Chapter 212. Hurt

Ellis’s POV

The moment the article flashed across my screen, something inside me snapped.

I didn’t even realize I’d stood up until the chair screeched violently against the marble floor behind me. My phone felt slick in my palm, my grip too tight, knuckles whitening as my heart thundered so loudly in my ears that it drowned out every other sound in the penthouse.

Engaged.

The word burned itself into my mind, looping relentlessly, sharp and merciless.

I didn’t think. I reacted.

I dialed Love’s number immediately, pacing the length of the room like a caged animal while my family watched me with growing alarm. My mother had gone pale. My sister hovered near the couch, unsure whether to approach or give me space. Even my grandmother—usually unshakab