Chapter 3: Three Can Play This Game

“No... Please... Don’t go... No... NO!” Elara screamed out as her eyes flew open.

She abruptly sat up on the bed, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she looked at her surroundings. The white pale walls, the beeping sound of machines, the faint smell of antiseptic... She was at a hospital.

Her hand instinctively went to her head. No pain, not even a bump.

The door opened and the nurse walked in, holding a magazine in her hand. The nurse’s brows raised in surprise.

“Ma’am, you’re awake!” She smiled, placing the paper on the stool.

“Where am I? How am I... here?” Elara spoke as the nurse checked her vitals.

“You fainted, Miss. The results show that it was due to lack of sleep so your system automatically shut down. It’s important you...”

Elara zoned out at the nurse’s words. Stress? What is she talking about? What is happening?

Her gaze went to the magazine on the stool and she quickly grabbed it with wide eyes.

‘Summer 2021: July Issue.’

Two thousand and twenty-one?

She squeezed her eyes shut, a laugh bubbling up in her chest. Has her dying body started hallucinating things? She opened her eyes and the magazine still read the same.

Her gaze flew to the calendar on the wall. August 2, 2021.

Five years. Exactly five years in the past. Her eyes widened when she remembered this day — the day she had fainted in public due to stress — it was that day.

A tear fell from her eyes but this time it wasn’t that of sorrow but of joy, gratitude, and a strong resolve to change from that meek, foolish woman she once was to the woman she had always wanted to be.

“Uhh... I’ll get your details so I can discharge you,” the nurse said and walked away, glancing weirdly at Elara who had just teared up for no reason.

Elara got down from the bed, changing into her clothes before leaving the hospital. She heaved as her gaze traveled through the busy road.

Her phone dinged and she checked to see it was a reminder set for her anniversary with Vance, which was in three days. They had been dating for two years.

A smirk crept up her lips.

How could she forget that day? The most pivotal moment in her life — the day she enslaved herself to Vance. The day Vance proposed to her.

Well, things weren’t going to be the same this time. Fate had given her a second chance and she would use it right, no matter what it cost her.

Deciding to just end everything with him, she was about to call him but on second thought, she decided to go meet him in person.

Elara immediately boarded a taxi which drove her to Vance’s place.

Getting there, Elara stood outside for a few minutes, staring at the building as memories of their love, the time spent together came in — all just bitter memories to her now.

She heaved in before making her way inside. She made to knock but suddenly changed her mind and decided to use the spare keys he had given her.

Entering, her gaze landed on a pair of heels. That pricked her curiosity, so she quietly made her way upstairs.

“Oh Vance! Fuck...” she heard a high-pitched moan coming from the slightly opened door. She peeped in.

Elara tilted her head to the side, her eyes lit with mischief as she watched the scene that welcomed her.

Vance and Lyra, stark naked with Lyra on top. Vance grabbed her ass cheek tightly as he thrust in and out of Lyra, who slammed her lips against his, sweat dripping from their bodies.

Elara felt a pang in her heart. Was it heartbreak or disappointment? She couldn’t tell. What was clear to her at that moment was that they had been seeing each other for a long time — way before her marriage to Vance. She had made a fool of herself to them for all those years.

Lyra moaned out as she reached her climax, collapsing on Vance. Vance held her dearly, placing a kiss on her forehead.

“I’ll propose to Elara in three days,” Vance cut the silence.

Lyra immediately sat up, displeasure clearly contouring her face. “Don’t you think this is a bad time for you to tell me that?”

“We’ve talked about it, love. She’s just a tool for my career. Her excellent knowledge in business has helped me a lot in my career. I just need to keep her caged to me, then once I’ve achieved what I want from her, I will divorce her and we can be together,” he said.

Lyra stared at him with a frown on her face but finally nodded as she smiled slowly.

“On my part, I’ll figure out what to do with my fiancé. I refuse to get married to someone I know nothing about just because of a stupid contract,” Lyra scoffed, laying back down on Vance’s chest. “Anyway, he spoils me with money. I’ll just suck him dry first,” Lyra smirked.

“That’s why I love you,” Vance smiled, placing a kiss on her head.

Once Elara felt she had seen enough, she placed her hand on the door and was about to barge in when she suddenly paused as a thought came into her mind.

With a smirk, she brought out her phone, taking a few pictures of them before she quietly stepped back and walked away, exiting the house.

Elara stood at the entrance of the apartment, her arms crossed as her finger tapped the back of her phone.

“He spoils you with money, huh?” A faint, calculative smile played on her lips as she swiped through the pictures. “Too bad for you... Now I want him to myself too,” she muttered before dialing Vance’s line.

He picked immediately. “Babe, where are you? I’ve sent tons of messages to you,” he said.

If Elara hadn’t known better, if she hadn’t just witnessed the disgusting scene of him and Lyra, she would have been swooned by how worried and intentional his voice sounded at that moment.

“I’m in front of your apartment. Open up, I lost the spare keys you gave me,” she muttered simply.

“In front of my apartment? For how long have you been there!” Elara almost laughed at how fast his tone changed.

“I just arrived.”

“Alright, I’m coming right now.” He said and she hung up.

Ten minutes later, Vance opened the door wearing a pair of shorts with a shirt that was loosely buttoned up.

“Babe,” he muttered with a practiced smile. “You didn’t tell me you were coming,” he said.

Elara smiled. “I had something to do around here so I decided to drop by,” she replied, walking in.

“I have a visitor. A friend of mine I’ve been meaning to introduce to you,” Vance said as they walked into the living room.

Lyra, who was sitting on the couch, turned to them and smiled before standing up.

“It’s so nice to finally meet you. Vance talks about you all the time,” Lyra chuckled. “I’m Lyra Flynn,” she muttered, extending her hand.

Elara smiled and shook her hand. “Elara Hayes. I hope we get along well,” she said as she smiled even more.

‘Three can definitely play this game.’