جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 150

Elena… blinked.Then let her shoulders go slack, posture shifting from ‘I could kill you with a spoon’ to ‘I’m a fragile socialite who’s never worked a day in her life.’A transformation so smooth it was eerie.Lysandra stepped closer and grabbed Elena’s wrist.It wasn’t subtle.It wasn’t smart.And it definitely wasn’t legal.She hissed right in Elena’s face. “You think Roman is going to keep choosing YOU? You think you can just strut around like you’re safe?”People gathered now.A crowd.Phones up.Lysandra saw her chance and went for the kill move.She jerked her own body backward, in perfect staged theatrics, planning to make it look like Elena shoved her to the ground.It should’ve been flawless.Except...Elena fell first.Hard.Like she had been the one shoved.The crowd gasped. Phones froze mid record.Jace cursed loudly: “Oh HELL no...”Lysandra’s brain short circuited.She had counted on Elena pushing her. Not… collapsing.She stared down at Elena, stunned, because instead

As if summoned, the handsome guy glanced over, and Jace immediately ducked.“OH GOD HE LOOKED AT ME. ABORT MISSION.” He grabbed her arm. “Elena I’m dying.”“You’re already dramatic,” she muttered, but underneath the sarcasm she was smiling.Because the truth was, this was the first time in days she’d laughed without thinking about gunshots, tracking signals, or blood staining concrete.Jace leaned in, whispering urgently, “He’s walking this way.”Elena snorted. “Then say hi.”“I can’t just say hi, this is a Disney romance moment, there should be background music, fireworks, at least a breeze...”Elena deadpanned, “There is a breeze. It smells like mall fries.”Jace slapped her arm lightly. “ELENA FOCUS.”The man passed by, slow, deliberate, and smiled at Jace.Jace immediately froze like someone had unplugged him.A beat passed.Two.Three.Then Jace turned to Elena with the most serious whisper of his life: “Elena. I’m calling it. I’m in love.”Elena stared at him, deeply unimpressed

Senator Vauxhaul descended slowly, looking at her like she’d detonated a bomb in his living room.“Explain,” he said, voice cold as stone.Lysandra opened her mouth, but her voice cracked.“She... she humiliated me... she set me up... she...”“YOU ATTACKED A CIVILIAN ON CAMERA!” he thundered.Her breath hitched.“Do you have any idea,” he continued, stepping closer, tone deadly, “what this will do to my campaign? To our political alliances? To the donors watching this unfold?”Tears blurred her vision.“I can fix it,” she whispered.Her father scoffed. “You can’t fix anything.”She flinched.“You will stay inside this house,” he said, pointing at her like she was a prisoner. “You will not go anywhere, do anything, or speak to ANYONE until my team cleans up your mess.”“Father, I...”“And if you fail again,” he added quietly, “I will cut you off.”The world stopped.Her breath caught in her throat.“Go to your room. And pray the media cycle shifts quickly.”Lysandra couldn’t move.Her

Jace slapped her arm. “ANSWER HIM. ANSWER HIM NOW. HE KNOWS. HE DEFINITELY KNOWS. YOUR HUSBAND IS CALLING ABOUT THE FINANCIAL APOCALYPSE YOU JUST CREATED.”Elena stretched her fingers like a pianist preparing for a performance.She let the phone buzz again, once, twice, letting anticipation coil like a cat ready to pounce. Then she finally hit accept and brought it to her ear, “Hello, husband.”There was a brief silence on the line. Not empty, heavy. The kind of silence Roman used when he was deciding whether to kiss someone or interrogate them.Then his voice came through, smooth like expensive whiskey poured over ice. “Elena.”Just her name. But she could feel the raised brow behind it.She smiled. “You sound tense.”“I’m not tense,” Roman said calmly. “I’m curious.”“Mmm. About what?”“A transaction,” he replied, tone razor sharp and controlled. “Ninety seven million withdrawn from our marital account.”Jace shoved his fist in his mouth to keep from screaming.Elena smirked. “Oh th

Roman closed his eyes for one long moment, as if speaking to an invisible therapist.Hale let out a strangled noise that might’ve been a smothered laugh.Roman snapped his eyes open. “Are you telling me you spent ninety seven million dollars...”Elena blinked. “Yes.”“...and THEN, as an afterthought, bought me a ceramic cat that costs less than my breakfast?”“Yes.”Jace quietly slid behind a plant.Roman ran a hand over his jaw, exhaling through his teeth. “Elena. Elena. Elena.”She smirked. “You said you wanted the gift.”“I assumed,” he said, voice dangerously soft, “you bought something appropriate for a man in my position.”“I did. It’s dignified.”“It’s a cat with googly eyes.”“They’re soulful.”“Elena,” he said slowly, “why is this cat looking into my soul?”“Because you two match.”Hale wheezed and had to turn away again.Roman stared at her, equal parts annoyed, confused, amused, and slightly enchanted against his will.“Elena,” he said, lowering the cat to his desk, “where.