Page 37 of King of Pride

Rose’s mouth fell open.

The sheer audacity of his words sent her anger skyrocketing. Her expression twisted in disbelief, and for one wild second, she looked ready to smash the phone against the floor.

Instead, she abruptly snatched it from Maverick’s hand and pressed it to her ear.

“Ivan Carrington, listen to me very carefully, because I’m not going to repeat myself again.”

Her voice trembled with fury.

“Get this through your head—I am not getting back together with you.”

She drew a breath, struggling to keep her temper under control.

“I don’t care what kind of relationship you have with my family. I don’t care what you do, and I certainly don’t care what you think about me anymore. None of it matters to me.”

Her grip tightened around the phone.

“The moment I walked out of your life was the moment everything between us ended.”

She took another sharp breath before continuing.

“I already told you. Don’t act stupid. Mind your own business and leave me alone. Do not call me again. I’m warning you, Ivan. I’ve had enough of your nonsense.”

Her voice hardened.

“Don’t you fucking dare call me again.”

She stabbed the hang-up button and ended the call.

For several seconds, Rose stood completely still, gripping the phone so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. Then she released a deep, shaky breath as the anger burning through her chest slowly began to subside. She exhaled again, so forcefully that she had to pause afterward just to catch her breath.

Meanwhile, on the other end of the call, Ivan sat motionless in his office, staring at the phone in his hand after Rose had hung up on him.

His office reflected the wealth and prestige of the Carrington Group. Sleek modern architecture surrounded him, while the latest technology and carefully arranged displays of luxury fragrances filled the expansive space.

The Carringtons and the Monroes were both major names in the fragrance industry, and their families had maintained a close business relationship for years.

Ivan sat behind his desk, his head lowered as he stared at the phone in his hand. The nameplate outside his office identified him as one of the company’s directors. With a deep frown, he placed the phone on the desk.

He had never seen Rose this angry before.

Rose had always had a temper. She could be impatient and easily annoyed, but she had never directed that anger at him. She had certainly never shouted at him the way she had just done.

The more he replayed the conversation in his head, the stranger it felt.

It was almost as though he had been speaking to an entirely different woman.

The Rose he knew had always been so deeply attached to him that she rarely even raised her voice at him. Whenever they argued, he was usually the one who withdrew first, refusing to speak to her until she eventually called him herself, tried to pacify him, and apologized.

But this time, there had been no apology.

Ivan leaned back in his chair, his eyes repeatedly drifting toward the phone on his desk. Every few seconds, he checked the screen, almost expecting Rose’s name to appear.

Nothing.

He unlocked the phone and checked again.

Still nothing.