All Chapters of My Ex, My Ruin: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Elena's POV:I stood in front of the gleaming glass building, rain soaking through my inadequate jacket, staring up at the penthouse where warm golden light spilled from every window. The sound of laughter and music drifted down from twenty floors. My hands shook as I clutched Miguel's graduation photo, wrinkled and damp from my grip.Miguel had been missing for four days, and I was standing there like a fool, about to humiliate myself in front of the one person who had every right to slam the door in my face.But he was also the only person with the connections I needed.The elevator ride to the top felt endless. My reflection in the polished steel doors showed exactly what I had expected: a woman hanging by a thread. Dark circles under my eyes, hair escaping from its messy bun, clothes that hadn't been changed in two days because I had been too busy calling hospitals and police stations and anyone who might have seen my little brother.The elevator dinged, and suddenly I was standin

Elena's POV:I had hung up from another dead-end call and stared at my phone, willing it to ring with good news. Through the study door, I could hear the muffled sounds of Adrien's party, continued laughter, clinking glasses, the kind of carefree celebration that felt like it belonged to another universe.When the door opened, I expected to see Sophia's perfectly composed face, ready to escort me out with polite firmness. Instead, it was Adrien, carrying two cups of coffee and looking like he was steeling himself for battle."Black, no sugar," he said, setting one cup in front of me. "Unless you've changed."I haven't... The fact that he remembered this small detail after three years of silence made something twist painfully in my chest. "Thank you."He settled into the chair across from his desk not behind it, I noticed He’s not putting a barrier between us. The coffee was perfect, rich and strong, exactly how I needed it right then."Tell me about Miguel," he said quietly.The sound

Elena's Pov:The warehouse district at three in the morning felt like a different planet from Adrien's penthouse world. Broken streetlights cast uneven shadows between abandoned buildings, and the air smelled of rust, decay, and something else I didn't want to identify. I pulled my jacket tighter around myself as Adrien parked his sleek BMW behind a rusted dumpster."You should have stayed at the hotel," he said, his voice tight with concern as he scanned the desolate street. "This isn't safe.""Miguel is my brother." "I'm not sitting in some hotel room while you investigate his disappearance."Adrien's contact had been surprisingly helpful for a former FBI agent who clearly owed Adrien more than one favor. Within hours, Michae; had tracked Miguel's last known location to this industrial hellscape in Queens, following the trail of his credit card and cell phone pings before both had gone dark four days ago."Building 47," Adrien murmured, pointing to a structure that looked like it ha

Elena's POVI woke to the sound of gravel crunching in the parking lot. Adrien was already awake, standing at the window with his phone pressed to his ear."I understand you're upset," he was saying, his voice tight with tension. "But it's not what you think. The car broke down, and this was the only place" He stopped, listening. "Sophie, please. Just let me explain when I get back."My stomach dropped. I sat up slowly, running my hands through my tangled hair, and that's when I heard it. The unmistakable sound of heels on pavement, moving fast. Angry.Adrien's face went pale. "Sophie, where are you right now?"He pulled the phone away from his ear, staring at it. "She hung up." He turned to look at me, and I saw panic in his eyes. "She's here. She tracked my location.""What?" I scrambled out of bed just as a sharp knock rattled the motel room door. Not a polite knock. An accusatory one."Adrien!" Sophie's voice came through the thin door, sharp and furious. "I know you're in there

Elena's POVWe spent hours at Michael's office, going through documents and security footage, piecing together a timeline of Miguel's last days. By the time we left, it was nearly evening, and my head was pounding from information overload and too much coffee."We should go back to my place," Adrien said as we walked to the rental car. "Regroup, figure out our next move. Michael said he would call if he found anything else."The drive to Adrien's penthouse was quiet. I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past, and tried not to think about what going to his place meant."The guest room is," Adrien started."I remember where it is," I said quietly."I'll order dinner. Any preferences?""Whatever you want is fine."We moved around each other carefully, maintaining distance, both of us hyperaware of the intimacy of being alone in his home. Our home, once upon a time.I excused myself to the bathroom, needing a moment to breathe. The guest bathroom was one of the few rooms