The Villains Must Win
Chapter 211: No Second Chances 11

Chapter 211: No Second Chances 11

"I’ll ask Stacey to . . . to terminate it if that’s what you want," he added, his voice trembling with desperation. "Okay?"

Lina laughed. A cold, humorless sound that startled even her. She shook her head and said nothing more.

She wanted to scream at him. Call him a cheater, a narcissist, a liar who couldn’t take responsibility for his actions.

But she held back—not out of fear, but out of strategy. She wasn’t going to waste her strength arguing with someone who clearly only loved her when it was convenient.

And Stacey . . . Stacey was another puzzle altogether.

Lina still couldn’t figure out why the woman insisted on inserting herself into Christian’s life so forcefully, even when she knew he had someone else.

She didn’t just want him—she wanted to erase Lina completely. The messages, the photos, the veiled insults—it was strategy to get rid of her, as if Stacey needed Lina to break in order to feel victorious.

Why?

Was she that desperate?

Was she that insecure?

Or was it simply about getting Christian back?

"Come on," Christian coaxed gently, as if nothing had happened, as if the last thirty minutes hadn’t shattered every ounce of self-worth Lina had left.

"Let’s forget we ran into Stacey like that. Let’s go find you a house. There are still some good areas around here."

Lina turned to him, brow raised. "What happened to the house we were looking at before?"

Christian’s face fell silent.

Lina chuckled, the bitterness in her tone like venom. "Let me guess—you gave it to her. Right? And now you plan to tuck me away in a different corner of the city like a kept woman?"

His eyes narrowed. "Let’s not start this, Lina. Please. Can’t we just enjoy the time we’re together?"

You’re the one making this complicated, she wanted to say. But instead, she bit her tongue.

She had to think.

Her mind began to spin, connecting threads and piecing together the bigger picture.

Christian wasn’t just emotionally manipulative—he was dangerous in the way powerful, beautiful men often were.

The kind who could make you believe that you were the problem, even as they ruined you from the inside out.

No more.

Lina didn’t speak again for the rest of the ride, her eyes fixed on the window, but her mind was far from still. She was done playing the supporting role in someone else’s fantasy.

This time, she would write her own story.

And Christian?

He’d regret in hurting her.

====

Lina was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at the untouched tea on the nightstand, when her phone rang. The caller ID flashed with a number from overseas—England.

She hesitated, then answered.

"Lina, darling," came the refined voice of her grandmother, Lady Eleanor Whitmore. "How are you holding up, my dear?"

Lina’s chest tightened at the warmth in her grandmother’s voice. "I’m . . . getting by."

There was a pause, then her grandfather’s deep, measured tone joined the call. "Your grandmother and I have been talking. We know things have been difficult, and we won’t sit quietly any longer. Come home, Lina. Come stay with us in England. We’ll take care of everything."

"And we’ve arranged a meeting," her grandmother added gently. "A suitor. He’s a good man, from a well-respected family. You don’t have to say yes, of course, but at least meet him. Get a fresh start. Away from all . . . whatever you’re into there right now."

For months, her grandparents had been trying to convince her to come home. Every call, every message was met with polite refusal.

Lina always had the same reason—I can’t leave Christian. And it had always been true. Back then, she was still holding on. Still believing in the illusion of love and a future with him.

But now?

Now, something inside her had finally snapped free.

"I’ll come," she said suddenly, her voice steady.

There was stunned silence on the other end.

"You will?" her grandmother asked, surprised.

"Yes. I’ll book a flight tomorrow if that’s okay. Just send me the details."

Her grandfather cleared his throat, clearly caught off guard. "Of course, of course. We’re delighted, my dear. We’ll make all the arrangements."

Lina smiled faintly. They had no idea what had changed.

Only days ago, she would have fought tooth and nail to stay by Christian’s side. But now, her priorities had shifted.

This wasn’t just an escape. This was a strategic retreat.

She didn’t want to run away completely. No. She wanted to see what Christian would do when she was no longer just a phone call away.

When she was no longer conveniently waiting in the shadows while he built a picture-perfect life with Stacey.

Would he chase her? Would he fight for her? Or would he finally reveal who he truly was?

Either way, she had nothing left to lose—and everything to gain.

The call ended with promises and excitement, but Lina sat still, the calm in her chest settling into something firmer. For the first time in a long while, she had control of the next move.

As soon as the call ended, Lina leaned back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling in silence. The heaviness that had been pressing against her chest for months didn’t disappear entirely—but it shifted. She could finally breathe.

Her grandparents’ estate in the English countryside was worlds away from the suffocating mess she was currently living in.

There were no whispers behind her back, no fake smiles, no manipulative phone calls. Just fresh air, quiet mornings, and people who genuinely cared for her. People who wanted her to heal, not break.

She grabbed her planner and began jotting down a to-do list. Passport renewal—check. Talk to her manager and arrange for leave—check. Pack essentials, tie up loose ends. She moved secretly, each tick on the list calming her more than the last.

Lina didn’t even flinch when another message from Stacey popped up on her phone. She didn’t open it. She didn’t need to.

Let her have Christian for now.

Let them play house, play pretend.

Because this time, Lina wasn’t waiting in the wings, hoping for crumbs of affection. She was leaving the stage entirely, disappearing from their script—and writing her own.

Let’s see how things proceeded from there.

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