บททั้งหมดของ Crossed Lines: บทที่ 81 - บทที่ 90

POV: ElaraBy the time she reached CrossTech that morning, her name was already trending.Not for a new launch.Not for a strategic win.For a picture.One grainy shot of Damon standing too close to Isabelle outside his office, his hand half-lifted in what could have been a gesture of dismissal… or something else.The caption read:> “CrossTech CEO’s former fiancée seen back in the picture. Sources claim ‘lingering affection’ behind closed doors.”Elara set her tablet down before she crushed it.She’d seen this tactic before, Clarisse didn’t always use brute force. Sometimes, she let suggestion do the bleeding. And Isabelle… Isabelle knew exactly how to frame a narrative that sold.She was halfway through deleting messages from gossip reporters when Damon appeared in her doorway.“Elara—”“Don’t,” she said without looking up. “If you start with it’s not what it looks like, I’ll throw this stylus at you.”He exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair. “It really isn’t.”“I know,” she ad

POV: ElaraThe morning came too quickly.Light spilled through the blinds in long, unforgiving slants; too bright, too steady for the weight pressing against her ribs.Elara sat at the edge of her bed, the silk of her night robe creasing under her fingers.She hadn’t slept. Not really. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him, the quiet wreckage in his face when he’d spoken Isabelle’s name.She’d gone there last night intending to be rational. To tell him they couldn’t let Clarisse or the media come between them professionally. That whatever this thing between them was, it needed to stay… contained.Controlled.But then he’d looked at her like that, stripped of all the walls and sharp edges, and she’d realized something terrifying:Damon Cross wasn’t the only one with ghosts.She rose and walked toward the window, tugging the curtain aside. The city was awake already — efficient, indifferent, alive. The hum of traffic and people below had always soothed her; it made her feel small

POV: ElaraBy the time she arrived at CrossTech, the city was wide awake, horns blaring, morning rush flooding the streets, the usual pulse of controlled chaos.But for once, Elara didn’t feel like she was sprinting to keep up.She moved through the glass lobby with calm precision, coffee in one hand, tablet in the other. Her reflection ghosted across the elevator doors; composed, collected, but lighter somehow. The shadows beneath her eyes were still there, but softer. The kind that came from sleepless peace, not exhaustion.The elevator hummed upward. Her chest tightened slightly when the floor numbers blurred past, but not from nerves. It was the memory of the taste of his mouth in that same confined space, the echo of his voice saying her name like a secret.When the doors opened, she stepped into the strategy floor, a dozen eyes flicking toward her. Whispers; faint and cautious, trailed behind. Ever since the launch, people had been looking at her differently. The fake relationsh

POV: Ava Ava Duval had always hated the feeling of walking into her mother’s world — all polished marble and poison smiles. But today, Clarisse’s approval was her only chance at staying afloat. The charity had dried up funding. She needed money. Influence. A lifeline. And Clarisse knew it. “You’ve done good work, darling,” Clarisse said sweetly, pouring tea. “It’s a shame your sister doesn’t see the value in family loyalty.” Ava’s smile faltered. “Elara isn’t…” “Isn’t what? Grateful? Cooperative? She’s been hiding things from us, Ava. Things that could destroy her if the world knew.” Ava froze. “What are you talking about?” Clarisse slid a tablet across the table. A folder was open; code logs, screenshots, financial traces. “ShadowByte. Ring any bells?” Ava’s mouth went dry. “That’s impossible.” Clarisse’s expression was pitying. “My sweet girl, I wouldn’t lie about something this serious. Your sister has been living a double life. Imagine the scandal. Cross Tech partnering

POV: ElaraBy the time the headlines reached her phone, it was already too late.CROSSTECH CEO DEFENDS LOVER IN PRESS FIRESTORM.ELARA DUVAL: THE WOMAN BEHIND THE MAN.THE MERGER’S REAL HEARTBEAT: LOVE OR LEVERAGE?The words blurred after a while. She turned the screen facedown, but the damage had already woven itself beneath her skin.She’d known Damon’s instincts were built on control. That was part of what made him so brilliant and dangerous. But she hadn’t expected him to wield that control on her behalf, without her consent.Not like this.The apartment was quiet except for the hum of the city outside and the soft tap of rain against the windows. She sat cross-legged on the couch, a duffel bag open beside her. The rhythm of packing was mechanical: one folded blouse, one closed laptop, one piece of her life sealed away.The doorbell rang once.She hesitated, then went to open it.Hailey stood there, damp from the rain, holding a paper bag that smelled faintly of takeout noodles.