Chapter 31

Elena’s POVThe evening of the gala arrives faster than I expect.All day I move through my apartment slowly, trying to keep my thoughts steady. The invitation Julian left at my door rests on the kitchen counter.I must have looked at it a hundred times, if you come tomorrow there is no going back. I already knew that.Tonight isn’t just another event. It’s a line I am about to cross.Nora arrives just after six.She knocks twice and lets herself in before I even reach the door.“Please tell me you’re dressed,” she calls.“Almost.” I answered She walks into the living room and stops when she sees me standing by the mirror.The deep blue dress fits perfectly. It’s simple but elegant, falling smoothly to the floor.Nora studies me quietly.“Wow.”“That’s not helpful,” I say, frowning “It is helpful,” she insists. “You look like someone Olivia should be nervous about.”I shake my head. “I’m not trying to compete with her.”“Good,” Nora replies. “Because that would be exhausting.”She s

Chapter 32

Elena’s POVThe applause fades slowly. On the stage, Olivia steps forward first, of course she does.She doesn’t rush, she never rushes. She takes her time, letting the silence settle, letting the attention build until every eye in the room is on her.She belongs here, or at least, she believes she does.“Good evening” she begins, her voice smooth and steady through the microphone.The room quiets completely.“It’s an honor to stand here tonight” she continues, “surrounded by people who believe in growth, in partnership, in building something that lasts.”Her words are careful, perfect.I watch her from the crowd, my hands wrapped loosely around my glass.This isn’t a speech, it’s a performance.“Tonight is not just about celebration,” Olivia says. “It’s about trust, about aligning vision with purpose.”A soft murmur of approval moves through the audience.She smiles, calm and controlled.“And sometimes,” she adds gently, “the strongest partnerships are the ones that begin with both.”

Chapter 33

Elena’s POVThe music is still playing when I step out of the ballroom.Soft, elegant and controlled, just like everything inside.The doors close behind me, and the sound fades into something distant. Out here, the air is cooler, quieter and real.I walk a few steps forward, my heels softer against the stone floor. My chest rises and falls slowly, like I’m trying to catch up with myself.For a moment, I just stand there. I didn’t break. I didn’t run, I stood there, in the same room, under the same lights.But it doesn’t feel like victory, it feels like the beginning of something I don’t fully understand yet.I wrap my arms lightly around myself, staring out at the city lights below.“Still doing that.”The voice comes from behind me.Familiar, too familiar. My body stiffens before I even turn.Slowly, I look over my shoulder.Liam.He stands a few feet away, hands in his pockets, dressed in a simple dark suit, no tie, no effort to impress.And yet he looks handsome, like he always ha

Chapter 34

Elena’s POVThe first thing I hear when I wake up is my phone vibrating, over and over again.It’s loud in the quiet of my room, sharp and persistent, like something is trying to force its way into my morning.I don’t move at first, my body feels heavy, like I didn’t really sleep, just closed my eyes and waited for the night to pass.The memory of last night comes back slowly. The lights, the stage, olivia’s smile and julian’s silence.I open my eyes. The ceiling above me looks the same, calm and still, like nothing has changed.But something has. can feel it. The phone vibrates again beside me, I reach for it slowly, my fingers brushing against the screen before I finally pick it up.Twenty-three missed calls, messages all from unknown numbers. My stomach tightens immediately, something is wrong.I unlock the phone. For a second, I just stare at the screen, not opening anything, then I tap the first message, it is a link, I opened another, the same and another tooMy heart starts bea

Chapter 35

Elena’s POVThe message stays on my screen as I walk out of the building.Ethan:Meet me.The words feel simple, but nothing about this is simple anymore.The city is loud around me, cars moving, people talking, life continuing like nothing just shifted under my feet. But everything inside me feels sharp and alert, like I’m standing at the edge of something.I stop on the sidewalk and stare at the message again.For a second, I think about ignoring it, blocking him, walking away but that would be the old me. The one who waits, the one who reacts too late.I inhale slowly, then type.Me:Where?The reply comes almost immediately.Ethan:The café across Hawthorne Square. Thirty minutes.Of course, close enough to be convenient, far enough to be private. I lock my phone and raise my hand for a cab.The café is quiet when I walk in. Soft music plays in the background. A few people sit scattered around, heads down, focused on their own lives.Ethan is already there. Corner table, back to t

Chapter 36

Elena’s POVI don’t go home immediately after leaving the café, I walk without thinking about where I’m going.The city is loud, bright, alive but none of it reaches me properly. Everything feels like it’s happening somewhere just outside of me, like I’m slightly out of place in my own life.My chest feels tight, not heavy like before, not like I’m breaking. Just tight. Like something inside me is holding steady, refusing to fall apart.Ethan’s words keep replaying in my head, You’re finally choosing. I don’t know if that’s true yet but I know I’m not the same.By the time I get home, my legs feel tired, but my mind is still awake, still running.I step inside my apartment and close the door behind me slowly.The silence hits immediately. No noise, no distraction. Just me.I drop my bag on the chair and sit down, leaning forward slightly, my elbows resting on my knees.For a moment, I just breathe.Then my phone lights up.It was Julian. My stomach tightens instantly, not because I’m