Maxim and I are taking steps towards the stage to exchange our engagement rings, holding hand in hand, with my rugged heartbeat. Suddenly, his phone's notification started popping continuously. He is ignoring this, and then winking at me.

But, getting aggravated by those messages, he stops and removes his hands from mine. He takes out the phone from his pocket. As soon as he checks his phone's notification, anger and frustration start crawling over his face.

I sneakily look into his phone, and my eyes become wide. An anonymous person has messaged him.

“Maxim Petrova, I think you can't keep your fiancée under your control. Didn't you satisfy her needs? I guess, no. Look at the pictures that I'm sending you. Your fiancée is kissing another man, who is no one but your enemy, Elijah Veneto.”

Then, he sends mine and Elijah's photos kissing each other. There are too many photos in different positions. That person also sends another message.

“For your kind information, Your Fiancée also went with Elijah on a beautiful business trip to his country...”

Maxim starts shaking. He clenches his jaw, and his mouth becomes almost dry. He looks at me with baring teeth. His muscles have also become tense.

He starts moving his dry mouth angrily but doesn't speak anything. “YOU FUCKING WHORE!!!” He yells angrily with furrowed eyebrows and pushes me on the floor aggressively.

As soon as he pushes me on the floor, everyone becomes silent, looking at us with their widened eyes. I get up from the floor and remove the dust from my dress.

“ARE YOU KIDDING ME? WHY THE FUCK DID YOU PUSH ME ON THE FLOOR?” I shout angrily at him.

“Because of this...” He says, showing me his phone. As I'm looking into his phone, that person is still sending many photos of me and Elijah.

We look good in these photos.

In a sudden blink, Elijah comes between me and Maxim. I look at him suspiciously. Then, I observe that he is holding Maxim's hand, who was about to slap.

This fucker has dared to slap me!

“HOW DARE YOU TRY TO RAISE YOUR HAND ON A WOMAN?” Elijah shouts angrily, punching his fist into Maxim's face.

Maxim falls to the floor with this hard punch. As he gets up from the floor, his nose starts bleeding. He looks at me and Elijah meh furrowed eyebrows.

“YOU FUCKING CHEATED ON ME WITH HIM !” Maxim yells again, coming towards us.

This is enough! This fucker has not only called me whore, but a cheater. I'm not like him. Anger and frustration which was for Maxim inside me have started getting on edge.

I push Elijah slightly and go towards Maxim. “Who do you think you are to call me whore?”

“I'm your fiancée-”

“—was. You were my fiancé. Not anymore. When you called me a whore, you lost all of your rights to call me your fiancée.” I declare, crossing my arms on my chest.

“Are you kidding me? You can't break this engagement.” A familiar unpleasant voice comes from the crowd. It is Theadora.

“Of course, I can. Haven't you studied the fundamental rights of our country?” I say, gawking at her. “Oops, I forgot that you were sleeping around with rich men during your school days.”

“YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT-”

“Complete that sentence, and you will be six feet under this ground,” Elijah says, coming forward, glaring at Theadora.

“EVERYONE, WE ARE SORRY FOR YOUR INCONVENIENCE, BUT ENGAGEMENT IS OVER. YOU CAN EAT THE DINNER AND GO BACK TO YOUR PLACES.” Dalton announces, standing on the stage with a microphone near his mouth.

“Elijah Veneto, I'm very glad to meet you, but you shouldn't have come to ruin my son's engagement. Now, you should go back to your house. This is our family matter.” Theadora says with a wicked smile on her face.

“Theadora, You can't humiliate my business partner. I invited him, and he won't go anywhere.” I declare, glaring at her angrily.

“So, my son was right, Avery. You were screwing our enemy, and you say that I'm a homewrecker whore.” She says, smirking at me.

“Ew, you just compared me to you. You are forgetting that this marriage was against my will, and I'm an independent woman. I can screw whoever I want.” I reply, shrinking my smile for this disgusting bitch.

“Avery, What is happening? What are Maxim and his mom saying?” Dad says, stepping towards us.

“I'll tell you later, Dad...” I say, smiling at him. “...and for both of you...” I say, looking at Maxim and Theadora. “This engagement is over. Get the fuck out of my house.”

“Oh my poor Avery, you are forgetting that your company is in my hands...” Theadora says, laughing loudly at me. “If you break this contract marriage, then you will lose your precious company.”

“Aww... too bad...” Elijah speaks suddenly, with a smirk on his face as he takes out some papers inside his suit. “These papers that I'm having in my hand are saying different things. You said that when Avery would agree to marry Maxim, she won't lose her company, but too bad Avery has given me her company as its owner. I purchased this company for $4.2 billion from Avery.”

“W-What d-do y-you m-mean?” Theadora stammers nervously as her face becomes pale.

“It means, I have become the owner of Bennett Enterprises,” Elijah smirks, looking at me.

“It means...”

“It means that the anonymous person was me,” Dalton says suddenly, making a way towards me and Elijah me.

“So, this was your plan...” Maxim says, coldly as he sees his defeat in front of his eyes.

“Exactly, Ex-Fiancé...” I smirk, looking at him pathetically.

“Your fucking contract said that Avery would Maxim when she will become the owner of the Bennett Enterprises, but as its owner, she sold the company to me. Now, I'm the owner. So, the Contract has to turn out to be invalid!” Elijah tells them.

“How? When did this happen?” Theadora asks as sweat starts dripping over her face.

“Let me tell you that interesting story...” I reply.

*Flashback*

As Dalton went away from my room after our talk, my mind started drowning in deep thoughts. If I married Maxim, then what if he tried to control me? What if he tried to snatch my company? I couldn't bear it! I needed to think about something...

That's why I started to think deeply about everything. After some minutes, an idea popped up into my mind, but I needed Elijah's help. I wasn't sure if Elijah had helped me, but I wanted to try.

I took my phone from my nightstand and called Elijah.

“Hello, Elijah...”

“Hello, Avery. I told you that I would be coming to your party.”

“No... No... it's not about that. I need your help. Can you help me with something?”

“Of course, I would help you. I have never said no to anyone who has asked me for my help. Also, We are business partners.”

“Ok, Then, I need your help in breaking my engagement.”

Elijah didn't say anything. He was quiet.

“Umm... Hello, Elijah. Are you there?”

After a few seconds, he replied,” Yes, Avery. I'm here, but why do you want my help to break your engagement?”

“I don't want to fucking marry that Maxim Petrova. That's why I've made a plan, and I need your help in it.”

“Ok, tell me your plan. I'm all ears.”

“Ok. I'm sending you some papers through Fax. That paper states that I, Avery Bennett, the current owner of Bennett Enterprises is selling my company to you for $4.2 billion-”

“—Wait what? You are selling me your company.”

“Don't fucking cut my words. I'm just selling you my company because my contract of marrying Maxim has stated that when I would become the owner of Bennett Enterprises, then I will have to marry Maxim or my company would fall in his hands. So, If you become the owner-”

“—then that contract of marriage will be invalid.”

“Exactly. So, what now? Will you help me? And for money, I know it's too much, but that's the real worth of my company.”

“Are you kidding me? I'm Elijah Veneto who has ranked 1st in Forbes list of Billionaires. I don't care about money, but I would gladly help you.”

“Thank you so much, Elijah!” Saying this, I hung up the call. Now, I need to check the CCTV cameras of my house, which have recordings of me and Elijah's kissing. I can take some photos from them, and Dalton will send them to Maxim.”

*Flashback Ends*

“And that's how this entertaining show of a contract marriage between a man whore and Miss Universe ends... I say, smirking proudly and then looking at the pathetic faces of Maxim and her mother.

“I love you. You can't leave me!” Maxim says, making my ears bleed by his blabbering.

“Yeah, and I hate you...” I reply, rolling my eyes.

“YOU-” Maxim says, moving closer to me, but Elijah comes in front of me.

“Watch where you are going, Mr Petrova,” Elijah says, glaring at him as if he would kill right there.

“You can be her knight in shiny armour, for now, Veneto. But this is not over.” Maxim says, clenching his jaw.

“Yeah, yeah. You can go now...” Dalton says, laughing at Maxim.

“Mark my words, Avery and Elijah. I'll take my revenge...” Saying this, Maxim vanishes into thin air with his mother from my house.

As soon as they go away, I feel that the burden which was wandering in my mind has been removed. Now, I can breathe freely.

“So, how does it feel to be free?” Elijah asks fortuitously, smiling at me.

“It feels like I can live freely now. I was in a cage for this contract marriage, but I'm free now. All thanks to you, Elijah.” I say, taking his hands into mine.

“It's my pleasure...” He says, looking at our hands suspiciously as he didn't think about this happening.

“Avery...” Dad says, coming towards me with Mom. “We are really happy that you are out of this contract marriage.” Then, he shifts his gaze towards Elijah. “Mr Veneto, thank you so much for helping our daughter.”

“Mr Bennett-”

“—Call me Jacob,” Dad replies, making Elijah wide my eyes.

“Jacob, please don't embarrass me by saying thank you. Also, I'm like your son's age, so please call me Elijah.” Elijah says, increasing my heartbeat with his sweet words.

He is truly a gentleman.

“Elijah, I must say that your parents have raised you so appropriately. You are a good person.” Dad says as a blush comes over Elijah's cheeks.

“Thank you, Jacob. It means a lot to me.” He replies, scratching his back awkwardly. “Avery, I'll ask my lawyer to make new papers for you to take over the Bennett Enterprises.”

“Ok. I'll transfer the money to your bank account.”

“Sure...”

Elijah is an amazing person. He is nothing like any man I've ever met in my life. Likewise, he is the reason why I'm smiling right now. My assumptions are getting wrong about him. Maybe I was wrong about Elijah.

I've never given any chance to men in my life except hook-up, but that thing is changing inside me since the arrival of Elijah in my life.

Maybe, I should let my guard down for him.

Or maybe, I should give us a chance.

✭✭✭

Hey My Devils,

I'm dancing right now in happiness. The hard shell of Avery's heart is finally breaking.

What do you think about this progress?
Do you think that Maxim will come back?
What do you think will happen next?

Keep reading to find out!