Chapter 5

Elena barely made it down the steps of the Ashford family office before her composure finally cracked. She stopped beside the pavement, turned her face away from the passing cars, and took several slow breaths, refusing to give the people behind those glass doors the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She had promised herself she would walk out with her head held high, and she had done exactly that, but now that the door was closed behind her, the reality of what had happened came crashing down. She had no husband, no family willing to stand beside her, no access to her bank accounts, and apparently no home to return to. Her phone vibrated in her hand, and for one foolish second she hoped it might be her father calling to apologize.

It was Adrian.

'You left some things at the house. I'll have them delivered to you'.

Elena stared at the message before another one appeared.

'Vivian thinks we should give you the jewelry too. She doesn't want anything that reminds her of you'.

Elena's fingers tightened around the phone.

Then a photograph arrived.

Vivian was sitting on the sofa in the Ashford mansion, smiling as Adrian stood behind her with his arms around her waist. On Vivian's finger was the diamond ring Adrian had once given Elena when he proposed.

Elena felt something inside her go cold.

A third message appeared.

'She wears it better'.

For several seconds, Elena couldn't breathe.

Then she laughed.

A few people walking past glanced at her, but she didn't care. She looked at the photograph again and shook her head. Adrian hadn't sent it because he wanted to hurt her. He had sent it because he wanted to make sure she understood that he believed he had won.

Fine.

She deleted the messages, opened her banking application, and stared at the balance on the screen.

'Account restricted'.

She tried another account.

'Access suspended'.

A third.

'Transaction unavailable'.

Elena stared at the screen until the words blurred.

She had money yesterday.

Enough to buy the entire building she was standing in.

Today, she couldn't even pay for a taxi.

Her first instinct was to call her father again, but she stopped herself before the call could connect. What was she going to say? Please give your daughter some money because the daughter you chose over me is carrying your precious grandson?

No.

She would rather sleep on the street.

She opened her contacts and stopped at an old friend's name. Sarah had known her since university. They hadn't spoken much since Elena married Adrian, but surely Sarah would answer.

The call rang for nearly a minute before someone picked up.

"Elena?"

"Sarah."

There was silence.

"I need a favor."

"What happened?"

Elena swallowed her pride. "Can I stay with you for a few days?"

Another silence.

"Elena, I don't think that's a good idea."

Her heart sank. "Why?"

"My husband works with Adrian."

Of course.

"I understand."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

Elena ended the call before Sarah could hear her voice break.

She stood there for another minute, then looked up at the grey sky.

"Fine," she whispered. "I'll figure it out myself."

She opened the taxi application.

The payment method failed.

She tried again.

Failed.

A notification suddenly appeared at the top of her screen.

Deposit received: $500,000.

Elena froze.

She opened her bank application again.

The restricted account was still restricted.

But a new account had appeared beneath it.

An account she had never seen before.

The balance was exactly $500,000.

Her heart began beating faster.

There was no sender name.

Only a reference:

'For temporary use'.

Elena stared at the screen in disbelief.

Then her phone rang.

Unknown number.

She answered cautiously.

"Hello?"

A man's voice came through the line.

"Don't spend it yet."

Elena's brows furrowed. "Who is this?"

"You'll know soon enough."

"What do you mean, don't spend it? Who sent me the money?"

The line went silent.

"Hello?"

The call ended.

Elena stared at the phone.

She immediately called the number back.

It was switched off.

She looked at the bank notification again, her mind racing.

Someone had given her five hundred thousand.

Someone who knew she had lost access to her money.

Someone who knew she had nowhere to go.

Someone who had apparently been watching.

Her phone vibrated again.

This time, it was a message from an unknown number.

'You wanted revenge'.

Elena's breath caught.

A second message arrived.

'You should learn the difference between revenge and suicide before you begin'.

She stared at the words.

Then another message appeared.

'If you still want revenge tomorrow, come to Vale Tower at nine'.

No signature.

Elena didn't need one.

There was only one man in the city whose name could make powerful families nervous enough to lower their voices.

Lucien Vale.

She remembered the cold eyes of the man whose room she had accidentally invaded the night before.

The man who had carried her to his bed when she passed out in the hallway.

The man who had listened to her drunken complaints without laughing at her.

Elena looked toward the towering buildings across the city.

"What exactly are you planning?"

She had no idea.

But for the first time since leaving the Ashford mansion, she wasn't thinking about what she had lost.

She was wondering what Lucien Vale wanted from her.

And that question was far more frightening.