First Love Returns

Chapter Three

Elena woke up on the couch in the living room. She had fallen asleep there after crying all night about Mrs. Kaelthorn's visit. Her knees still hurt from kneeling on the marble floor.

She looked at the clock. Seven in the morning. Jack never came home last night.

Elena went to the kitchen to make coffee. Maybe Jack worked all night at the office again. Maybe he was avoiding her after hearing about the hospital incident. Either way, she felt more alone than ever.

She was pouring coffee when she heard car doors outside. Two car doors. Elena frowned. Jack always came home alone.

The front door opened and Elena heard voices. Jack's voice and a woman's laugh. A beautiful, musical laugh that made Elena's heart sink.

Elena walked to the entrance hall and froze.

Jack stood in the doorway with the most beautiful woman Elena had ever seen. She was tall and elegant with long black hair and perfect skin. She wore a designer white dress that probably cost more than Elena's car. Her jewelry was real diamonds.

But Elena recognized her immediately. Victoria Ravencrest. Jack's first love. The woman whose picture had been hanging in Jack's bedroom when they first got married. Elena had asked Jack to remove it, and he did, but not before Elena memorized every detail of that perfect face.

"Oh," Victoria said when she saw Elena. "You must be the wife."

Elena felt her heart break a little more. "I'm Elena."

"Right. Elena." Victoria looked her up and down with cold eyes. "Jack has told me so much about you."

Elena looked at Jack, hoping he would say something. Anything. But Jack wouldn't even look at her. He was staring at Victoria like Elena wasn't even there.

"Jack?" Elena said softly. "You didn't come home last night. I was worried."

Jack finally stared at her, but his eyes were cold. "I was busy."

That was it. No explanation or apology. Just cold indifference.

Victoria smiled sweetly, but her eyes were cruel. "Jack and I had so much catching up to do. We talked all night at his penthouse downtown."

Elena's world tilted. Jack had a penthouse downtown? She didn't even know about it.

"Penthouse?" Elena asked weakly.

"Oh, you don't know about it?" Victoria laughed. "Jack keeps it for business meetings. Very private business meetings."

The way she said "business meetings" made Elena feel sick.

Jack walked past Elena like she was invisible. "Victoria, let me show you the house."

Elena followed behind them like a ghost. She watched Jack smile at Victoria the way he had never smiled at her. She watched him laugh at Victoria's jokes. She watched him touch Victoria's arm gently when he pointed out different rooms.

"This house is beautiful, Jack," Victoria said. "Much better than that tiny apartment you had in college."

"You remember my apartment?" Jack asked with a real smile.

"Of course I remember," Victoria touched his hand. "I remember everything about us."

Elena felt tears coming. She tried to blink them away, but Victoria noticed.

"Oh no, Elena. Are you crying?" Victoria asked with fake concern. "Did I say something wrong?"

"I'm fine," Elena whispered.

"She's always emotional," Jack said dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

Elena felt like she'd been slapped. Jack had never talked about her like that before.

They moved to the living room. Jack sat next to Victoria on the couch. Elena sat across from them, feeling like an outsider in her own home.

"So Elena," Victoria said sweetly. "Jack tells me you can't have children. That must be so hard for you."

Elena's face burned with shame. Jack had discussed their private problems with Victoria?

"We're still trying," Elena said quietly.

"Still trying?" Victoria laughed. "After three years? Maybe it's time to accept reality."

Jack didn't defend Elena. He just sat there, nodding.

"I always knew I wanted children," Victoria continued. "That's one reason I came back to Vaelthorne City. I'm ready to settle down and start a family now that my modeling career is established."

"Your modeling career?" Elena asked, though she regretted it immediately.

"International modeling," Victoria said proudly. "Lysandria, Celestria, Valdoria. I was the face of five major campaigns last year alone. But family is more important than career, don't you think?"

Elena nodded, not trusting her voice.

"Of course, I could only settle down with the right man," Victoria looked at Jack meaningfully. "Someone from a good family. Someone successful. Someone who shares my values."

Jack smiled at her. "You always were ambitious."

"We always were a good match," Victoria corrected. "Our families have been friends for generations. Our parents always said we were perfect for each other."

Elena felt like she was disappearing. They talked about their past like she wasn't even there. Like she was just a piece of furniture.

"Remember our engagement party?" Victoria asked Jack. "Before I left for Lysandria?"

Elena's heart stopped. "Engagement party?"

Jack looked uncomfortable for the first time. "That was a long time ago."

"Not that long ago," Victoria smiled. "What was it, five years? We were so young and in love. If I hadn't gotten that modeling contract..."

She trailed off and looked at Elena with pity. "But things happen for a reason, don't you think?"

Linc appeared in the doorway. "Mr. Kaelthorn, breakfast is ready in the dining room."

"Perfect," Jack said. He offered his arm to Victoria. "Shall we?"

Victoria took his arm naturally, like she had done it a thousand times before. They walked toward the dining room together, talking quietly and laughing.

Elena followed behind like a servant.

In the dining room, Jack pulled out a chair for Victoria. The same chair Elena usually sat in. Victoria sat down gracefully, smoothing her perfect dress.

Jack sat at the head of the table. Elena stood awkwardly, not sure where to sit now.

"Elena, aren't you joining us?" Victoria asked sweetly.

Jack looked up like he had forgotten Elena was there. "Oh. Right. You can sit there." He pointed to a chair at the far end of the table. Away from both of them.

Elena sat down quietly. The servants brought out perfect breakfast dishes. Fresh fruit, imported pastries, the best coffee money could buy.

"This is delicious," Victoria said. "Much better than the food in Lysandria."

"You were in Lysandria?" Elena asked, trying to join the conversation.

"Lysandria, Celestria, Valdoria," Victoria said casually. "My father has businesses all over the countries. I was learning the family trade."

More business connections. More wealth. More everything Elena didn't have.

"The Ravencrest family owns shipping companies across three countries," Jack explained to Elena, though he was really talking to Victoria. "Very impressive empire."

"Not as impressive as what you've built here," Victoria said, touching Jack's hand lightly. "I've been reading about Kaelthorn Corporation in international newspapers. You've become quite powerful."

Jack's chest puffed up with pride. Elena had never seen him look so happy.

"Perhaps you'd like a tour of the company building later?" Jack suggested.

"I'd love that," Victoria smiled. "I'm very interested in seeing how you've expanded since I've been away."

Since she'd been away. Like she had a right to be involved. Like she belonged here.

Elena tried to eat, but everything tasted like cardboard. She watched Jack and Victoria talk about business, about mutual friends, about places Elena had never been and would never go.

"Elena, you're very quiet," Victoria said suddenly. "Don't you have any opinions about business? Or are you more interested in... other things?"

The question was a trap. If Elena said she was interested in business, Victoria would ask questions Elena couldn't answer. If she said she wasn't interested, she would look stupid.

"I support whatever makes Jack happy," Elena said carefully.

"How sweet," Victoria said, but her tone was mocking. "The supportive wife. How... traditional."

Jack didn't defend Elena. He didn't say anything at all.

After breakfast, Jack stood up. "Victoria, let me show you the gardens."

"I'd love to see them," Victoria said, standing gracefully.

They walked outside together, leaving Elena sitting alone at the table. Through the window, Elena watched Jack give Victoria a complete tour. He pointed out different flowers, explained the new fountain, and showed her the tennis court.

Elena had never gotten a tour. When she first moved in, Jack had just pointed her toward her room and left her to figure everything out herself.

But with Victoria, he was a good tour guide. Excited. He looked like a man showing off his home to someone who mattered.

Elena went upstairs to their bedroom and opened Jack's desk drawer. The silver picture frame was still there, but it was facing up now instead of face down. Victoria's beautiful face smiled up at Elena from the photo.

In the picture, Jack and Victoria were at some fancy party. Jack was wearing a tuxedo and Victoria wore a stunning gold dress. They looked perfect together. Like they were made for each other.

Elena had never looked that elegant. Had never fit into Jack's world the way Victoria obviously did.

She could hear them laughing outside. Real, genuine laughter. The kind of joy Elena had been trying to give Jack for three years but never could.

Elena sat on the bed and cried.

Victoria was everything Elena wasn't. Beautiful, educated, sophisticated, from the right family. She spoke five languages while Elena sometimes struggled with one. She had business degrees while Elena had barely graduated high school.

Most importantly, Victoria made Jack happy. Elena could see it in his face, hear it in his voice. This was the real Jack. The man Elena had fallen in love with but could never reach.

Elena looked at herself in the mirror. Next to Victoria, she looked like exactly what Mrs. Kaelthorn called her. A poor orphan playing dress up in expensive clothes.

Her phone buzzed. A text from Jack: "Taking Victoria to the office. Don't wait up for dinner."

Don't wait up. Like Elena was a child being told bedtime rules.

Elena turned off her phone and lay down on the bed. Tomorrow was Friday. Her appointment with Dr. Mortaine. Her last chance to save her marriage.

But looking at Jack with Victoria, Elena wondered if it was already too late. Maybe Jack had already made his choice. Maybe Victoria's return wasn't a coincidence.

Maybe Mrs. Kaelthorn was right. Maybe it was time for Elena to let go and let Jack be happy with someone who actually deserved him.

Elena closed her eyes and tried to stop crying. But the tears kept coming. Because deep down, she knew the truth.

Jack had never looked at Elena the way he looked at Victoria. Not once in their three years of marriage.

And he probably never would.