Se connecterElaraWhen we reached the doors, a staff member opened them for us. Cool air brushed over my face, carrying the faint, sweet scent of flowers from somewhere deeper inside the house. Levi walked beside me for a few steps before stopping."Elara." I turned. He looked at me for a moment, almost as though he was deciding whether to say something. "If you ever want to talk," he said quietly, "I’m around."My brows pulled together. "About what?""Anything." His eyes stayed locked on mine. "You don’t have to explain yourself. You don’t have to make it sound reasonable. If something is bothering you, you can talk to me."My fingers curled around the strap of my bag. "I know.""I mean it." There was no pressure in his voice, which only made it harder to dismiss.I gave him a small nod. "Thank you."He studied my face for another second before stepping aside. "Get some rest.""You say that like I’m eighty.""You’re pregnant.""Levi..” I scoffed “I am aware."That finally brought a genuine smil
Elara I was still trying to process what I’d just seen. The room seemed to shrink, the air turning instantly thin and freezing cold. The reporter's voice dragged on, slicing right through the heavy silence. "Roman Blackwood, CEO of Blackwood Dominion, has officially announced his engagement to longtime socialite and fragrance entrepreneur Veena Dumont. Sources close to the couple say the wedding is expected to take place soon as preparations are ongoing…"I stopped hearing the rest. The screen changed, showing a photograph of Roman and Veena at some glamorous event. Veena was wearing a massive diamond ring. Roman’s hand rested comfortably against her waist. She was smiling, and he was smiling too, the same warm smile he had given me on the day of our anniversary. After he pressed a kiss on my head and promised he’d never miss dinner. The same man who told me I was the only thing he needed in his life. The same man who promised he would come home to me at seven.As I looked at hi
ElaraI watched him walk toward the door, and then I remembered that I had woken up feeling uneasy. "Levi?"He turned."Can you take me to the hospital?" I asked. His brows immediately drew together, silently asking if I was hurting. "I just want to get checked again. After everything that happened, I don’t want to assume I’m fine just because I feel fine."His expression softened, and he didn't argue or tell me I was overreacting. He simply nodded. "Of course I’ll take you."The drive to the hospital was quiet. Not uncomfortable. Just quiet. I sat in the passenger seat with my hand resting against my stomach while Levi drove. He kept one hand on the steering wheel, and his other rested near the center console. Every few minutes, his eyes flicked toward me. I noticed the third time."You can stop checking," I said."I’m just making sure you’re still awake.""I’m awake.""You were quiet.""I know. I’m just thinking.""That’s dangerous," he replied smoothly.I turned toward him. "Are
ElaraMom was right. We really never know. Just a week ago, I got the happiest news of my life. I was going to celebrate with Roman. But now, I was under the protection of someone else. A total stranger. "Since when are you so philosophical?" I rolled my eyes. "Since I moved into a mansion."A real and unburdened sound of warm laughter escaped me and mom smiled warmly. Then she looked toward the withered garden again, her expression softening. "I haven’t seen you laugh like that in a while." She saidThe words stole the humor right out of my chest, leaving an aching hollow in its place. I looked away. She didn’t say anything else, and neither did I.A few hours later, dinner was served just after seven. There was far too much food, spread out over the long dining table like a banquet.Mira looked absolutely delighted. "Now this," she declared as she sat down, "is what I call a recovery."I shook my head, amused. "You’re impossible.""You’ll thank me when you eat."I looked aroun
ElaraLevi didn’t answer. The silence stretched between us."Levi?"His eyes shifted toward the window, refusing to meet mine, before finally drifting back to me. For the first time since I’d met him, he looked uncomfortable. Not guarded. Not serious. Anxious. His fingers rubbed slowly over the back of his neck again."It’s a long story.""About someone who used to live here?"He looked at me, and I waited. Finally, he let out a heavy breath. "It can be a topic for another day."I studied his face. Something inside me prickled. It wasn’t fear exactly, but something closer to recognition. Except I didn’t recognize the feeling. I looked toward the empty hallway. "Kaya sounds like someone you were close to."His mouth tightened into a hard line. "Leave it, Elara. I don’t want to lie to you," he said softly.The way he said my name made me stop. That caught me off guard. "Okay… So tell me.""Not tonight." His dark eyes locked onto mine, pleading for understanding. "There are things abo
Elara We went back to the apartment in the morning. There were still officers outside. I packed only what mattered. My clothes, my notebooks, some of my mother's things. Then I left the rest where it fell. Levi sent a moving company. I almost argued about it, then I remembered the two men who had followed our car here, and I didn't bother.By noon, the apartment was empty. Mira stood in the middle of the bare living room for a long moment. "This was home."I took her hand. "It still is.""Not anymore."I squeezed her fingers. "Then we'll make another one."Our things were moved to a storage unit. Mom took the key and shoved it into her bag. We were going to Levi’s. Since he was still a stranger who was being nice, we didn’t want to inconvenience him or his family with unnecessary luggage. We packed light. Just a few dresses, my laptop, flat shoes to move around in. That was all. An hour later, the massive gates of Levi's estate opened in front of us, and my breath caught. It was







