Page 75 of Wintertime Love (Holiday 2)

“So, let me see if I understand you?” he asks. “You’re saying that you let me date women? So it was all with your permission? How benevolent of you.”

Elaine narrows her eyes at him. “Think of your grandmother, Finn. I talked to her yesterday. She agrees with me. She wants you to escort me to your family ball. Our families will announce our engagement then.”

“Oh, they will, will they?” Finn is watching her in a way that reminds me again of predator watching its prey. That wolf is preparing to pounce.

Elaine seems to be under the impression that she is starting to gain some ground.

I don’t know how stupid the woman is to think she’s winning this but she gives Finn a triumphant look, “Your little company can’t sustain the title of Dukedom, so although your attempt was cute, it’s pointless.” Now that she thinks she has Finn cornered, she’s starting to show her true colors.

Does she really think that Finn would still marry her after this?

From the look on her face, she does.

When Finn doesn’t say anything, she seems to be under the impression that he knows he’s lost and she continues, “I own forty eight percent of the shares. I’ve seen the profits, Finn. They’re good but it’s still coffee shop chain. Not exactly something to be proud of. Don’t be a fool like your father, chasing after trash—”

Her words aren’t even out when my hand comes in contact with her cheek in a resounding slap, my whole body alive with fury. The anger isn’t mine. It’s Finn’s. It’s for him. He can’t – He won’t hit a woman but I have no reservations.

Elaine’s eyes are wide in her face, shock written all over it as she stares at me as if I’m some sort of monster.

Looks like the little princess hasn’t ever been hit in her life.

“Call me trash all you want.” I snarl. “Call his mother that one more time and I’ll thrash you into the ground!”

Finn’s hand comes to loosely circle my wrist and he yanks me into his chest, my back against it, and I can feel his heart racing. Whether in anger or at the fact that I just slapped Elaine, I don’t know. But my blood is boiling because I know how much Finn treasures the memory of his parents and to hear his mother being insulted is more than I can bear. I have a feeling from what he’s mentioned about his grandmother that she too, never took kindly to his mother and was vocal about it. I can’t do anything about her but I will take this bitch down!

“H-How dare you?” Elaine stammers amidst all the gasps in the diner. “How dare you touch me? Do you know who I am?!”

I struggle in Finn’s hold. “Let go of me, Finn! I’m not done with her yet!”

Finn’s short laugh is helpless as he holds me tighter, preventing me from escaping. “I think you have, Darlin’. People like her don’t even deserve your anger.”

“She needs a damn beating to bring her down from her high horse.” All my struggles are in vain because he’s stronger than me.

“Be a good girl,” he whispers in my ear, his voice husky. “And let me handle this.”

I go limp in his hold when I realize I can’t win against him and I snap my teeth at Elaine.

She flinches.

Finn’s breath is hot against my neck and I can’t help but shiver. I can feel him looking at the woman who has just insulted his mother and me, numerous times.

“Clara can do anything she damn well pleases,” Finn seethes at her. “If you try to make a scene out of this, I can do a lot worse to your family. You are truly a stupid woman, Elaine, if you think I’ve only had my eggs in one basket. You think I don’t know how your family has been trying to oppress mine for the past few decades? You’ve only been privy to one of my businesses.” He reaches in his pocket and takes out an envelope, tossing it at her feet. “Pick it up. The details might be of interest to you.”

Elaine is still cupping her up cheek and she stares at the envelope at her feet, not moving, Finn’s words having struck her with blinding shock.

“Pick it up,” Finn orders and there’s a tinge of sharp authority in his tone.

His voice makes the woman slowly lean down and pick it up. She takes out the folded paper inside and as her eyes move over the contents within, her face pales even more, her hands trembling. “What is this?”

I can feel Finn smiling. “I have controlling share in all the companies that your family owns. My investments are more than double of those that you have. While these are my achievements alone, I can and will put them behind my family. I can crush your entire empire overnight. I am not my grandmother’s puppet anymore. I haven’t been so for many years.” He stands up and releases me, stepping closer to Elaine. “My advice would be to leave this town and start watching your step. And tell your family, I’ll be watching them. One misstep, and I will withdraw every investment into your companies and their stocks will crash overnight.”

“Y-you wouldn’t do that!” Elaine’s eyes are filling up with tears.

I feel no sympathy for her, seeing how she’d been threatening Finn so blatantly before.

Finn lifts a brow at her. “I will. Now, if I were you, I’d offer my fiance an apology for insulting her, attempting to threaten her and trying to spread rumors about her.”

Elaine’s hands are curled into fists and there is not an ounce of blood in her face. She looks quite pitiful. Utterly humiliated and browbeaten, she turns to me, and her voice is shaking, as she whispers, a mixture of hatred and fear in her eyes, “I apologize.”

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