9

“Mother, what are you saying?” Elara asked, her voice tightening with confusion, her fingers clutching the phone a little harder.

There was no reply.

Just silence on the other end.

"Mother..." she called but no reply.

"Clara, can you hear me?"

Then the call dropped.

Elara blinked, staring at the screen as it went dim in her hand. The call had ended abruptly, the small “Call Failed” notification sitting there like a taunt. Network issue from the other end.

She let out a slow breath, her shoulders sinking slightly.

Her mother’s words lingered in her mind, refusing to fade.

"That family is dangerous... they will never give you peace."

Her grip on the phone loosened as she leaned back slightly, her brows pulling together. She didn’t understand. And to her none of it made sense.

Maybe... maybe her mother was just overreacting.

Yes. That had to be it.

Her mother is someone that is always worried too much, always imagining the worst possible outcome. It wasn’t new. This was just another one of those moments.

Elara nodded to herself, as if trying to convince her own heart.

“Everything will be fine,” she whispered under her breath.

But even as she said it, it didn’t settle right in her mind.

A flicker of unease curled deep in her chest.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

How does she know the Harrington family?

That question refused to leave her.

Because Elara didn’t know anything about them. Nothing beyond the fact that Alex was ridiculously rich and powerful enough to command respect without even trying. And she knew all that when they met today.

So how did her mother know something she didn’t?

Her lips pressed into a thin line.

Without thinking further, she unlocked her phone again. The screen lit up, casting a soft glow on her face. She turned on her mobile data and tapped on Chrome, her fingers moving quickly despite the slight hesitation in her chest.

The search bar blinked back at her.

She typed slowly.

Harrington Family.

Her finger hovered for a second then tapped search.

The page tried to load but it failed.

“No internet connection.”

Elara stared at the message, her expression going blank for a second before irritation flashed across her face.

“Are you serious?” she muttered under her breath.

She tapped again but it didn’t load.

Her jaw tightened, frustration bubbling up quickly. She tossed the phone onto the bed beside her with a soft thud and dragged a hand through her hair.

“Great,” she scoffed. “Just great.”

She exhaled sharply, her body suddenly feeling heavier than before.

Maybe it was everything piling up at once, the forced marriage, Alex, her mother’s words, Henry, the confusion, the exhaustion.

It all hit her at the same time.

With a tired groan, she shifted properly onto the bed, pulling her legs up before stretching out. The soft mattress dipped beneath her weight as she grabbed the duvet and dragged it over herself.

“Fuck… I’m so tired,” she mumbled, burying her face halfway into the pillow.

For a moment, she just lay there, staring blankly at nothing.

Her mind refused to shut off.

Images flashed—her mother’s worried voice, Alex’s intense gaze, Henry’s face, the wedding, the kiss.

Her chest tightened again.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

“Stop thinking…” she whispered weakly.

But her thoughts didn’t listen to her.

And eventually, exhaustion won.

Slowly, her breathing became slow, her body relaxing into the bed despite the storm in her mind.

***

(Harrington Mansion)

Tiana stood by the tall window of her room, the city stretching endlessly before her. The fading light of evening painted the sky in muted gold and grey, casting long shadows across the polished floor.

She was holding a file in her hand.

A slow, deliberate smile curved her lips as her fingers traced the edge of it.

She had never cared about anything relating to Alex.

Even Alex getting married? It had meant nothing to her. Just another decision in the long list of calculated moves within the Harrington family. She didn’t attend the wedding because she feels it's none of her business.

But then Julian had argued with her.

Her smile faltered slightly at the memory, irritation flashing in her eyes before it settled into something colder.

Julian never argued without reason.

And certainly not for someone insignificant.

That was when her curiosity had been triggered.

And once Tiana became curious… She wouldn’t stop until she had her answers.

Her gaze dropped to the file in her hand.

Elara Wilson.

The name lingered in her mind like a quiet echo.

She flipped it open slowly, her eyes scanning the contents again even though she had already memorized every detail.

Age: Twenty eight years old.

Background: From a poor background.

Family: She has a mother and sister.

Education: Well educated. A Bsc degree holder.

She smirked, there is nothing extraordinary and impressive about this woman.

Her lips curved again, “So ordinary,” she murmured softly.

And Alex Harrington had married a woman like her. Tarr, she's disappointed.

Tiana’s eyes darkened slightly.

That's Interesting. Very interesting.

She closed the file with a soft snap, tapping it lightly against her palm as she turned her gaze back to the window.

“For years…” she whispered, her voice low and measured, “I’ve been waiting.”

Waiting for something, maybe Alex's weakness.

Because Alex Harrington had always been untouchable . He's a man who never let emotions dictate his actions. A man who never made mistakes.

And that made him dangerous.

But now?

A soft chuckle escaped her lips.

“He finally slipped.”

Marriage.

Not just any marriage.

Marriage to a woman he clearly couldn’t ignore.

She had seen the way he looked at her in their wedding videos. It proves he loves her and married her willingly.

Because to her that wasn’t indifference. That wasn't an obligation. She knows Alex very well, he wouldn’t marry someone he doesn't love.

Her fingers tightened around the file.

Her smile deepened, turning cold, almost cruel.

Her eyes dropped once more to the name printed on the file.

Elara Wilson.

She let the silence stretch before speaking again, her voice softer now but laced with venom.

“You’re not the first…” she murmured.

Her gaze hardened. “And you definitely won’t be the last.”

She tilted her head slightly, as if already picturing the outcome.

“Trust me.”