LOGINElias Pov It was the weekend, and for once I woke up to a silence that felt like peace itself.There were no urgent calls waiting, no decisions pressing against the back of my mind, and no reason to immediately step into responsibility the moment I opened my eyes. It felt peaceful, and I found myself enjoying every moment of it.I stayed in bed longer than usual, staring at the ceiling while daylight slowly filtered through the curtains. Even in the stillness, my thoughts didn’t settle easily. They moved on their own, drifting between recent events, things that had ended, and things that had not yet properly begun again, and I found myself waiting for something to interrupt the quiet, because experience had taught me that peace rarely lasted without consequence.Eventually, I got up.The house felt different as I moved through it. Not empty, not loud, but subtly shifted in a way I couldn’t immediately define. There was movement somewhere downstairs, soft sounds of footsteps and obje
Mara's Pov The drive home was quiet.Not uncomfortable quiet, but the kind that came after too many emotions had been pulled to the surface in one day. The city lights blurred past the car windows in long streaks of gold and white, while the memory of Margaret’s broken cries refused to leave my mind.I had seen her angry. Bitter. Cruel. Dangerous.But never shattered.I glanced at Elias beside me. His hands rested steadily on the steering wheel, jaw set, eyes forward. Yet every now and then, I caught him looking at me briefly, as though making sure I was still alright.I offered him a small smile.He reached over with one hand and squeezed mine.No words were needed.By the time we arrived at the mansion, warmth greeted us before we even stepped fully inside.Camille was the first to rush forward.“There you are,” she said, touching my cheek like a worried mother. “You look exhausted.”“I’m fine,” I said softly. “Just tired.”Andrea appeared behind her, smiling gently.“How did your
Elias Pov I stayed silent, waiting for Richard to finish whatever he had come to say. Mara was still in my arms, her presence steadying me more than I cared to admit. Richard adjusted the files in his hand, barely glancing at us. With a brief nod, he turned and left the room after he had said what he had to say, his footsteps fading down the corridor.Silence settled between us.I exhaled slowly and looked down at Mara.She was still in my arms. And for a moment, I just… looked at her.“You didn’t move,” I said softly, a small smile forming. “Richard walked in and you didn’t even try to hide behind me this time.”Mara blinked, then frowned slightly like she was thinking about it.“Why should I?” she asked.That caught me off guard.I raised a brow. “You used to.”“I know,” she admitted, then shrugged lightly. “But I’m not going to keep hiding anymore.”There was something different in her voice now. Not fear. Not hesitation.Resolve.And I think that was what made my chest tighten. I
Elias Pov I woke up before the sun had fully cleared the horizon, the gray light of dawn filtering through the curtains of my bedroom. I felt light today. I stared at the ceiling, a slow, genuine smile spreading across my face as the memory of the previous night flooded back. Her voice. It had been trembling, hesitant, but she had said it. *I love you.* I knew how much those words cost her. Mara wasn't a woman of grand gestures or easy declarations; she was shy, guarded by years of having to hide her heart to survive. For her to say it first, to reach out through the silence and claim me, meant more than any contract I had ever signed. I closed my eyes for a second, savoring the victory. I loved her more—I knew I did—because I had loved her from the beginning.I got out of bed, moving with a purpose that had been missing for weeks. I showered and dressed in a charcoal suit, choosing a tie with a hint of deep red. I looked at myself in the mirror and didn't see the weary man who had
Mara's Pov The reunion with my father was a blur of tears, shaky breaths, and a million questions that tumbled out of me all at once. I sat beside him on the sofa, clutching his hand as if he might vanish if I let go. He answered everything, his voice calm, his eyes reflecting a peace I hadn't seen in him for years."It’s alright, Mara," he said, pulling me into a firm embrace. "You don't have to keep crying like a baby. I'm her, aren't I? I’ll explain everything just like you want."I nodded, my tears slowing as the reality of his presence anchored me. Every sound in the house, every creak of the floorboards, felt like a victory against the dark months we had endured.Dad started from the beginning. He spoke of the day he had finally wanted to open up to me, but I was still pissed at him. He told me about his change of plans to go to Elias, only for Margaret to get to him before he could reach Elias. "I really regretted it—” I whispered, the weight of my past choices pressing down
Richard's PovI didn't know what to say at first. My mind was a tangle of protective instincts and the cold, hard reality of the last few months. Finally, I leaned back, my chair creaking softly in the stillness."I didn't expect the timing, Elias," I said, my voice sounding more tired than I felt. "But I’d be a fool to say I didn't suspect something was going on between the two of you, even before I had confirmed it."Elias didn't flinch. "I love her a lot. I can't stop now. I’ve tried to fight it when I thought it wouldn't work out between us. and I’ve tried to ignore it for the sake of the family name, but none of that matters if she isn’t by my side. I’m not asking for a favor. I’m telling you that she is the only woman I wish to spend the rest of my life with."I looked at him searching , but I found only a raw, desperate sincerity. "I knew about your feelings at the time," I admitted. "David told me about it. He saw it before I did, or perhaps he was just more willing to admit w
Elias POV I turned quickly, my heart hammering against my ribs, a smile already tugging at the corners of my mouth—a smile I hadn't worn in weeks. But the terrace was empty.The cold wind whipped at my hair. There was no one there. No scent of her perfume, no lingering warmth. I stood paralyzed, t
Elias POV“I’m so sorry,” she says softly, bending down immediately—instinctively—to pick up the pieces herself.I turn back toward Camille just as I hear Mara’s breath hitch. The sound is faint, but it cuts straight through me. My eyes drop, and I see it—blood spilling from her hand, red against h
Mara’s POVIt had been days since I had seen him.Days since Elias had come home, since his engagement had been announced online, and the silence in the mansion had grown almost unbearable. Each morning, I wake to the same hollow truth, one that still felt unreal, still felt new to me:Elias was en
Mara's POVHer eyes moved around the room, taking in the IV stand, the doctor’s bag still on the side table, the half-covered food tray. Everything. Only after she had seen it all did her gaze finally settle on me.“Well,” she said lightly, tilting her head. “You gave everyone quite a scare.”Her t







