Page 74 of King of Pride

Then Maverick answered, “I'm home. Come home right now. I'm waiting for you.”

“All right, all right. Don't get so impatient.” Rose smiled, a playful blush touching her cheeks. “You always make me blush when you talk like that. I'll be home in ten minutes. Don't worry. I'll be there soon.”

She glanced toward the building.

“I'm just leaving the office now.”

She ended the call.

Ivan had been watching her the entire time.

The longer the conversation continued, the darker his expression became. By the time Rose lowered her phone, his jaw was clenched tightly.

“Can you stop all this fucking drama?” he snapped. “You know I don't like it when you try to make me jealous. I know what you're doing. You look ridiculous.”

Rose turned toward him, almost as though she'd forgotten he was still standing there.

Then her expression became cold.

“Have you forgotten that you and I have nothing to do with each other anymore?”

She gave him a dismissive look.

“Why would I pretend for you? I wasn't even talking to you. You're nothing more than a stranger to me now, so stop assuming you know anything about me.”

Ivan scoffed.

“Have you forgotten that we're engaged?”

He stepped closer.

“You're still wearing my engagement ring. You and I are supposed to get married. Don't you remember that?”

Rose's expression remained unmoved.

Ivan reached into his pocket and pulled out the engagement ring.

“You don't want this anymore?”

His voice hardened.

“Because if you keep acting like this, that ring is never going back on your finger. Keep that in mind.”

He held it up between them, deliberately displaying the ring Rose had once worn—the same ring Zoe had returned to him only days ago after Rose herself had given it to her to throw away.

He extended the ring toward her, holding it out as though he expected her to take it.

Rose gave a small scoff at his words.

“I don't want it.”

Rose immediately stepped back.

The ring slipped from his fingers and hit the pavement with a faint metallic clink.

“I already have a husband,” she said calmly. “I have no interest in someone like you anymore.”

Ivan's expression changed instantly.