Page 69 of Christmas with Four Tattoo Artists

I glared at her, the cold fury evident in my eyes. She was there to rub salt in the wounds, and I was in no mood for her games. But I'd have to hear her out if I was going to find a way out of this.

“What the hell do you want?” I snarled.

Adele took her time, relishing the moment. She circled me slowly, her heels echoing through the room. “You thought you were so special,” she said, leaning in close enough for me to gag on her overpowering perfume. “Stealing glances from them, hogging all their attention, attention that should’ve been mine!”

"You're delusional," I shot back, not willing to let her have her moment entirely. But she only chuckled, stepping back to study me as if I were an interesting specimen under a bell jar.

"I never planned on betraying them, you know," she twirled a strand of her dyed hair. "But they had the audacity to reject me. Me! And then you waltz in, getting all those stolen looks, and I realized it wasn't just about business or friendship. You were their little secret."

I grit my teeth, trying to hold back my rising anger. It wasn’t the time to lash out. Adele was loving this too much, and I wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of breaking me. “So what? Is this your way of getting back at them for spurning you?”

She smirked. "Oh, it's not just about revenge, darling. It’s about power. The guys had something I wanted, and when they didn't give it to me willingly, I found another way."

The room grew heavy with tension. The betrayal ran deeper than I thought. I had to get more out of her. "Why tell Klaus? Why not just confront me?"

Adele leaned closer, her voice dripping with malice. "Klaus had been trying to find a way to break the guys, and all he needed was a soft spot. What's softer than their woman? And once I figured out you were pregnant, it was the perfect play."

My heart raced, fear and anger intertwining. But I felt a flicker of hope. If Adele was there gloating, it meant she felt she had the upper hand. It meant she might be willing to let something more slip.

"And what's in it for you?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "You think Klaus will reward you?"

Adele laughed, a cruel, cold sound. "Klaus doesn't have to reward me. The satisfaction of seeing you like this? That's reward enough. All the same, he’s going to take care of me, he wasveryclear about that. As for the guys, they'll realize they made a mistake in rejecting me. And when they do, I'll be waiting."

"You’re completely insane if you think they'll ever forgive you for this," I spat.

Her smirk only widened. "We'll see about that."

She leaned against the wall, her silhouette framed by the dim light filtering in.

“By the way, do you really think Klaus will just let you go once he gets the studio?” she began, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “Oh honey, you’re in for a treat. Klaus gets what he wants, and then he snips off any loose ends. That’s how he's always operated.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them away, refusing to let her see my fear.

She chuckled again, tilting her head to one side as she studied me. "It’s simple," she purred. "Once Klaus gets the studio and you're... out of the picture, those boys will be devastated. Shattered. Vulnerable. And I'll be right there ready to comfort them."

My stomach churned with a mixture of disgust and rage. “You think they’ll turn to you? After everything you’ve done?”

She smirked, a wicked glint in her eye. “Pain has a funny way of making people seek comfort, darling. And who better to provide that comfort than someone familiar? I’ve known Finn and Kai forever. And James and Andrew aren’t too shabby either. They’ll be mine before too long.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “You’re deluded. Totally fucking deluded. You’re honestly okay with murdering a defenseless child?”

But Adele just laughed, the sound grating on my nerves. “Oh don’t be so dramatic. I bet they don’t even want the little brat. They’ll be relieved and then all I have to do is bide my time. It might take a few months but I can be a very,verypatient girl.”

The reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. Adele had played all of us, using information as her weapon. The future she painted was a bleak one, and a cold dread settled in my chest. She wasn’t just playing a short game; she was in it for the long haul.

“You might have your plans,” I said, voice quivering but filled with a resolve I didn’t know I had, “but you’re underestimating them. And you’re definitely underestimating me you twisted bitch.”

Adele’s eyes darkened, but she didn’t flinch. Instead, she gave me a lingering look that spoke of defiance. “I guess time will tell, huh, Julia?”

Before she could say anything else, a commotion sounded from outside, men yelling.

The door nearly flew off its hinges as it slammed open, the hulking figure of Klaus dominating the frame. His presence, like a storm cloud, instantly swallowed the room’s atmosphere. But even more startling was the sight of him roughly grabbing Adele by the arm and tossing her out as if she weighed no more than a ragdoll.

“How about some privacy?” he snarled.

“Klaus, what the hell—” she shrieked, but he slammed the door behind her, cutting off any further protest. Klaus’s sinister shadow now stood between me and the exit.

I tried to steady my racing heart, force some semblance of calm over my panicked thoughts. The last time we were in that same room, he had been in control, toying with my emotions, leaving me shattered. He was there yet again, gun in hand, and the ferocity in his eyes spoke of a rage barely contained.

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