The Rose He Showed Off Is Putting Down Roots in a Garden of Her Own novel Chapter 78

Finally, Julian tossed the belt aside. He dropped the used condom into the trash can, zipped up his pants, and leaned back against the sofa. He lit a cigarette, staring blankly at the woman trembling on the rug. Stripped bare and covered in welts, she curled in on herself, sobbing quietly. Julian looked at her with pure disgust. The polished, elegant news anchor everyone admired on television was nothing more than a pathetic, naked mess on the floor. Just a pile of cheap flesh.

Julian turned his head away, crushed his cigarette into the ashtray, and stood up. He tucked his dress shirt back into his trousers, bent down to retrieve his belt, buckled it, and walked out the door. The moment he left, Vanessa forced her bruised and aching body off the floor. She reached into the trash can, retrieved the discarded condom, and pulled out a sterile syringe. She carefully extracted the contents and injected them directly into her own body. In the dead of night, beside the towering floor-to-ceiling windows, the naked woman lay back on the carpet, her legs propped up on the sofa, looking entirely lifeless.

She had first met Julian at a corporate dinner. Young, impeccably dressed, quiet, and refined—that had been her first impression. Later, she had casually asked the wealthy businessmen about him, only to be met with mocking, condescending sneers. She had been an honors student since childhood, graduated from a top-tier university, and became a prominent financial anchor. But in the eyes of the elite, her achievements meant absolutely nothing. They quickly informed her that he was the heir to the Sterling family, the CEO of Sterling Group, and most importantly, he was a married man.

His wife was a high-society heiress of equal standing, a graduate of an elite institution. They had been sweethearts since high school. They had fallen in love, stayed committed, and the union of their two massive empires was celebrated by everyone. But one look from him had ruined her forever. She couldn't get him out of her head. She manipulated her way into securing an exclusive interview with him. He had been perfectly polite, and she had fallen hopelessly, irreversibly in love.

Elara had stopped attending the high-society afternoon teas, so the malicious rumors didn't reach her ears. But they did reach Zane's. His clubs catered to both male and female clientele. He happened to be walking past a secluded pavilion in the garden when he overheard two women gossiping about Elara. The outdoor space was veiled by flowing curtains and bamboo, so the guests had no idea there was a staff corridor running right behind them, leaving them completely uninhibited.

"She always acted so high and mighty, like she was untouchable. I thought she was some pure saint." "Right?" the other woman chimed in. "Julian is such a catch, yet she goes and throws herself at an old creep like Caleb." "I heard Caleb said she wasn't tight enough and had no moves. Just totally mediocre." "God, you really don't know what these pristine socialites are actually like until you get them naked." "Even naked might not be enough. You have to take them for a test drive to find out if it's a tight squeeze or just a walk in the park." The two women erupted into vicious, uninhibited laughter.

Sebastian glanced at his cousin's murderous expression and quickly grabbed Zane's arm, dragging him out of the staff corridor. "Zane, if you don't want to hear this garbage, don't walk through the guest areas. This world is dirty." Even though Zane's reputation had taken a hit thanks to his ex-wife's antics, he was remarkably disciplined in his private life. Sebastian knew that better than anyone. He didn't sleep around and he didn't gamble. No matter how many stunning women walked through the club's doors, he never laid a finger on them.

"Besides, Mrs. Sterling was with you that night. The woman in Caleb's bed was a decoy. Don't let this ruin your mood or your business. Kicking those gossips out won't solve the root of the problem." So Zane swallowed the harsh command to throw the women out onto the street. Seeing his cousin remain deadly silent, Sebastian panicked slightly. "Zane, it's not worth—" "Sebastian. Handle it."