The Rose He Showed Off Is Putting Down Roots in a Garden of Her Own novel Chapter 117

Elara scoffed. "He beat a man into a concussion. What's heroic about that?"

"Were you moved by it?" Zane asked.

"Moved that he publicly validated the rumors about me and Caleb Mercer? I'm not a naive little girl anymore. His rage could have been about his reputation, his fragile male ego, or some twisted sense of possession over his wife. But it was absolutely not out of love for me."

She was well past the age of romanticizing toxic grandstanding. She didn't need a man to fly into a violent rage for her; she needed someone with the actual competence to solve her problems.

A soft smile touched Zane's lips. Her utter rationality was intoxicating.

As they approached a small plaza with a dry fountain, Elara suddenly tugged Zane's arm, trying to detour around it.

"What's wrong?" Zane asked, confused.

"You and I have terrible luck with water. Let's keep our distance."

Zane looked at the flat concrete fountain and the tiny puddles lingering on the surface. "It can't be that cursed, can it?"

"I've walked by lakes with you twice, and both times I ended up in the water. I had never fallen into a lake in my entire life until—"

"Ah!"

Before she could finish her sentence, Elara stumbled forward violently. Zane's reflexes flared, and he caught her securely around the waist before she could hit the pavement.

Looking down, they saw her stiletto heel wedged perfectly into one of the fountain's drainage grates.

"Hold onto me," Zane instructed, crouching down to unbuckle her sandal.

"I can get it," Elara protested.

"Just hold on."

Zane carefully undid the metal clasp and slipped her foot out of the shoe.

The sheer intimacy of the gesture sent a hot flush up Elara's neck. They weren't close enough for this kind of service.

"Th-thank you, Zane."

"Hold tight," Zane braced himself and yanked the heel free from the grate.

It popped out—along with a sickening snap. The heel was completely broken off.

Zane stared at the ruined designer shoe, at a total loss. "Should I... carry you back?"

The hotel was packed with industry executives. That would cause a riot.

"No way," Elara said, exasperated. "I'll just snap the heel off the other one."

She bent down to ruin her other shoe.

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