Chapter two: Run!! Edited.

Elsa spent the next few days limiting her movements to the area around her house and surviving on takeout.

It was the perfect plan to avoid running into Alexander. All she had to do was lie low until he returned to wherever he had come from.

Of course, the plan fell apart on the fourth day when she had to attend the wedding anniversary celebration of one of her oldest clients, someone with whom she had maintained a long-standing business relationship.

GLINT Jewelry and Fashion was the brand she had established the same year she separated from Alexander.

Although she wasn't the brains behind every aspect of the business, she had financed its operations with her own money, working alongside Dorothy, her business partner, who also served as her assistant.

It was something the two of them had built from scratch.

She couldn't afford to miss such an important event, especially when it presented an opportunity to expand her social network.

As she dressed, she silently prayed that Alexander wouldn't be attending the party.

The doorbell rang, and she grabbed her black purse before slipping into her waiting heels. She ran her fingers through her hair one last time before stepping in front of the full-length mirror in her dressing room.

An appreciative hum escaped her lips.

The woman staring back at her had round yet sharp black eyes, a perfectly sloped nose, and thin, beautifully shaped, heart-shaped lips inherited from her parents. A coat of almond-colored lipstick added a subtle sheen to them.

Elsa had always considered her lips her best facial feature.

Her navy-blue dress was one of GLINT's designs. The fitted bodice hugged her curves before flaring out dramatically from her waist, the skirt falling in a graceful circle and ending just above her ankles.

She paired it with a short black jacket to shield her bare shoulders from the winter cold, a black purse, and black heels with red soles.

Elsa was beautiful.

"My, my... Whose family has such a beautiful daughter?" She clicked her tongue admiringly before letting out a small sigh. "I look so spicy that I'm craving spicy food. Maybe I should order some when I get back. Spicy seafood for dinner doesn't sound like a bad idea."

The doorbell rang again, dragging her out of her thoughts about which wine would pair best with her seafood dinner.

With hurried steps, she left the dressing room, descended the stairs, and crossed the living room before finally opening the door.

Alberto stood outside.

He wore a turquoise-blue suit and was almost the same height as her. His round, boyish face made him look younger than he was, while a mass of fluffy brown hair sat atop his head.

"Dear, you should at least be considerate. I'm freezing to death out here."

"You should learn to be patient with a woman. Maybe that's why you're still single." Elsa shot back as she walked past him.

"You really know how to hit someone where it hurts, Elsy. Biting everyone's head off whenever you're in a bad mood. So, who upset you this time?"

Alberto settled into the driver's seat, seemingly unfazed by her jab.

"Life."

Alberto nodded solemnly. "We all get served a few lemons sometimes. What do you intend to do with yours, Elsy?"

"Squeeze them into your eyes so you can stop talking."

Elsa scowled at him.

Alberto owned an entertainment company. Not just any company, either. It was one of the biggest in the country, with a strong reputation abroad.

The only problem was that he fancied himself some sort of literary genius and spouted so much deranged nonsense that Elsa often wanted to smack him into the next dimension.

Elsa nearly received a hard slap across the face when she discovered that the hotel hosting the party belonged to B&G Dawnspire, one of Alexander's companies.

Knowing there was a fifty-percent chance he would attend, she mentally prepared herself to avoid him for the entire evening.

She would gladly spend the whole night in the women's restroom if necessary.

Thankfully, after spending nearly thirty minutes scanning the hall, she still hadn't caught sight of his familiar figure.

Although she remained suspicious, she finally relaxed a little.

Linking arms with Alberto, she began making her way around the hall, greeting familiar faces and introducing herself to new acquaintances.

Alberto had always been her preferred male companion at social events.

First, he was a trusted friend. Although he might come across as sly and shrewd to others, he was fiercely loyal to the people he cared about.

Second, he had an extensive network of connections and social skills that surpassed those of anyone she'd ever met. With nothing more than his silver tongue, he could turn an enemy into an ally.

Before long, Elsa found herself getting caught up in the festivities. With a drink in hand and a smile on her lips, she chatted happily with the celebrants.

After all, the night's gains had been substantial.

"Don't drink too much. I don't want to deal with a drunk you." Alberto leaned closer and whispered into her ear.

Elsa jabbed him in the waist and shot him a dirty look.

She was about to retort when she felt a gaze boring into her back.

She glanced in that direction and immediately met a cold stare brimming with familiarity.

Oh, shit.

The hand holding her glass trembled slightly as her heartbeat quickened.

It was always like this whenever Alexander was around. Her breathing grew shallow, and her heart pounded so loudly that she could practically hear it in her ears.

Even after all these years, the feelings had never completely disappeared.

Fucking betrayer.

"What is it?" Alberto asked, noticing the sudden change in her expression.

"It's nothing." Elsa forced herself to look away, determined to ignore Alexander.

Alberto frowned. Nevertheless, he took the half-finished glass of wine from her hand and passed it to a waitress walking by.

"No more drinks."

"You act as though your alcohol tolerance is better than mine," Elsa mocked.

"And do you see me drinking?" Alberto countered, frowning at her distracted expression.

Meanwhile, Elsa remained on edge, her body tense with anxiety. All the joy she'd felt earlier had vanished.

Despite her best efforts, her gaze kept drifting back to Alexander, who stood on the opposite side of the hall.

"Goodness, Elsy! What on earth are you thinking about?"

Alberto's exclamation jolted her back to reality. He grabbed her arm just in time to stop her from walking straight into the edge of the wine fountain and making a spectacular fool of herself.

Still holding her arm, he spun her around to face him.

"What is going on with you? Why are you walking around as though your head is in the clouds?"

Before Elsa could answer, she caught sight of Alexander striding toward them with determined steps.

Her breath caught in her throat.

"Alberto... I have to go," she blurted out in a panic.

"What?"

Taken aback, he barely had time to react before she continued.

"Something came up. I have to get back home right away. Give me the car keys."

Almost automatically, he handed them over.

Then his eyes widened.

"Wait... Wait a minute! What's going on? How am I supposed to get home?"

"Take a taxi!" Elsa called over her shoulder as she hurried toward the exit.

She maintained a brisk walk to avoid attracting attention and ruining her reputation, but the moment she stepped outside, she broke into a sprint.

She threw herself into the driver's seat and started the engine, desperate to escape the wave of emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

Her phone soon erupted with calls from Alberto. Feeling a little guilty, she switched it to silent mode and exhaled deeply.

Even as she drove away, she couldn't understand her own behavior.

It wasn't as though she'd done anything wrong. So why did she always feel the need to run whenever they crossed paths?

She gritted her teeth, cursing Alexander and his twelve generations of ancestors over and over again.

It was as though she could forget he existed whenever he wasn't around, but the moment he appeared, her entire world turned upside down.

Elsa hated how everything kept spiraling out of her control.

What she couldn't understand was why he wanted her to return.

He didn't love her. Of that, she was certain.

They had lived under the same roof for more than two years, yet he had barely spared her a second glance.

So, exactly what did he want from her now?

It couldn't be that he was one of those men who treated their wives like trophies, keeping them around to show off without caring about anything beyond their appearance.

She cringed at the thought, growing increasingly uncomfortable with every passing minute.

Her house was located outside the city, in a secluded and isolated area. The property was expensive, but the peace and quiet made it worth every penny.

Most of the residents in the community were actors, actresses, and wealthy businessmen who preferred to keep their private lives away from prying eyes and paparazzi.

Tall trees lined both sides of the road.

It was a route Elsa took regularly, but something felt off tonight.

It was almost... too quiet.

An eerie, unnatural silence hung over the road, the kind that made her skin crawl.

Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of foreboding washed over her.

Her body reacted before her brain could catch up. She slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a screeching halt.

The vehicle had barely stopped when a massive shadow shot out of the woods, flashing across her windshield.

What the hell?!

Elsa's eyes widened as the dark figure turned toward her.

For a split second, she caught a glimpse of its enormous, fur-covered body.

Then it slammed into her car.

She barely had time to react before the impact sent the vehicle tumbling. It rolled over twice before crashing into a tree, the violent collision knocking the breath out of her.

Elsa clutched her chest, struggling to breathe.

Her vision flickered between black and white, and for a moment, she could barely make sense of anything around her.

But the looming danger dragged her out of her daze.

She slowly turned her head.

A pair of glowing yellow eyes stared back at her, illuminated by the pale moonlight.

Holy... Holy... Holy...

A wolf!

It was enormous. Far too enormous.

She had never seen a wolf in real life, but she was certain they weren't supposed to be this big.

Its yellow eyes remained fixed on her as a wet tongue swept across its lips.

Then it smiled.

A sickening, almost human smile.

Did... Did it just smile at me?

Elsa felt as though she were hallucinating, but the throbbing pain at the back of her head told her otherwise.

The creature slowly lowered its body, its muscles tensing as though it were a predator preparing to pounce on its prey.

And in that moment, only one word echoed through Elsa's mind.

RUN!!!