she smiled faintly. “Let’s hope you understand what that truly means.”

“So, what’s in it for me?” she asked without hesitation.

Ryan laughed loudly. “Smart woman.” He pointed at her with amusement. “Tsk. What a loss for my cousin. In this deal, you get whatever you want.”

Interest flickered in her eyes. “Whatever I want?”

“Yes. If you want Tristan, you can have him. If you want to destroy him, you can do that too. As long as our plans succeed, you’ll get whatever outcome you desire.”

Erica held his gaze for a second longer than necessary, a faint smile playing on her lips—one that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

How generous, she thought. And how foolish.

A slow smile spread across her face. “I like the sound of that.”

Ryan grinned. “I thought you would. So, are you in?”

“As long as I get to kill that woman by the end of it, I’m in.”

Ryan paused for the briefest second—so subtle most wouldn’t notice.

But Erica did.

After everything Tristan had done to him because of her, Ryan no longer cared what happened to Celine.

“Sweetheart, you can do whatever you want with her. As long as I get to destroy my cousin, take over Grayson Corp, and claim the glory he enjoys right now,” he said with a flirtatious tone.

Erica’s gaze lingered on him with satisfaction. Though he wasn’t Tristan, he was still handsome, blessed with the Blakewood family’s good genes.

“You’re a very agreeable man, unlike your cousin. That’s one trait he could learn from you.”

Ryan beamed, clearly pleased. “And you’re a very delightful woman. A pity my cousin lost you.”

“He’ll suffer for that. I’ll make sure of it.”

Erica noticed the undisguised lust in his eyes as he looked her over. She had always enjoyed that gaze, it made her feel desired, especially after Tristan’s constant rejection, even when he had once been under the influence of a drug.

“How about I add one more clause to the deal?” she asked thoughtfully.

“Anything you want, honey.”

She walked toward him slowly, every step accentuating her curves. When she reached him, she trailed her fingers along his jaw, her touch light and deliberate, like she was testing control rather than offering affection.

She pushed against his chest, forcing him back until he hit the edge of the bed.

With a final shove, she pushed him onto it, then leaned over him, her lips close to his ear.

“Sexual benefits.”

It wasn’t a request, nor was it an offer. It was a condition.

A smirk spread across Ryan’s lips. “I like the sound of that.”

Clothes were soon scattered across the room, and the silence dissolved into heated sounds, moans an grunts along with the sound of slapping flesh.

But beneath it all, neither of them noticed the same thought crossing their minds…

’When this is over… I’ll be the one left standing.’

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