Page 111 of King of Pride

She stepped closer, her eyes blazing.

“You slapped that poor girl! You hit her, Ivan! Do you even understand what you've done?”

Ivan's expression hardened.

“Her father isn't even willing to speak to me because of what you did to her. Oswald is furious. I was so ashamed standing in front of him that I couldn't even lift my head.”

She shook her head bitterly.

“And he isn't the only one. He has already made it clear that he wants nothing more to do with you. They've canceled all the deals we had with them.”

Ivan's expression finally shifted.

Maria continued before he could interrupt.

“Every time I go to a party, people know. Do you understand that? Everyone knows why you and Rose broke up. They know you raised your hand against her.”

Her voice cracked with frustration.

“People have started distancing themselves from us and from our business because of it. Do you know how humiliating that is? I can barely hold my head up when I walk into a room anymore because of what you did.”

She pointed toward him, her eyes filled with anger.

“And after all that, you're standing here choosing a wedding dress as if Rose is going to magically forget everything and walk down the aisle with you?”

Ivan's jaw tightened, but his stubborn certainty remained.

“She'll come back.”

Maria stared at him as though she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

“Ivan, for God's sake, she already told you she doesn't want you.”

Ivan's jaw clenched, and his entire body went rigid for a moment. Yet even then, he refused to accept what Maria was saying.

“I know things have been difficult between us. That happens between couples. She loves me, and I love her. Nothing is going to change that. I'm telling you, everything is going to be fine between us. You're overreacting.”

Maria's anger finally reached its breaking point.

“She is not coming back!”

Her voice rang through the store.

“She has already married someone else. There is no going back between you two, Ivan!”

Ivan fell silent.

For a brief moment, shock flashed across his face.

Then he let out a disbelieving scoff.

“Mom... you didn't fall for it too, did you?”

Maria stared at him.

“She’s trying to make me jealous,” he continued stubbornly. “There is no other man. She's just angry with me. She always uses these little tricks whenever she's upset. I'm telling you, she's only acting this way because she's hurt this time. Once I give her the wedding she wants, she'll be happy and come back to me.”

Maria stared at him in disbelief.