003

Elara’s POV

The last time I had seen Rhett was the day I told him I was marrying Kane. He couldn’t believe I was choosing his half-brother—the same man he had always called a jerk. No matter how much I insisted Kane had changed, it hadn’t mattered. I never blamed him for walking away.

Four years later, Rhett was almost unrecognizable. The lanky frame I remembered had filled out into broad shoulders and a solid chest. His jaw was sharper, his piercing blue eyes still cut straight through me, and his dark hair looked like he had just run his hands through it. A light stubble shadowed his cheeks, and the slight upturn of his nose gave him that same curious expression he used to wear. When he looked at me, the warmth in his eyes was still there—the same kindness that had always made me feel seen.

“Ellie?” His husky voice pulled me back.

“Rhett…” I managed, barely above a whisper.

His expression hardened, anger flashing across his face. “What the hell was that? Are you trying to get yourself killed?” He stepped closer, voice low and tight. “If I hadn’t been there, the next time I saw you would’ve been at your funeral, Elara.”

I shook my head, still trying to process everything. “Take me home,” I whispered.

“Elara—”

“Take me to your place, Rhett. Please.” My voice cracked on the last word.

He studied me for a long second, then guided me into the car without another argument. We drove in silence. I had a hundred questions, but none of them would form properly. Going back to the house I had shared with Kane felt impossible. I had once believed we could fix things. Now I was simply a divorced woman.

When we reached his penthouse, Rhett led me to a bedroom and handed me a clean set of clothes. “Something happened. You’ll tell me about it at dinner,” he said, leaving no room for debate. I was too drained to fight him.

In the bath, everything crashed over me at once. I cried until my chest ached—mourning the marriage, the dignity I had surrendered, and the version of myself that had let it happen. When the tears finally slowed, I made myself a quiet promise: I would never again cry for someone who treated me like I was disposable. If my grandfather ever learned the full truth, Kane would be finished. He had thrown away the only daughter of the Voss family, the hidden face behind Horizon Group, and he had no idea. I had let him reduce me to nothing in the name of love.

After I dressed in Rhett’s oversized clothes, I texted my brother Adrian, the temporary CEO of Horizon Group.

Elara: Get an invitation ready for the award event. I’ll be attending with a guest.  

Adrian:Will you come home, Ellie?  

Elara: Yes. And cancel every deal we still have with the Kanes.  

Adrian:Right now? Even the partnerships we only agreed to because of him?  

Elara: Not yet. After the award event.

I ended the call feeling the first thin thread of control return.

When I joined Rhett at the dining table, his eyes softened. “Hey, cheese ball,” he teased, pulling me into a brief hug. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.”

I leaned into him for a second. “I haven’t really thought about you, four-eyes,” I lied quietly. I had thought about him more than I wanted to admit.

We sat down. “When did you get back?” I asked.

“Yesterday.” His gaze stayed on mine. “And Kane? Are you going to tell me why you almost walked into traffic in front of his building, or do I have to guess?”

“I was just lost in thought,” I said, then gave him the short version. “You warned me.”

Rhett’s expression turned serious. “You loved him. I never blamed you for that. But you let him treat you like nothing. And no one even knew you were Elara Voss—the real power behind Horizon Group.”

Shock flickered across my face. “You knew?”

He nodded. “I didn’t disappear for four years and stop paying attention. I looked into everything. I still don’t understand why you chose him.”

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.  

“Marry me, Rhett.”

Heat rushed to my face. “I’m sorry—I didn’t mean—”

“Stop apologizing and talk to me, Ellie.” His soft laugh cut through my panic. The familiar crinkle at the corners of his eyes made my chest tighten.

I forced myself to keep going. “I have to make them pay. I can’t go home as a single divorced woman after cutting ties the way I did. Marriage is the only clean way back. I shouldn’t have asked you.”

I started to stand, but Rhett’s voice stopped me.

“Who’s going to teach Kane a lesson if not the half-brother they threw out with nothing when he turned eighteen? And who better to stand beside the woman he called useless?”

I hesitated. “I can’t ask you to put your life on hold for me.”

“Who said I was doing it for free?” A spark of amusement lit his eyes.

“What’s in it for you?”

“One year. We destroy Kane’s empire together. After that, all I want is a partnership with Horizon Group so I can take my company fully online.” He shrugged. “And nothing else. After everything, this is the least I can do.”

I studied him, searching for the catch I was sure existed. Books always had a bigger price.  

“Stop overthinking it,” he said quietly. “That’s all I’m asking.”

I held h

is gaze.  

“So… will you marry me?” I asked again, voice barely above a whisper.