003: The Name She Buried

Elena sat on the edge of the large bed and looked around the room.

Everything felt unfamiliar.

The room was bigger than the entire apartment she had lived in before marrying Adrian. The furniture was expensive, the walls were painted in soft colors, and fresh flowers sat on a table near the window.

Yet none of it made her feel comfortable.

This wasn't her home.

A few hours ago, she had been preparing an anniversary dinner for her husband.

Now she was living in another man's house.

The thought alone made her chest ache.

A maid knocked gently before entering.

"Miss Elena, dinner is ready."

Elena forced a smile and thanked her.

The woman looked kind, but Elena wasn't hungry.

The moment the maid left, Elena reached for her phone.

No messages.

No missed calls.

Nothing from Adrian.

She stared at the screen for several seconds.

Not even a single text asking if she arrived safely.

Three years together, and he let her walk away without looking back.

For the first time that night, Elena allowed herself to cry.

The tears came quietly.

Not because Adrian cheated.

Not because Vanessa betrayed her.

But because she finally understood something she had refused to admit for years.

Adrian never loved her the way she loved him.

Every sacrifice she made had been one-sided.

Every excuse she created for him had been pointless. She had always given him the benefit of the doubt and trusted him.

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

This time, it was Damian.

He stepped into the room and noticed her red eyes immediately.

Neither of them mentioned it.

"Did you eat?" he asked.

Elena shook her head.

"You should."

"I'm not hungry."

Damian placed a file on the table beside her.

"Read that when you're ready."

Elena frowned.

"What is it?"

"Information about the contract."

After saying that, he left the room.

Elena waited until the door closed before opening the file.

The contract wasn't what she expected.

There were no ridiculous conditions.

No demands.

No mention of sharing a room.

Instead, it included personal security, medical coverage, a monthly allowance, and complete freedom after one year.

The more she read, the more confused she became.

Why would a man spend so much money just to keep her around?

It didn't make sense.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone suddenly rang.

The number was unfamiliar.

She almost ignored it.

Almost.

"Hello?"

"Miss Elena Vale?"

Her body froze.

Nobody had called her that name in years.

The name brought back memories she had spent a long time trying to forget.

The voice on the phone continued.

"Your grandfather has been looking for you. We finally found your location."

Elena slowly stood from the bed.

Her heart was beating too fast.

"How did you get this number?"

"We've been searching for you since you disappeared."

She closed her eyes.

The past she had buried was finally finding its way back to her.

"Miss Elena, your grandfather wants you home."

Elena ended the call without answering.

For a long moment, she stood there staring at nothing.

Then she looked at her reflection in the mirror.

Elena Sterling.

That was the name she had been living under for years.

But before Adrian.

Before the marriage.

Before she chose love over everything else.

She had another name.

A name powerful enough to change everything.

A name she thought she would never use again.

Elena Vale.

And very soon, everyone would know it.