MasukElona's POV
I was feeling nauseous, my stomach turned as we walked in the parking lot towards Tristan's car. I started to trail behind Cris and Tristan. He was walking as if on a mission, but he ended up slowing down the closer we got to his car. I hugged myself as I felt chilly. Tristan stopped and turned around to look at me, waiting for me to catch up to them.
He was still furious and I hate the way he looked at me as if I had done
Elona's POVI didn’t think leaving would feel like this.I stood in the hallway in my VFS uniform which was black leggings clinging to my legs, the cropped top tight across my ribs, it felt like I was wearing the wrong skin. My body ached in places I didn’t know could ache except for my Endo, but it was nothing compared to the hollow pressure sitting behind my breastbone.Tristan lifted one of my bags from the floor, and then another. His movements were controlled and too precise, like if he slowed down, something inside him would split open. I watched him when he wasn’t looking. Dark circles bruised the skin beneath his eyes. His jaw was tense, the strength in his shoulders weighed down by something invisible and heavy. He looked older this morning, not by years but by loss.“It’s okay,” he said quietly, as if reading my thoughts. He turned toward
Tristan's POVThe house was too quiet after Rowan left. The kind of quiet that didn’t settle but scraped along your nerves, like the silence itself was mocking you, yet the tension was still in the air. Camille was still sitting at my table with a wine glass balanced in her hand, a smirk carved into her lips like it was permanent. I didn’t bother hiding my irritation. I leaned against the wall as I crossed my arms, and let my eyes cut through her.“You’re a pain in my ass, Camille.”Her smirk widened. She swirled the wine in her glass, the liquid catching the light. “At least I live up to my last name.”I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling hard through my teeth. She had always been like this, quick, sharp, infuriating. But now, with her suddenly shoved into my house under Rowan’s so-called authority and the amended Will, the air fe
Tristan's POVThe moment I stepped through the front door, I smelled something cooking besides the aroma of coffee. Camille’s perfume mixed with garlic and rosemary. My jaw locked. And then I saw him. Rowan was sitting at my dinner table. He was holding a mug of coffee.His suit jacket hung neatly on the back of his chair, his tie loosened, his sleeves rolled up like he was settling in for a comfortable evening. Camille was in the kitchen, back to us, humming as if this was some domestic, happy family scene. Elona stood beside me, her hand brushing my arm, as if she could already sense the fury coiling inside me. I didn’t bother to hide it.“You didn’t show up at the Crane Industries board meeting this morning,” I said, my voice low and edged like glass. “And now I find you here.”Rowan glanced up at me without an ounce of guilt. “Somet
Elona's POVThe studio was colder than I expected. Not just from the air-conditioning, but from the way the room looked at me as I stepped inside, white walls, camera lights, a glossy backdrop, and too many pairs of eyes that didn’t blink. The stylist shoved a hanger into my hands, the satin brushing my skin like a whisper I didn’t want to hear. Black lace, sheer panels, the kind of lingerie meant for someone who wanted to be looked at, not someone who wanted to be seen.“Change in there,” she pointed to a narrow booth with a curtain that barely reached the floor.After stepping into the changing room, my fingers trembled as I slipped out of my leggings, the chill biting into my bare legs. I could hear the photographer adjusting his camera outside, his voice low but impatient. The satin stuck slightly as I pulled it up, clinging where my skin was warm, exposing more of me
Tristan's POVThe knock on my office door was soft, but it might as well have been a thunderclap in the quiet. I knew it was her. I have been glancing at the clock every few minutes since Donovan told me she was on her way up. A strange mixture of anticipation and dread had been twisting in my gut for the past half hour, anticipation because I had missed her, dread because I wasn’t sure what version of her I would be facing today. That is besides all the emotions I'm facing with the case.“Come in,” I said, my voice was lower than I intended.The door opened, and there she was... Cris. My daughter. My only child. She stepped inside with her hurried grace, though there was a guardedness in her posture I didn’t like. Her hair was tucked behind her ears, her eyes sharp but unreadable. She was dressed in casual layers, a sweater, jeans, and boots, but she might as well have been weari
Tristan's POVElona was combing her hair in front of the mirror as I sat on the edge of the bed, shirt halfway buttoned, staring at my own reflection in the mirror. My eyes were ringed with fatigue, the weight of the past few days carved into every line on my face. The anxiety clung to my chest like smoke I couldn’t clear. Today was the board meeting, the one where I would have to explain the pending investigation. The one where I would be stared at like a liability.“Tristan,” her voice broke through. I turned to look at her. She was standing by the bedroom door now, her eyes scanning me. I didn't realize that she had walked away from the mirror. “Are you okay?”I nodded slowly. “As okay as I can be.” I stood up, tucking my shirt into my slacks, forcing my body to move even if my brain wasn’t ready. “You always look stunning,” even when she was in her VFS uniform, the leggings and cropped top. She held her gym bag in one hand, waiting for me as I now pulled on my jacket.She smiled,
Tristan's POVI was enjoying to be in Elona's presence, her confidence that is back just makes me admire her even more. But my mind drifts back to the industry. What person is out there that is trustworthy? Do I know anyone with whom I have interacted with be
Elona's POVThunder made me jump as I scrolled through my phone, looking through the website of VFS. I was sitting comfortably on the sofa. Rain began to pour, and I just wanted to get into bed with this kind of weather. My heart wasn't on Tristan this evenin
Elona's POVSpooky had texted me if I was at the apartment and I told him that he was more than welcome to come around. I tidied up the
Tristan's POVI arrived last night back at home. I was still hopeful about Elona and getting her back. I really hope she takes me back this time. I was still off from work and I took my phone from the bedside table and went to Eric's contact.







