Chapter: Chapter Sixty ThreeThe time was 7:45 PM before Elara straightened and rose from her desk. She hadn't noticed when the sun had set or when the cars started racing past on the street outside. There were three finished dresses on the forms lying on the worktable, and a fourth still pinned in pieces on the largest table. She stepped back, rubbing the stiffness from her fingers, and studied them for a long time.“I still got it,” she chuckled to herself. At the same time, her stomach rumbled, and she groaned. Time for dinner. She packed up her bag, and headed for the door. Atlas was walking up the hall opposite her. They both paused, eyes locked on the other. “Hey,” she said. “What are you doing here?” “It’s late,” he replied, tucking his hands into his pockets. “It's just 7 PM.” “Yeah, well…Still late.” She frowned. “I didn't realize I had a guardian angel, or that I was a kid whose bedtime was 8 or something.” “I’m not hounding you, Elara, I was just checking on you.” “I didn't tell you abou
Last Updated: 2026-08-09
Chapter: Chapter Sixty TwoThe meeting had already been running for half an hour before Atlas realized he wasn't paying attention.Around the long table, three of his senior executives continued speaking about quarterly projections, supply chain adjustments and a delayed product rollout in the Asian markets. Charts glowed on the screen at the end of the room. Someone was explaining margin compression.It all sounded like noise to Atlas. He had one hand on his phone and he was typing under the table.‘How is she?’ Curt’s reply came quickly. ‘She’s at the studio. Working. Coleman was there earlier. Left about twenty minutes ago.’ Atlas stared at the message, a frown slowly forming on his brows. What the hell was he doing at her studio?He typed back: ‘Details.’‘He claimed the building is under one of his leases. Stayed less than ten minutes. They talked for a bit. She didn’t appear distressed after he left.’‘Did you search the studio?’ ‘Not yet.’ ‘Do it now.’“Mr. Steele?”He looked up. One of the executiv
Last Updated: 2026-08-07
Chapter: Chapter Sixty One“What are you doing here?” Elara asked in surprise. Before he could reply, Curt appeared in the doorway behind him.He was reaching for Darren, his face a cold mask of indifference. “No, Curt,” she said, waving a hand. “It's alright.” Her bodyguard narrowed his eyes, but stepped back regardless.“He means business,” Darren muttered, jerking his head in Curt’s direction. “What are you doing here?” She repeated, though her voice was calm and curious. He took another step forward, gazing around the studio, hands in his pockets. He was dressed down in dark jeans, a plain sweater and glasses that made him look impossibly younger. “Beautiful place,” he whispered as he turned back to her. “As for your question, this building happens to be under one of my leases. I happened to be in the vicinity, and I thought I would check what was happening in here.” He gave a small smile. “I suppose fate can be funny.” “Fate.” Elara crossed her arms. “Is that what we’re calling it?”He lifted a brow
Last Updated: 2026-08-05
Chapter: Chapter SixtyAfter they had lunch at an expensive restaurant close to the city center, Curt escorted Elara and Atlas to the car once more. Elara was already halfway into the back seat when Curt’s phone buzzed. He answered quietly, listened for a few seconds, then leaned toward Atlas and murmured something she couldn’t catch.Atlas’s face turned grim. He looked at her for a moment, then said, “I need to go somewhere.”She paused with one foot still on the pavement. “Where?”“It’s not serious. I don’t want to drag you into it.”She studied him. The same tension she had noticed earlier that afternoon was back in his shoulders. “What’s going on?”“Nothing.”“Atlas-”“You don’t need to know everything, believe me.” His voice wasn’t harsh when he said it, and for a second, he looked like he wanted to say more. Instead, he stepped closer, opened the door fully for her, and nodded at Curt.“Drive her straight home. No stops.”Curt gave a short nod and Elara slid into the seat. As the car pulled away,
Last Updated: 2026-08-04
Chapter: Chapter Fifty Nine“It seems that way, Darren,” Atlas replied with a short nod. Something about the way he said it made Elara give him a look. But he only looked bored, his hands carefully laced in front of him. “To future partnerships, then,” Darren said, lifting his glass.“Cheers.”Jean and Elara lifted their cups to the toast as well, but Atlas kept his fingers interlaced. She frowned again in his direction. There was a stiffness to his shoulders, a quietness about him that made the air seem cold. she had only seen him like this a couple of times before: in the charity ball and last night with Cillian. Was he always like this with influential people? It was making her uneasy.And then there was the quiet order he gave to Curt just before they got to the table: stay at alert. Something was definitely off with him today, more than usual. “This was a pleasure,” Jean Carver said, suddenly rising to his feet. He reached out a hand to Atlas, half-bowing in admiration. For a second, it seemed like A
Last Updated: 2026-08-04
Chapter: Chapter Fifty EightAtlas’s phone rang, cutting the moment like a knife. He pulled away from her a little too quickly, blinking like someone who had just been pulled out of deep water. “I gotta take this.” Elara nodded, a bit too eagerly, then turned back to the waves. He took a few steps down the beach, before he picked the call. It was from one of his guards, Bauer, the one he had sent after the mysterious motorcycle rider last night. “Well?” he asked. “Sir…” There was a slight pause. “He got away, sir.” Atlas felt his fist clench. He took a glance behind him. Elara stayed where she was, watching the water, the wind tugging at the ends of her hair. “I don’t need this shit right now,” he snapped, returning to the call. “Especially NOT now.” “I'm sorry, sir. I think he was helped.”“What?” “There was a decoy, sir, and a truck that-” “And you lost the decoy too?” He rubbed the bridge of his nose, getting a grip on himself. “You know what, just tighten security, everywhere I go with Elara. And d
Last Updated: 2026-08-02
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