Divorced And Pampered; My Brothers Rule The World

ElenaOnce inside the ballroom, I smoothed down my dress, pasted a smile onto my face that felt like cracked glass and navigated the sea of tuxedos and glittering diamonds.My husband had vanished into thin air with his personal damsel in distress, leaving me to brave the paparazzi alone like a lone extra in a low-budget zombie movie.I scanned the room with my eyes finally locking onto the exclusive VIP section near the stage. There sat Julian, looking completely at ease in his natural habitat, effortlessly working the room with his magnetic charm, surrounded by his old college buddies from Stanford.And right beside him tucked safely into the chair like she belonged there was Bianca. She had miraculously recovered from her near-death panic attack just in time for the champagne toasts. Color had returned to her cheeks and she was currently laughing softly at who knows what.I started toward them, weaving carefully through the crowd with my heels clicking in a steady rhythm against the

Elena’s POVSunlight filtered through the curtains, pooling in warm and deceptive patches across the floor. I blinked against the brightness with my body still aching from the adrenaline of the night before. For a terrifying second, I expected to find the room empty with the ghost of Julian’s dark warning still hanging like smoke.Instead, the rich buttery scent of croissants and freshly brewed coffee drifted up the stairs, wrapping around my senses and dragging me out of bed.I pulled my robe tight around my shoulders, tiptoeing down the hallway with my guard up higher than a medieval fortress. I froze on the bottom step of the kitchen, completely paralyzed by the sight before me.Julian stood by the island wearing a crisp white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The terrifying unhinged predator of last night had completely vanished, replaced once again by the man I had fallen in love with three years ago.“Morning,” Julian said softly with his voice carryin

ElenaThe dawn finally broke over the hospital parking lot and I stood near the emergency exit, ignoring the throbbing pain in my ribs and the cold air biting at my bare arms.Three months ago, a man named Bellamy Torres had tracked me down at the university research clinic. He had cornered me in the hallway with a bright, eager smile, telling me he was my eldest brother. He said he had spent years searching for me and wanted me to come home.I had turned him away. I told him my home was with Julian, clinging to the naive belief that my marriage would eventually turn into a real family.I had no idea who the Torres family was, nor did I care about reconnecting with biological relatives I had never known, but walking out of the trauma ward tonight, realizing my husband had abandoned me to tend to his pregnant mistress, I decided to reach out to Bellamy, and he responded on the first ring.A black car pulled up to the curb and the engine idled quietly as the driver’s door opened and Bel

ElenaJulian turned around with his eyes narrowing as he took in Bellamy’s expensive suit and calm and imposing presence.“Who the hell are you?” Julian asked with his voice dripping with authority. “How did you get into my house?”“The front door was wide open,” Bellamy replied, stepping past Julian into the bedroom as if he owned the property. He didn’t glance at the high ceilings or the expensive artwork on the walls. His entire focus remained on me with his eyes softening as he checked for any signs of physical harm. “Are you ready to go, Elena?”I picked up my duffel bag from the floor. “I am ready.”“Wait just a minute!” Vivienne interjected, marching over to stand beside her son. “You can’t just walk into a private residence and carry off my son’s wife! Who hired you? Are you the sleazy lawyer who drafted that ridiculous extortion paper on the floor?”Bellamy finally cast a glance at Vivienne with his expression indifferent as though she were a minor inconvenience on a sidewalk.

ElenaThe golden seal on the legal document caught the glare of the ambulance bay lights and Julian stood by the open door of his vehicle, holding the paper like a weapon. He possessed the influence to wake a judge before dawn, the wealth to buy a hospital administrator and the arrogance to believe he could force my compliance by holding my mother’s life in the balance.“Conservatorship,” Julian repeated, stepping toward the line of tactical guards. “Signed and executed twenty minutes ago. I hold full medical proxy over her. If these men do not step aside and let my transport team do their job, I will have every single one of you arrested for kidnapping.”A cold knot formed in my stomach. I knew the extent of Julian’s power in this city. He routinely bent zoning laws and corporate regulations to his will.. manipulating the family court system fell well within his capabilities.I took a step forward, intending to trade my freedom for my mother’s safety but Bellamy caught my arm. His gri