MasukElara returns to the penthouse to find Lucas waiting in the living room. He's not working on his laptop or making calls like usual. He's just sitting on the couch, a glass of scotch in his hand, staring at the door. Waiting for her."Hi," Elara says. She forces brightness into her voice. "How was your day?""Interesting," Lucas says. He doesn't stand to greet her. Doesn't smile. Just watches her with those cold blue eyes. "How was the spa?""Relaxing," Elara lies. She sets down her purse. "I got a massage and a facial. I feel much better.""Good," Lucas says. But his tone suggests he doesn't believe her. "Come sit with me. We need to talk."Elara's heart races but she keeps her expression calm. She sits on the couch beside him, careful to maintain the right amount of closeness. Not too far away, which would seem suspicious. Not too close, which would require intimacy she can barely tolerate."What's wrong?" Elara asks. "You seem tense.""I'm concerned about you," Lucas says. He sets d
Elara meets Kieran at his office downtown. It's a sleek building with tight security. No one will think twice about seeing Raven Craslow visiting the Vaughn empire headquarters. She's Lucas's fiancée and Kieran's stepsister. Her presence is easily explained.Kieran is waiting in his private conference room. He stands when she enters and immediately pulls her into his arms."How did it go?" he asks against her hair."I got everything," Elara says. She pulls out her phone and plays a portion of the recording. Alice's voice fills the room, confessing to murder.Kieran listens intently. When the recording ends, he looks both satisfied and concerned. "This is damning. But we need to be careful how we use it.""That's why I'm here," Elara says. "We need legal advice. Someone who can tell us if this recording is admissible in court."Kieran nods. "I have someone. Richard Chen. No relation to Alice. He's a criminal defense attorney. The best in the city. He's worked with my family for years.
The taxi drops Elara off a block from Alice's apartment building. It's a modest place in a decent neighborhood. Nothing like Lucas's penthouse or the Vaughn estate. This is where Alice lived while she was having an affair with a wealthy man. While she was dreaming of a better life.Kieran is already there, waiting in his car. Elara slides into the passenger seat."Are you sure about this?" Kieran asks. "If Lucas finds out you went to see Alice, he'll know something is wrong.""I was careful," Elara says. "And we need that vial. It's the physical evidence we've been missing."Kieran nods. He pulls out a set of lockpicks. "Let's go."They enter the building through a side door. The elevator takes them to the fourth floor. Alice's apartment is at the end of the hallway. Kieran picks the lock in less than a minute.The apartment is small. One bedroom, one bathroom, a combined living room and kitchen. It's neat but impersonal. Like Alice never really lived here. Just existed between shifts
Elara stays at Lucas's penthouse for three hours. She plays the dutiful fiancée. She nods sympathetically while he rants about Alice. She agrees with his plans for damage control. She smiles and touches his arm and acts like nothing has changed.But inside, she is planning. Calculating. Waiting for her moment to escape.Finally Lucas gets a call about an emergency at his office. Some crisis with investors spooked by the wedding disaster. He has to go handle it personally."Will you be okay here alone?" Lucas asks. He seems reluctant to leave her."I'll be fine," Elara assures him. "I'm exhausted anyway. I think I'll take a bath and rest."Lucas kisses her forehead. "I'll be back in a few hours. We'll have dinner. Talk about the new wedding plans.""Sounds perfect," Elara lies.The moment Lucas leaves, Elara springs into action. She calls Kieran immediately."Where is Alice?" she asks without preamble."Pinehurst Psychiatric Hospital," Kieran says. "It's a private facility on the north
The drive to Lucas's penthouse is silent. Lucas grips the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turn white. His jaw is clenched. A muscle twitches in his cheek. Elara has never seen him this angry.She sits in the passenger seat still wearing her wedding dress. The crystals catch the sunlight. The fabric pools around her feet. She looks like a princess. But she feels like a prisoner.They pull into the underground parking garage. Lucas doesn't wait for the valet. He parks himself and gets out. He comes around to Elara's door and opens it. His movements are jerky. Aggressive."Come on," he says tersely.Elara gathers her dress and follows him to the elevator. They ride up to the penthouse in silence. The tension is suffocating. Elara can feel Lucas's rage radiating off him in waves.The elevator doors open. They step into the penthouse. It looks exactly the same as when Elara lived here as Rachel. Same furniture. Same art on the walls. The only difference is the photos. Pictures of Lu
The church explodes into chaos. Guests jump to their feet. People start shouting questions. Cameras flash as everyone tries to capture this moment. The peaceful wedding ceremony has transformed into a scandal.Alice stumbles further down the aisle toward the altar. She is clearly drunk. Elara can see it in the way she moves. Unsteady steps. Wild gestures. Eyes that don't quite focus properly."You all need to know the truth," Alice shouts to the crowd. Her voice is slurred but loud. "Lucas Hart is not who you think he is. He's not a grieving widower who found love again. He's a murderer."Lucas remains unnaturally calm. He doesn't look panicked or angry. He looks concerned. Like he is dealing with a troubled person who needs help. His expression is perfect. Practiced."Alice, please," Lucas says gently. He holds up his hands in a placating gesture. "You're not well. Let's get you somewhere quiet where we can talk.""I don't want to talk to you," Alice screams. She points at him with a







