LOGIN[Griffin]When I wake up the next morning, Elara is still asleep by my side.I reach across the bed and tuck a loose strand of her hair out of her face, wondering how long it will be before she admits that this thing between us has no expiration date.I know she thinks this is temporary. I know she thinks we have no future together.But that’s where she’s wrong.She is my future. My present. And my past.She has always been.The vibration of my phone pulls me away from my thoughts. I sit up straighter, grab my phone and my clothes, and head out of her room.Lucas’s name flashes on the screen.For a moment, I pause and wonder if he called to scold me as Elara’s elder brother.The man does have some serious protective instincts, and if not for his parents approving of my relationship with Elara, I wouldn’t be surprised if he punched me in the face and still expected me to apologise.Surprisingly, I’m relieved I’m not on his bad side.It would have been brutal to be at odds with someone
One of his eyebrows perks up, and he turns fully to face me now. Looking more than just amused. “So, you knew I was trying to seduce you.” He admits, slowly moving closer to where I stand. Once he’s close enough to hear me breathing, he stops. “Does that mean you approve?”I can feel the way my heart races at his presence, at the way he smiles and looks and makes my brain go all nuts. Even if I want to, I can’t deny that I’m attracted to him. I’m attracted to him in ways that fill me up with desires and wild imaginations that I never knew of before.But I can’t admit to them. Not after what I have endured.“Nope!” I say and pull myself away from him and towards the couch. I drop my ass on it. “I told you. It was over between us. No more friends with benefits. No more sex.”“Ouch!” I hear him faking a gasp, but before I can react, he’s leaning over the couch, in a way that makes me see his face upside down. His eyes are all I can see. His breath is all I can taste. “Not the sex. I kind
[Elara]“He did what?” Nora squeals, sounding as shocked and entertained as she looks. She turns sharply to Griffin. “Did he really punch you? Oh. My God. That’s epic, man! I can’t believe he had the guts to punch a Magnus. Does he know? Does he know who you are? I bet when he does, he will be pissing his pants by now.” She laughs, not able to hold herself, like she almost never does.I press my lips and exchange a brief glance with Griffin. “I never asked, but are you alright? I’m sorry that it came to this.”“You have nothing to be sorry about,” he says, pouring another glass of water and handing it to me instead. “A man as big as him should be responsible for his own actions.”He’s right. Damon needs to face the consequences of his own actions. During our marriage, I used to shield him a lot. I used to put myself in front of him and apologize on his behalf. I used to do everything I could to make sure he never suffered the negative impact of his arrogance and terrible temper.But w
[Damon]She just walked away.Walked away. Just like that.Did I do anything wrong? Did I say anything wrong?Why did she look so mad then? Why did she talk to me like that?Does she hate me that much? Does she really believe that this stupid divorce is the end of us?My fingers clench. My chest rises and falls with short spurts of breath.“Damon!” I hear Harry coming closer, panting as he must have ran all the way here after I left him outside the men’s room.I couldn’t help myself. The moment I watched Elara happily walking out of the building with that…man…I ran after her. Only to find her pressed against the car and that man so close to kissing her.I clearly saw her fighting his hold.Then why? Why did she still take his side?“Man, I almost thought you left me on my own,” he says, finally able to talk without huffing and puffing. “Wait. Why are you so worked up? Did I miss anything?”I close my eyes and mentally growl.“No.” I snarl. “You didn’t.”We take the car and head straig
[Elara]“Wow. That was… uncalled for,” I sigh, shaking my head as I replay what just happened.Dammit. Who would have thought Damon would lose it like that? Honestly, what was he even trying to prove? I mean, sure, he’s as arrogant as ever, but did he really have to make a scene like that? Couldn’t he just admit that someone could be better than him—and maybe richer than him?I take a deep breath once more, feeling glad that it’s all finally over.Griffin hums, looking up at the sky, gazing at the twinkling stars spread all over. “But something tells me he won’t back off just like that.”I turn to look at him, wondering what he means by that. “Meaning? You think he’s going to cause more trouble?”“Probably,” he says, finally dropping his gaze to rest on mine. “Men like him don’t take no for an answer. And neither do they admit defeat—not until it’s too late.”“You sound quite confident for someone who has only met him a handful of times,” I tease him, but he doesn’t take it as a joke.
A measly doctor? And Griffin?I turn my head to look at the man my ex-husband has just accused. And the quiet mockery I see in those blue eyes of his speaks for itself.I can’t help but scoff at the irony. “The only person trying to make a fool of himself is you, Damon. Isn’t that obvious enough?”“You’re taking his side?” Damon asks, and the way his face scrunches up so painfully makes it obvious that it was the last thing he expected. “I’m telling you, he can’t have that kind of money. Even if he does, it’s all he has.” He turns his glare to Griffin. “He’s probably doing this to show off in front of you. But trust me, he won’t be able to come up with this kind of money. Forget about five billion—he won’t be able to come up with five million. Why else do you think he didn’t bid on anything else this evening? That’s because he simply doesn’t have the money.”Not at first, but whispers start to rise from the back.Slowly but surely.One of them even speaks up to support Damon. “Not hav
[Elara]When I wake up the next morning, Kyle is already gone.I sit up with my heart in my throat. “The hell? How did I end up sleeping like a log? I didn’t even notice he was gone.”I practically fly up from the couch, looking around the room in a frenzy, when my gaze lands on the sticky note on
[Elara]I tuck away the divorce papers and spend the rest of the day with Cora and Gwen, trying my hardest to ignore the empty feeling deep in my stomach.At the back of my mind, I can’t stop thinking about how five years of my marriage with Damon are coming to an end. It’s not the ending I ever an
Hannah doesn’t seem to appreciate my words. Her eyes flash with sudden anger.“How dare you?” She raises her hand to hit me, but I grab her wrist before she can.“You don’t want to mess with me, Hannah. Trust me.” I shove her away. “Honestly, it would be better for both of us if you just stayed away
[Elara]I have barely registered the presence of Dr. Wolfe standing right across from me when the little guy, who is wrapped around my legs like an overaffectionate octopus, whimpers.“Good auntie,” he tugs at my hand, “help me. Daddy is being a big meanie.”“Daddy?” Did I hear that right? Did this







