My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 86: Twisted Game

Chapter 86: Twisted Game

The moment they got out of the elevator, Eryx’s eyes widened. He turned to Callum, his voice low but laced with anger.

"What the hell is this?!"

The basement hallway, which should have been quiet and free of people, was now crowded with reporters and photographers, all poised with cameras. Eryx had expected the back exit to be their safe route, a quiet escape from the chaos above. But instead, the press had beaten them there.

Callum looked just as startled, his brows furrowed. "I— I didn’t know they’d be down here. We weren’t expecting them to find this exit."

Eryx’s eyes darted around, searching for an alternate way out, but the situation had become too complicated. The basement was blocked, the back door flooded with press, and now they were cornered. He clenched his jaw, frustration building.

He turned to Lunara, speaking quickly. "Stay close to me. We’ll find another way."

Lunara slowly reached for Eryx’s arm, her heart beating faster than usual. She didn’t completely understand the situation, but it was clear that it wasn’t looking good.

Just then, a flash of movement caught the eye of one of the reporters. A sharp gasp rang out, followed by a shout.

"There they are!"

Within seconds, the press rushed toward them.

Eryx’s pulse raced as he pulled Lunara’s hat down, shielding her face from the flurry of cameras. He grabbed her hand, pulling her back toward the elevator, his mind racing for an escape route. The noise of the reporters only quieted when the doors of the elevator finally closed behind them.

As the elevator ascended, Eryx exhaled sharply, his heart still pounding. He glanced at Lunara, who was still trying to process the chaos around them. "It’s going to be okay," he muttered, his grip tightening around her hand. "We’re almost out of this mess."

Lunara, her mind still reeling, nodded. She didn’t fully understand what was happening, but it didn’t take a genius to see they were trapped in something bigger than either of them.

The elevator came to a stop with a soft chime, and as the doors opened, Eryx’s eyes immediately darted around. The lobby was packed with reporters, and at the center of the storm stood Valerie, a smug smile playing on her lips as the press surrounded her.

Eryx’s stomach twisted. "Damn it," he muttered under his breath.

In the blink of an eye, Valerie’s expression shifted. She covered her mouth, her eyes beginning to glisten with tears. "Are you really going to go through with this, Eryx?"

Without hesitation, Eryx stepped in front of Lunara, shielding her behind his back. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Valerie. "What do you mean?"

Valerie’s lower lip trembled, and she took a shaky breath as dozens of cameras turned toward her. "I tried," she said, her voice breaking just enough to sound believable. "I tried to understand when he started acting distant. I thought he was just stressed. I had no idea there was... someone else." She took a step forward, prompting all the reporters to close the distance between them.

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Eryx clenched his jaw.

"I didn’t want to believe it," Valerie continued, dabbing at the corner of her eye with a tissue a nearby assistant had conveniently handed her. "But when I found out about her..." She paused, eyes flicking toward Lunara, who was still half-hidden behind Eryx. "I realized I wasn’t enough for him. She came in and tore everything apart."

The reporters turned their cameras, now snapping furiously at Lunara’s barely visible silhouette.

"I’m not angry," Valerie added with a sorrowful smile. "Just hurt. We were supposed to get married. I still want to believe in him. I still want to fix this."

Eryx’s fists clenched at his sides. "That’s enough, Valerie."

He turned to Callum. "Cover her."

Then he stepped forward, eyes sweeping across the crowd of reporters. "You want to play this game?" His voice was sharp, steady. "And you all really want some hot news?" He pointed toward the press, gaze cutting like a blade.

Eryx glared at Valerie, his voice cold and steady. "Do you think I didn’t expect this, Valerie? You’re really playing dirty."

The cameras continued to click, flashing with every word he said.

"She doesn’t deserve this," he growled, stepping slightly to the side so Lunara remained behind him. "My wife is just a normal person. She shouldn’t be dragged into this mess."

Valerie’s expression faltered for a split second before she masked it again, blinking away the tears as though she were the true victim in the story.

Eryx turned his attention back to the press. "So if you’re going to twist this story, make sure you get your facts right first. I made my own choices, and dragged an innocent woman into this circus just to save face for someone else? I won’t allow it."

He took a step forward, his voice rising just enough to cut through the noise.

"Let me spill the tea for you," he said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "I got married to my wife two years ago. Two whole years." He turned slowly, meeting Valerie’s eyes with a glare that could cut glass. "And you think you were never enough for me?"

He scoffed. "Valerie, you were never even in the picture for me. Not before, not during, not after. You were just someone who happened to be there."

His voice dropped, colder. "So don’t stand there crying, pretending to be the victim, when you were never even part of the real story."

Valerie rolled her eyes, swiping away the last of her fake tears with dramatic flair. "Ugh, you’re too harsh, Eryx. At least let me get an Oscar for this performance. Can you?" She shot a pointed look at him before turning back to the reporters.

"Alright, alright," she said with a playful sigh. "Got enough drama for your front pages? Well, let me spill more for you." She gave a mockingly sweet smile, the perfect image of grace under pressure.

"The truth is," she continued, her voice dripping with sweetness, "He’s the sweetest to his wife. I would never get in between them. We’re all just trapped in this... business marriage, you know? Our families arranged this, and I just played along."

Eryx frowned, his brow furrowing in confusion. "What are you doing?"

Smiling widely, Valerie leaned in closer and whispered, "I told you, I’m trying to help you get out of this mess."

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