Ruthless Desire

Elena PovI wake up on my side, my face half-buried in the pillow, my body sore in places I didn’t know could hurt. Not painful but just the kind of soreness that reminds you exactly how you spent the night.For a second, I don’t move.I just breathe, my eyes still closed, hovering between sleep and memory.Then it hits me.Last night.I jolt upright too fast, my hair falling into my face, my heart punching hard against my ribs.I turn my head, slowly, stupidly hopingBut the other side of the bed is empty.The sheets are a mess. Twisted, wrinkled, pushed halfway off the bed like they tried to keep up but couldn’t. He’s gone.A quiet sigh slips out before I can stop it. Not disappointment exactly more like reality finally catching up.My mind flickers back to last night, his hands, the heat, the way he pulled me under and didn’t let me hide.The way he kissed me, the way he worshipped my body.I grab the nearest pillow, press it to my face, and scream into it until my throat burns,

Elena POV I stay inside the bathroom stall until my breathing evens out.My eyes sting, my chest feels like it's caving in.But I can’t hide here forever.I wipe my face with the sleeve of my blouse, fix my hair with shaky hands, and look at myself in the mirror.“Don’t cry again,” I whisper to my reflection. “Not here.”I square my shoulders and step out, walking back to my desk like nothing cracked inside me.I sit and begin tapping my keyboard, I open emails, I keep my eyes locked on the screen but every time I hear a sound from his office, the creak of his chair, footsteps in his office, my stomach knots.Still, I don’t look up from the screen“Just work,” I murmur to myself, as I schedule appointment, send reminders and fix deadline, pretending to be fine is the only thing I have control over.And right now, control feels like survival.Around noon, my phone buzzes on the desk, I divert my focus from the computer and pick my phone.It was a message from Nora.Nora:How’s the fir

By the time I step out of the bus, my legs feel like they’re made of sand.The cold evening air bites at my cheeks, and every part of me aches from the long, messy day. I miss having a car, I miss the quiet, private space it gave me but that was before Ethan. Before everything fell apart.I climb the stairs to my apartment, digging through my bag for my keys as I go, I finally find the key when I got to my door and slide it into the lock and freeze.The door… it is already unlocked.My heart lurches, my fingers tighten around the key, someone broke into my apartment.For a split second, my instincts scream call the police, but another part of me, tired, frustrated, angry at life wants to storm in and catch whoever dared to touch my space.I push the door open slowly, my breath stuck in my throat.Then I stop.Shopping bags, everywhere, neatly placed on the floor of my living room.“What the...”I step inside cautiously, closing the door behind me, my eyes dart over the bags, they look

Elena's PovThe next few days pass slowly, each one filled with nervous energy and silent tension.Every morning, Julian’s eyes find me. Every afternoon, he calls me into his office for files, meetings, or tiny questions he absolutely didn’t need to ask me in person.But he keeps his distance, cold, professional and untouchable.Except his eyes, they betray him every time.Three days later, he calls me into his office againMy stomach drops, i grab my notebook, smooth my skirt, and walk inside.He doesn’t look up, He’s flipping through a file, his jaw tight, his sleeves rolled, his hair slightly messed up like he’s been running his hands through it.Finally, he speaks without looking up from the file he was going through.“Cancel all my appointments for Thursday and Friday. I’m flying to Los Angeles for a meeting.”I nod quickly. “Of course. I’ll take care of it.”He lists a few more things, send emails, print documents, call the client’s secretary. Not once does he mention me coming

Elena’s POVThat night, I didn’t see Julian.After Nora read the message out loud, she waited for me to react, to scream or panic or overthink out loud.But I didn’t, I just stared at my phone, waiting.Minutes passed, then an hour, nothing.No follow-up message, no explanation.By the time Nora finally left, promising to text me when she get home, the apartment felt too quiet.I went to bed immediately, I lay on my bed fully dressed, my phone resting on my chest, my eyes fixed on the ceiling.So this is what it feels like, I thought.Waiting.I told myself not to cry, I told myself this was what I agreed to, an affair, stolen moments, silence when it suited him.Still, the ache spread slowly in my chest, deep and heavy.I picked up my phone from my chest, looked at the screen, no message then I turned the phone face down and place it on the bed, if I kept staring at it, I would break.Eventually, exhaustion pulled me under.The next morning, I woke up feeling hollow.I moved through