All Chapters of FINDING ELENA : Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

ELENA I felt a lot better by the time I woke up. It was late afternoon. After a steamy shower, my face brightened up. I chose a long sleeved blue dress from my scanty wardrobe collection and put it on. Then, I gathered my hair into a ponytail, tying it up with an elastic band. Sky laid awake, babbling baby noises.Guilt squeezed my heart.What if I'd left this place last night? Would Julia have taken her back to the Family Center by now?In spite of myself I shuddered to think of what meeting Brad again would be like. At least Sky’s safety was guaranteed. I, on the other hand, would have been face-to-face with a very unforgiving Brad. I imagined him squeezing life out of me in his iron choke-hold. But I shook my head. Even with this awareness, I knew I couldn't just wait for things to happen. I'll still have to find a way out of this place. To put some distance between me and Sky, and everyone who helped me.Julia returned later that evening and found me in the kitchen, pla

Third Person POV Club music pulsed loudly through the smoky and perfume-filled air. Toni Morano lay relaxed on the plush couch, a large Cuban cigar dangling between his fingers.Two scantily dressed girls sat on either side of him, one ensuring his glass never stayed empty, while the other pressed closer, pleased that she had his attention for the night. He took a slow drag and exhaled smoke into her face, watching her pull back slightly and still smile.His phone buzzed across the glass table. He snatched it up, irritation already brewing.“Yeah?”“Boss,” said the hesitant voice on the other end. “It’s Nolan. The old man’s gone.”Toni sat up, his hand hung mid-air. “What do you mean, gone?”“They snatched him, Boss,” the person on the phone explained. “They must have been watching us. They came in a van and a salon, shooting at us like crazy. Jose is dead, man.”For a moment, the music seemed to fade behind the ringing in Toni's head. Then, without warning, he pushed the girl

Elena’s eyes scanned Ary's face, lingering on his eyes. They seemed to hold honest curiosity, like he truly wanted to know. Like he truly cared.She looked away, letting her eyes fall on the pool.Then, she sighed.“I woke up one morning, excited to go to culinary school,” she began. “It's all I ever wanted to do.”“I was going to become a world-class, kick-ass chef.” A small scoff escaped her.“Instead of taking me to the airport, my father dropped me off at the venue of a wedding.”She paused, her mouth curving into a small smile before adding, “Mine.”Ary’s brows lifted. She tore her eyes from the pool, dropping the mug gently beside her. “Marry me off and be debt-free,” she muttered. “That was the deal. And Brad was the groom.”A small burst of air escaped her lips, her smile a little wider now.“I thought losing my mom was the worst thing ever that could happen to me,” she went on. “I guess there will always be something worse.”The night fell quiet again after her last word

Third Person POV After sealing the deal with the new business partner, Ary Banks and Justin Rivers stayed back for a while, chatting in the dimly lit conference room, the scent of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air. The hum of the air conditioner and the ruffle of papers being gathered by Justin’s P.A. sounded while they talked. “We're ending the year strong,” Justin said, leaning back in his chair, his eyes cringing at the corners. “We can finally take that vacation you've always put off.” Ary raised his finger to disagree, but Justin quickly added, “Before you say no, know that April really wants to come.” “Great,” Ary replied, his voice laced with sarcasm. “You already have great company. You don't need me.” He leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. “The vacation is for you and I,” Justin pressed, his tone turning persuasive. “April is only a tag-along. Come on, man. All we do is work. Our employees have better holidays than we do.” Ary sat

“What’s your favorite thing to do?” Ary asked, leaning forward slightly.Elena blinked, surprised by the question. “Uhh… cook.”“Really?” His brows lifted, almost teasing. “That’s your great passion? Pots and pans?”“You make it sound like it's strange,” she said. “My mom was a professional. You'd be amazed how much you don't know about food.”Her eyes twinkled as she went on.“The way the most ordinary ingredients from different cultures can come together to create something that makes you really experience what you’re eating is kind of…magical. You'd be amazed how unforgettable one good meal can be. I can still remember the last meal my mom made. Cooking keeps her alive in my head.”He noticed how much her face was lit up. He nodded and said,“Mm. So, the ‘thank you’ earlier, what culture was that?” A satisfied smile rested on her face. “Now, you get it. That was the African beef jerky. And I can tell it just became a memory.” Her eyes danced in the light as she added, “A del