Born to Rule, Destined to Destroy Novel 19

Chapter 19
The gilded ambiance of Star Whisper Restaurant trembled as Dominic’s deep voice cleaved through the simmering tension. “What’s going on here?” he demanded, striding forward with purposeful steps, his sharp gaze darting to Valeria before settling on the waiter with an imperious weight that seemed to bend the air around him. The faint scent of spilled wine lingered on his shirt, a bitter reminder of the evening’s unraveling.
Adriana seized the opportunity like a hawk descending on prey, stepping forward with a syrupy smile that belied the venom beneath. “Dominic, thank goodness you’re here,” she cooed, her tone dripping with feigned sweetness. “Valeria’s pretending to be a VIP guest, but she’s been caught red-handed. The staff’s asking her to leave—she must’ve found out about our date and come to sabotage it!” Her words hung in the air, a calculated barb meant to sting.
Valeria’s lips parted in a cold, mirthless laugh, her eyes rolling with a flicker of disdain that cut through Adriana’s theatrics. “Don’t flatter yourself, Adriana,” she said, her voice a smooth blade, cool and unyielding. “If I’d known you two were here, I’d have steered clear of this place entirely. I’ve no interest in wading through your toxic little swamp.”
Adriana’s face flushed a furious crimson, her fists clenching at her sides as she fought to hold her crumbling facade. “You—Dominic, you heard her!” she sputtered, turning to him with wide, pleading eyes that shimmered with desperation, silently begging for his support to tilt the scales in her favor.
Dominic’s gaze lingered on Valeria, a storm of conflicting emotions churning beneath his stoic exterior. Memories collided with new revelations, swirling in his mind like leaves caught in a tempest. Since their decision to divorce, it seemed the universe conspired to weave their paths together again and again. At first, he’d dismissed it as mere chance, but Adriana’s accusation planted a seed of doubt that took root in his chest. Could Valeria be orchestrating these encounters, unable to release the tether of their shared past, clinging to some fragile hope of reigniting what once burned between them? Once, such a thought would have ignited his fury, but now—knowing she was Sierra, the racing legend whose name echoed through time—his feelings twisted into something murkier. A strange satisfaction bloomed within him, a whisper that she might still care enough to hover in his orbit.
“Valeria,” he began, lifting his chin as an arrogant smirk curled his lips, his voice laced with a taunting edge. “I’ve told you before—we’re done. There’s no going back. This persistence of yours is pitiful, utterly pointless.” He paused, his tone softening into a mockery of pity, a velvet glove over a steel fist. “But if you drop these childish games, I might—out of nostalgia—put in a kind word for you with Javier. For old times’ sake.”
Valeria didn’t flinch, her gaze locking onto his with a steady intensity that sliced through his smugness like a honed blade. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?” she replied, her voice calm yet piercing, each word deliberate. “My words carry more weight with him than yours ever could.”
Dominic’s triumphant mask shattered in an instant, his features freezing as her retort landed like a blow. His face darkened to a deep, humiliated red, caught in the crossfire of anger and wounded pride. “That’s only because you lied about knowing Egret!” he snapped, his voice rising with a bitter edge. “Without that deception, Javier wouldn’t give you the time of day. Just wait—when he sees through your charade, you’ll be left with nothing! And don’t come crawling to me when it all falls apart!”
Valeria offered no reply, only a cool, mocking smile that danced across her lips—a silent challenge that stoked the flames of his frustration. Dominic’s patience snapped, his voice booming as he gestured sharply toward the waiter. “This woman is deliberately stirring trouble and ruining my night! Get security to throw her out!”
“Yes, sir,” the waiter replied with crisp obedience, his finger pressing a discreet button on the table’s edge. Within moments, the restaurant’s polished tranquility was disrupted by the heavy tread of several burly security guards, their broad shoulders filling the doorway as they entered, eyes locking onto Valeria at the waiter’s pointed direction.
Valeria remained an island of composure amidst the gathering storm, her eyebrow arching with a subtle defiance as she addressed the approaching figures. “Once someone crosses this threshold, they’re a guest,” she said, her voice steady and resonant, carrying the weight of quiet authority. “Are you truly going to eject me on nothing more than baseless accusations?”
The waiter sneered, his disdain curling his lip as he dismissed her words. “Do you even know who Mr. Barnett is?” he retorted, his tone thick with condescension. “If he wants you gone, we’ve got no choice but to obey. Besides, you didn’t reserve Room 205—so what kind of guest are you?” He turned to the guards, his voice sharpening with command. “Get her out before she disrupts our esteemed patrons any further!”
The guards, emboldened by Dominic’s name and the waiter’s urgency, hesitated no longer, their hands reaching toward Valeria with intent to restrain her. But before their fingers could brush her, a tall figure burst into the fray, planting himself firmly between Valeria and the advancing wall of muscle.
“Stop!” Diego’s voice thundered through the room, a deep, resonant command laced with barely contained fury. His broad shoulders squared as he faced the guards, his presence a shield against their advance. “What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, his eyes blazing with indignation.
The waiter, oblivious to Diego’s identity and eager to curry favor with Dominic, waved a dismissive hand. “This woman slipped in without a reservation and insulted our distinguished guests,” he said, his tone dripping with self-righteous certainty. “We’re simply following protocol.”
“Huh.” Diego’s low chuckle rumbled with disbelief, a sound that carried both amusement and scorn as he fished his phone from his pocket. His fingers danced across the screen with swift precision before he thrust it forward, the glowing display a beacon in the dim light. “Really? You’re claiming we don’t have a reservation? Then explain this.”
The screen blazed with the confirmed booking for Room 205, the name—Navarro—etched in bold clarity for all to see. Diego’s voice sharpened, cutting through the room like a whip. “Now, tell me—what gives you the right to kick her out?”
The air stilled, the weight of his evidence hanging heavy as the guards faltered, their hands dropping to their sides. Dominic’s smirk faded, Adriana’s triumphant gleam flickered, and the waiter’s certainty wavered, the room poised on the edge of a reckoning.