ELARABy the time I'm dressed, I look different from how I feel.Professional and put together. Elara Blake, Senior Marketing Manager, and not Elara Blake, the woman who spent the weekend being thoroughly debauched.I put on a black pencil skirt with a tailored blazer and a white silk blouse that has a collar high enough to hide the mark on my neck. I French-braid my hair back into a tight, severe style. Apply makeup with a heavy foundation to hide the exhaustion, concealer for the shadows, and lipstick to draw attention away from my swollen lips.By the time I'm done, I look exactly like I'm supposed to look.With shaky hands, I grab my bag and head for the door.The subway ride into Manhattan feels surreal. I'm surrounded by people living their normal lives, reading the news on their phones, sipping coffee, and complaining about their mundane problems, and I'm standing here trying to process the fact that my entire life has been turned upside down in less than a week.My boyfriend c
Last Updated : 2025-11-05 Read more