جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 6

Rain hammered against the city like it was trying to drown every secret hidden beneath the glittering lights. Elena Hart tightened her coat around herself as she hurried down the sidewalk, exhaustion dragging heavily through her body. Her feet ached from standing ten hours straight at the restaurant, and all she wanted was a hot shower, cheap noodles, and Ryan’s arms around her. Maybe tonight would finally feel normal again. Maybe he would apologize for the distance between them lately. Maybe she was tired of pretending not to notice it. The thought made her chest ache. She climbed the narrow stairs to the apartment she had helped pay for with double shifts and sleepless nights. The hallway smelled faintly of cigarettes and old paint, but tonight something else lingered beneath it. Perfume.A familiar perfume. Elena slowed.Her hand tightened around her bag. No.Her heartbeat began to pound harder as she reached the door. The apartment was unlocked. Ryan never left it unlocked. A stra

“You’re fired.” The words hit Elena harder than she expected. She stood frozen inside the manager’s office while the smell of burnt coffee and paperwork filled the suffocating silence around her. “What…?” she whispered. Her manager wouldn’t look directly at her. “We’ve received complaints.” “Complaints?” He sighed heavily and slid a printed paper across the desk. Elena’s stomach dropped the second she saw her name. Anonymous reports. Accusations. Claims that she flirted with customers for money. Claims that she stole tips. Claims that she was “unstable” and “unprofessional.” Her hands began trembling instantly. Because she already knew who did this. Ryan. A sharp ache spread through her chest. “He told you these things?” she asked quietly. The manager rubbed his forehead awkwardly. “Your ex-boyfriend came here two days ago.” Of course he did. Humiliation burned through her entire body. “He’s lying.”“I don’t know what’s true anymore, Elena.” His voice softened slightly. “But custome

The question hung in the air like a blade. “Who is she, Damien?” Elena stood frozen near the staircase while the beautiful woman’s eyes swept over her slowly. Carefully. Judging everything.Her simple clothes. Her nervous posture. The faint exhaustion beneath her eyes. And then— The woman’s gaze dropped briefly to Elena’s stomach. Something sharp flickered across her flawless face. Damien walked forward calmly, adjusting the cuff of his sleeve with the same detached composure that made him impossible to read. “This is Elena Hart.” His voice was smooth. Controlled. The woman waited. But Damien didn’t continue immediately. The silence stretched just long enough to make Elena uncomfortable. Then finally— “She’s the mother of my child.” The entire room went still. Even the servants nearby seemed to stop breathing. Elena felt heat rush violently into her face. The words shouldn’t have affected her this much. But hearing him say it aloud made everything terrifyingly real. The woman’s expres