Chapter 10 Hold Her

His raised hand trembled slightly before landing on her slender waist and tightening slowly. Dressed in a champagne-colored silk gown, Sierra felt the heat of his palm. She froze momentarily, realizing how bold her actions had been. In a panic, she tried to pull away from his embrace, but the strong hand around her waist held her even tighter. She looked up and locked eyes with him. Their gazes met, and his deep, dark eyes were like an endless pool of ink, unreadable. The air thickened with unspoken tension. It was so quiet that even the drop of a pin could be heard. Suddenly, her phone rang inside her bag, shattering the stillness. Sierra hurriedly fumbled for her phone to silence the call, but the sound had already reached outside. "Sierra, I heard that! You're in there! Come out now!" Benson's voice was filled with barely restrained anger. Sierra frowned slightly and replied coldly, "I've nothing to say to you. I don't want to see you." Benson's handsome face turned red with rage at her response. "You pushed Sophie and left without a word. Now, come out and apologize to her, or I'll never forgive you!" Sierra let out a bitter laugh, though her eyes betrayed her with tears that welled up but didn't fall. Theo's brow furrowed. His pale gray eyes seemed encased in frost, shadowed by a cold, burning fury that refused to melt. Sierra lowered her head, trying desperately to hold back the tears threatening to spill. She took a deep breath, steadied her throat, and raised her head. "It was Sophie who grabbed my hand first. I won't apologize. Think whatever you want." Benson's anger flared even more at her indifferent tone. He clenched his fist and pounded on the door, each knock sounding dull and forceful. "Mr. Gray, I'm fine. It's just a scratch. It doesn't even hurt. Please don't make things difficult for Sierra anymore." Sophie had followed him over. Her heart was full of gratitude for Benson's actions on her behalf. She walked up to him and spoke in a soft, fragile voice, deliberately showing him the injury on her palm that she had inflicted on herself. Sure enough, when Benson saw the redness and scrapes on her hand, his anger deepened. In Benson's eyes, Sierra had truly crossed the line. "She hit you yesterday and pushed you today. She must apologize," Benson fumed, then turned to the closed door and spoke in a low, commanding voice. "Sierra, this is your last chance. Come out and apologize to Sophie, and I'll forgive your tantrums over the past two days. Otherwise, even if you beg on your knees later, I won't bother with you anymore." Benson's voice grew deeper as he turned toward the closed door, speaking with cold finality. He had issued his final ultimatum. What she feared most was his indifference. Whenever he was upset, it never took her more than half a day to surrender and coax him back into forgiveness. He had even given her a chance to back down, and he expected her to take it. However, Sierra lowered her eyes and clenched her fists. The saying was true—those who were loved could act recklessly. Benson had always used her love for him to control her, using it as leverage to protect the woman he truly cared about. A tear clung stubbornly to the corner of her eye, shimmering as it threatened to fall. She looked heartbreakingly fragile, yet fiercely stubborn. Theo watched her. His eyes darkened with a chill that seemed to crystallize in their depths. Sierra brushed away the tear that had formed in the corner of her eye and spoke in a clear, steady voice. "I did nothing wrong. I won't apologize. And I definitely won't kneel and beg you. We're breaking up."