Chapter 4

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 first day, sunshine?

Are you glowing with confidence or dying inside?

A humorless smile tugs at my lips.

Me:

Dying, badly.

Nora:

Elena??

What happened??

The reply comes instantly.

My chest tightens as I stare at the screen, unable to form words.

Then she sends another message.

Nora:

Okay. I’m taking you out tonight.

Blue Ember Bar. 8 PM.

No excuses. Wear something hot, we are drinking this pain away.

Despite the weight pressing on me, a small smile tugs at my lips.

Me:

Fine. I'll go

Right after I hit send, lock my phone and drop it on the desk, ready to continue working, two coworkers stop by my desk, both around my age, and wearing easy smiles. 

The woman with soft curls gives a little wave.

“Hey, you must be Elena. I’m Mila.”

“And I’m Tessa” the other woman chimes in, her voice warm. “We just wanted to say hi before the day swallows us alive.”

Their kindness cuts through the numb fog I’ve been stuck in.

“Hi,” I say, a bit shyly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“We’re heading to lunch soon” Mila says.“Join us, if you want. The cafeteria feels less soul crushing with company.”

I nod, feeling a flicker of relief. “Yeah. I’d like that.” 

Tessa grins. “Perfect. We’ll swing by in a bit.”

They walk off, and for a second, the office feels a little less cold.

Then the door behind me opens.

Julian steps out and I go still.

I glanced up from my computer, he's focused on the papers in his hand, flipping through them with that usual furrow in his brow but then he stops right at my desk.

His gaze lifts and our eyes meet.

For a second, I swear the air shifts.

His green eyes lock with mine, cool, unreadable. 

“Cancel my appointments for the day,”he says, his voice low and calm.  

Like boss to his employee

Like he didn’t hold me two nights ago.  

Didn’t whisper my name like it meant something.

“Okay,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper.

He nods once, turns, and walks away without even glancing back.  

When the elevator doors slide shut behind him, that when I finally breathe again, at least I don’t have to see him for the rest of the day.

At lunch, Mila and Tessa find me at my desk and we went to the cafeteria together 

The cafeteria is loud, clinking plates, bursts of laughter, trays sliding across counters. 

We sit by the window, while they talk, joke I watch them nudge each other like they have been friends for years 

“So” Mila said grinning, taking a bite of her sandwich, “how’s the chaos treating you so far?” she asked with her mouth full 

“Surprisingly okay” I say, trying to match her energy.

“Wait till Friday,”Jess smirks. “That’s when the real storm hits.”

I laugh, for real this time and it feels so good 

No one’s watching me too closely, no one’s asking the wrong questions, for a moment, I almost feel like myself again.

After lunch, I went back to work, opening emails and answering calls and immediately it hit 5, I packed my bag and head home.

At home, I shower, change into a black fitted top, dark jeans, let my hair dry in soft waves and I apply a little makeup.

I take an Uber across town.

Blue Ember Bar glows with cool blue lights, the sign flickering gently above. 

People spill onto the sidewalk laughing and talking.

Inside, the air smells like citrus, cologne, and music.

Nora spots me immediately, waving from a booth near the center of the bar.

“Elena!” she shouts, sliding out to hug me. “You look… emotionally damaged, but cute!”

I snort. “Thanks?”

She pulls me into the booth. “Tell me everything.”

I sink into the seat, releasing a breath.

“I’m fine” I lie.

“No, you’re not” she says, narrowing her eyes. “Start talking.”

So I do.

I tell her everything, I started over again from santorini, the hotel room, the night that didn’t feel like a mistake until he labeled it one, then his voice on the phone this morning, the moment I opened the door and saw him sitting there, the way my knees nearly gave out.

Nora doesn’t interrupt once.

But when I say his full name, Julian Stone, she gasps so loudly that people look over.

“ELENA!” she whisper-shouts. “You slept with your BOSS?”

“Lower your voice” I hiss, burying my face in my hands.

She leans in, her eyes wide with both shock and something close to excitement. “Are you telling me the man who ruined your life this morning is the man who ruined your legs in Santorini?”

I groan.

“Oh my God” she says. “This is deliciously horrible.”

“It’s not delicious, Nora.”

“You’re right. It’s tragic but also he remembered you. That’s something.”

“No” I whisper, my throat tight. “He told me to forget him. If I want my job.”

Her expression softens. “Elena…”

“I know” I whisper. “I know.”

Before she can comfort me, two guys approach our table. One dark-haired, one blond, both cute in a clean-cut, harmless way.

“Hey” the dark-haired one says with a smile. “Mind if we join you ladies?”

Nora lights up instantly. “Sure!” she chirps, moving over so they can sit.

I offer a polite smile, not really in the mood but trying.

The blond one sits closer to me. “I’m Aaron” he says. “And you are…?”

“Elena.”

“Pretty name,” he says with a grin.

I smile, faint but polite.

And then

A sensation rolls over me, heavy, warm and intense.

It was like someone just touched the back of my neck without actually touching me.

I glance, slowly, toward the VIP section.

My breath stops.

Julian.

Sitting on a plush dark booth above the main floor. A drink in his hand. A friend beside him,with dark hair.

But Julian isn’t listening to him.

He’s staring at me.

His green eyes locked on me with quiet, unreadable intensity, not cold or distant, almost… possessive.

My heart trips.

Nora follows my line of sight and whispers under her breath, “Holy. Shit.”

I look away quickly, pretending I didn’t see him.

But I feel him.

Watching.

Aaron leans closer. “You look tense. Everything okay?”

I force a small laugh. “Yeah, just tired.”

He keeps talking, but I can’t hear him.

My skin tingles under Julian’s stare.

My pulse won’t calm down.

Why is he here?

Why here?

And why does he look at me like that after telling me to forget him?

Nora nudges me subtly, mouthing, He’s watching you.

I know.

I can feel the heat crawl up my neck.

I turned one more time to look at at him as julian’s friend says something to him, but Julian’s eyes don’t move from me. Not once, his jaw clenches slightly, his fingers drum against his glass.

Jealousy.

The realization hits me so hard I almost laugh.

He’s jealous.

After everything he said today, after cutting me off, after pretending Santorini meant nothing, after telling me to forget.

He’s jealous.

Something wild stirs inside me, something reckless, something hurt and angry and tired of pretending.

So I turn slowly toward Aaron, I tuck my hair behind my ear, and lean in just a little, not too much.

Just enough for Julian to see.

Aaron grins, clearly pleased by the attention, completely unaware he’s a pawn in a war he didn’t start.

I take a sip of my drink, letting my lips linger on the straw.

Pretending Julian Stone doesn’t have the power to pull me apart with a single look.

But when I glance back at him

His expression has changed.

His jaw tight.

His hand wrapped too firmly around the glass.

His eyes fixed on me like I’m doing something wrong.

Like I belong to him.

I look away again, heat curling in my stomach.

Nora kicks my leg under the table, lean forward and whisper “Elena, he’s about to set the bar on fire with his eyes.”

“I don’t care,” I whisper back even though my pulse is betraying me.

But then

The air shifts.

I feel it before I see it.

A shadow falls over our booth, the air felt cold 

Nora’s eyes widen.

Aaron stops mid-sentence.

My heart slams against my ribs.

I turn

And Julian is standing right beside our table.

Tall, cold, dangerous in that quiet, controlled way only he can be.

His friend is behind him, looking uncomfortable, like Julian didn’t give him a choice but to follow.

Julian’s eyes flick once to Aaron sharp, assessing him before settling on me.

“Elena” he says, his voice low, steady. “A word.”

My breath catches.

I swallow hard. “I’m… busy.”

His jaw flexes.

“I wasn’t asking.”

 I hear Nora whispers, “Oh my God,” under her breath.

Aaron shifts, confused. “Hey, man, we’re just talking...”

Julian looks at him, slowly, with the kind of expression that could freeze fire.

Aaron shuts his mouth instantly.

Then Julian looks back at me.

“Now, Elena.”

This is it, the moment I prove that his control stops at the door of his office. 

 I don't move, instead I stay seated, meeting his gaze.

"No" I say, my voice trembling slightly, but loud enough to be heard over the bar music.

Julian goes utterly still, his eyes narrow, the green suddenly cold and intense. 

"Excuse me?" he asks, the two words broke the sudden silence in our booth.

"I'm having a private conversation with my friends, Mr. Stone" I reply, pulling the professional shield up, even though my hands are shaking beneath the table."If you have something urgent related to work, you can send an email on Monday."

Julian’s friend takes a nervous step back, Nora looks like she might pass out from shock, Aaron and his friend are completely lost.

Julian stares at me, his expression transitioning from fury to something far more controlled, and far more terrifying.

"You misunderstand the situation, Elena," he says, his voice calm. 

 I hold his gaze, refusing to be the first one to break.

After another eternity of tense quiet, Julian slowly pushes his hands into the pockets of his tailored trousers. 

He gives me one final, penetrating look, a promise that this conversation is far from over then he turns away from the table, heading toward the exit.

“Let’s go,” he say to his friend.

He walks past the crowded bar, and disappears through the exit without a backward glance.

The second the door closes behind him, the tension in our booth shatters, Nora gasps, Aaron stares at the empty doorway, and I lean back, utterly drained.

Nora leans in close, her eyes wide "Elena" she whispers. "Oh my God."

She grips my arm. "He looked at you."

"He looked at you like you are already his."