Chapter 18

Eliora's POV

Zoey was mid-sentence, complaining about Elijah’s breakfast choices, when my phone buzzed on the counter.

Kian's name flashed across the screen—followed by a second message. I knew the moment I read it that our truce was over.

"I'm outside your house."

How did he find us? My breath hitched.

"What is it?" Zoey asked, noticing my frozen state.

"Kian," I whispered. "He knows where we live.”

“What? What does he want?” 

As if on cue another message pops up, “He wants to talk.”

Zoey narrows her eyes, “What's with that look?” 

“What look?” I shrugged.

“Don't tell me you want to go meet him.”

I stood and reached for my coat, “He is outside my house Zoey.” I started walking towards the door.

Zoey stepped in front of me, blocking the door. "What if Julian already told him? What then, Eliora? Will you just give up Ezra?"

I swallowed, the thought paralyzing me for a second. But I shook my head. "If that were the case, he would already be banging down the door. You know Kian."

"I say don't go. Make him wait," Zoey insisted. "He is surely going to leave."

But I hesitated. Then Kian sent a text: "It's about the headline leakage. It's urgent."

I sighed, “I have to go Zoey.”

Zoey stepped back, still unconvinced. "I'm not sure about this. Why can't he inform your assistant? Why show up at your house directly? Don't go, Eliora. Make him wait."

"I'm going," I said firmly, reaching for the handle.

Zoey sighed, throwing her hands up. "Fineee... Go!" She waved her arm dismissively. "Go see your long-lost hubby."

I rolled my eyes. "You're insufferable."

---

I was first greeted by the chilling wind which made my dark curly fly in all directions. 

Kian stood next to a sleek black car, his face tight.

"Get in the car," he said, the command in his voice grating.

"How do you know where I stay?”I replied, folding my arms.

His jaw tightened, “it's a long story. But get in the car first” 

“No.” I said, looking away.

“Please.”

Finally, with a weary sigh, I got in, and he drove off.

We drove in tense silence until he finally spoke. "The leakage was an inside job, Eliora. Not a journalist, but an executive. Someone who worked closely with my father."

"Why then is my company taking the hit? And you're telling me this now, why?" I snapped, staring out the window.

"Because the target wasn't just my company, it was yours, too. It was designed to make both our firms look vulnerable to a hostile takeover. This is more than just a nasty headline; it's a threat, which is why I'm here." He glanced at me sharply. "He's an old rival, but I'm not ready to reveal the name."

I laughed, “Wait, you are trying to tell me that I'm being targeted because of you? And you are still not willing to share information?”

His jaw tightened. “It's for your safety.” His voice went low, and I almost did not hear him.

I sighed and looked out the window, ignoring the twist in my stomach.

"Have you seen or had anything suspicious happen to you?" he asked, his voice softening slightly, turning into a subtle bait. "Anything out of the ordinary? Any strange calls or messages?"

My mind immediately flew to the anonymous number. I shook my head, knowing that mentioning it would inevitably lead back to Ezra. I lied. "No. Everything has been quiet."

"Then why did you agree to the fake engagement with Elijah?" The question hit me sideways.

My jaw dropped, but I forced it shut. "That is none of your business."

"I'm making it my business, Rora. Now tell me."

"Take me back if you have nothing else to say," I snapped. My voice was cold, shielding the turmoil inside.

"I didn't come here to fight, Rora."

I finally looked at him for the first time that night. He looked exhausted, like he hadn't had a wink of sleep.

*Did the thought of me being in a mess trouble him that much?.... Why?* I immediately pushed the thought aside.

"You have no right to ask me that. You also have no right going around poking your nose in my business," I said, my voice hardening.

"My coming here is solely for my company's sake and nothing else."

Kian opened his mouth to reply, but I didn't wait. I yanked the door handle and left the car, slamming the door shut. He followed instantly.

“Rora, I just want to talk.”

I turned abruptly. "Don't call me that."

“Can you just listen to me?”

“So what? You can tell me how you deserve an answer as to why I left?"

"Don't I?"

"The truth is that you were never worth being with in the first place. Get it!"

I turned to leave, and he grabbed my arm. I yanked it away, folding it across my chest.

“You don't mean that.”

“I just said it. Are you deaf?”

“That doesn't mean that you meant it.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You are crazy.”

“Yes! Yes, Eliora, I am. I went crazy thinking for the last two years why you left me!”

“Enough! Enough, Kian, enough with all these 'why I left you?'" I breathed out sharply. "Have you ever for once thought why I couldn't stay anymore?" I ran my hand through my hair. "It's not always about you, Kian."

I swallowed, tears clouding my vision but blinked it away, "Why are you doing this? Why are you acting like what we had meant anything to you?" I paused, the words catching in my throat. "Just why are you so hell-bent on confusing me?"

He went quiet, his eyes stuck to the floor, clearly avoiding my gaze. Of course. What was I expecting?

"Just let me be, Kian. You never cared back then... So—"

"You don't freaking know that, Eliora!" He exhaled, running his palm down his face. "So stop assuming!"

“Stop assuming? Really?” I shook my head in disbelief. "You know what? I wasted my time coming here thinking—" I breathed out. "I should have listened to Zoey."

I turned and started walking away. My chest ached so badly, like I was being constantly punched there. I could feel rage, pain, and emotions I didn't want to admit boiling up. This was just supposed to be a simple discussion. I shouldn't have been out here.

“Rora.”

I ignored him and increased my speed. He caught up to me, grabbing my shoulder and turning me.

"Stop running!" he demanded.

I stared at him, my vision blurring with rage. I lifted my hand and slapped him hard across the face. The sound cracked in the quiet night air.

He flinched but didn't move. He just stared, his cheek turning red. "Hit me again if that would make you feel better. Just tell me what happened."

I stared at him, disbelief washing over the rage. "You really don't know?"

“I don't know, Rora. I don't know how to go about something I don't—"

"And what good would it do, Kian! Would it change anything? Or would it just make you feel better about yourself?"

"It would change me!" he yelled, stepping closer, desperately. "I need to know why my wife thought leaving was better than staying. I deserve the respect of the truth."

I hated the way I felt hearing him call me his wife. Why on earth can't he just leave me alone?

“No, Kian, just let me be.” My vision blurred, but I didn't care anymore. “I don't want you near me. I don't want you to call my name. I don't want to see you. I want you gone!” Tears streamed down my face. I wiped them off, but they were only replaced by fresh ones.

“I want you to act like nothing ever existed between us because let's be honest... it didn't.”

He grabbed my arms gently, his voice dropping to a fierce whisper. "That is a lie, Rora. You know that's a lie. Tell me the real reason, or I swear to God, I will find it myself!"

With that, I tore my arms free and ran as fast as my legs could take me. The tears didn't stop pouring. My heart hurt so bad. It didn't take long for me to crumble to the floor near my front door.

Luckily, Kian didn't follow me this time.

*Why does everything have to be so difficult? Why?...Why can't I just be happy?*

I managed to push myself up and stumble inside the house. Zoey was instantly beside me, her eyes wide with shock at my tear-streaked face.

"Eli! What did he do? Did he—"

I couldn't bring myself to answer her. My tears wouldn't stop pouring, and I couldn't find my voice. I just cried into her shoulder. All the years of hurt and being overlooked came rushing back. The hurt of not being loved by the person you loved the most.

“No matter what Kian says, It can't erase the years I spent doubting myself and blaming myself for not loving him enough. For not being enough. He really broke me.”

Zoey pulled me back, holding my face in her hands. Her voice was sharp, cutting through my despair. "Look at me, Eliora. You are more than enough. He broke you because you let him. And now he's threatening us because he wants control back! What did he say? What did he really want?"

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, finding a painful flicker of focus. "He's looking for the truth about why I left. If he finds it, he'll find Ezra."

Zoey's expression hardened to cold determination. "He can't. Not now. Julian saw him, Eli. Julian is the danger now. We need to figure out what Julian is going to do next. We gain the upper hand." 

She pulled me into a fierce hug, guiding me away from the door. "We'll deal with that bastard tomorrow. But you need to sleep now, okay?”