Chapter 6
Elara cried until there were no tears left.
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By the time she pulled herself together, it was past 6 PM. She washed her face in the bathroom, scrubbing away the evidence of her breakdown. Her eyes were red and swollen, but there was nothing she could do about that now. She had to see her mother, Had to pretend everything was fine even though her entire world was falling apart.
The hospital was quiet during evening visiting hours. Most families had already come and gone. Elara walked the familiar path to her mother’s room, her footsteps echoing off the linoleum floors.
Her mother was awake, propped up against pillows, watching some cooking show on the small TV mounted to the wall.
She smiled when Elara entered, but the smile faded quickly.
“Baby, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Elara sat in the chair beside the bed, forcing brightness into her voice. “Just tired from work.”
“Your eyes are swollen.”
“Allergies. The subway was packed today.”
Her mother reached out, taking Elara’s hand in hers. Her grip was weak, fingers thin and cold. “You can’t lie to me. I’m your
mother.”
“I’m fine, Mama. Really.”
They sat in silence for a moment, the cooking show filling the space between them with cheerful instructions on how to
make the perfect risotto. Elara focused on the screen, anywhere but her mother’s concerned face.
“Has your father come home yet?”
The question landed like a punch to the gut.
“No.” The lie came easier this time. “He’s still gone.”
“He’ll come back. He always does.”
Elara wanted to scream. Wanted to tell her mother that Luca had broken into her apartment and stolen every cent she’d saved. That he’d chosen gambling debts over his wife’s cancer treatment. That he was never coming back because men
like him didn’t come back. They just kept running until there was nothing left to take,
Instead, she squeezed her mother’s hand. “I should go. Let you get some rest, your chemo starts next week.”
Another lie, the money is literally gone.
“You just got here.”
“I know, but I have an early morning tomorrow. Big meeting with Mr. Thorne.” Another lie. They were piling up now, stacking on top of each other until Elara couldn’t remember what was true anymore. “I’ll come back soon, I promise.”
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Her mother’s eyes searched her face, looking for cracks in the facade. “Okay, baby. Be safe going home.”
Elara kissed her forehead and left before her mother could ask any more questions.
Be vouchers
The subway ride back was a blur. She stared at her reflection in the dark window.. Marcus’s voice kept playing in her head
on repeat.
“Marry me.*
“One million dollars.*
*Two years.
It was insane. The whole thing was insane. But twenty–four hours from now, Victor would take the house. Her mother would have nowhere to go when the hospital discharged her. And Elara would be left with nothing.
One million dollars could fix everything.
She reached her apartment building just after 8 PM. Climbed the stairs slowly, exhaustion weighing down every step. When she reached her floor, she stopped.
Her door was open. Again.
Elara’s heart started racing. She’d closed it when she left for the hospital. She was sure of it. Had even checked the lock
twice.
She approached carefully, quietly. Grabbed an umbrella from the hallway closet and held it like a weapon.
She pushed the door open with her foot.
Luca was sitting on her couch.
Her father looked worse than the last time she’d seen him. Unshaven. Bloodshot eyes. His clothes wrinkled like he’d been
sleeping in them for days. He had a beer in his hand, feet propped up on her coffee table like he owned the place.
Rage exploded through her chest.
“Where is it?” She dropped the umbrella and charged at him. “Where’s my money?”
Luca didn’t flinch. Just took another sip of beer. “You had three thousand dollars sitting in a box and couldn’t help your
own father?”
“That money was for Mama’s chemo!” Her voice cracked. “You had no right to touch it!”
“It’s cancer, Elara.” He said it so casually, like he was discussing the weather. “Nobody survives cancer. Why waste money on a lost cause?”
The words hit her like a slap.
“Get out.” Her voice was shaking now, barely controlled. “Get out of my apartment.”
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“This is technically my apartment. My name is on the lease.”
“I said get out!”
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Luca stood slowly, setting his beer down on the table. “Don’t raise your voice at me.”
“You stole from me! You broke into my home and took the only money I had left!”
His hand moved so fast she didn’t see it coming. The slap landed hard across her cheek, snapping her head to the side. Pain bloomed hot and sharp.
“I’m your father,” he said quietly. “You don’t talk to me like that.”
Elara touched her face, feeling the sting. She looked up at him, at this man who was supposed to protect her, and felt something break inside her chest.
“Get. Out.”
“Elara……”
She moved toward him and he slapped her again. Harder this time. The force of it made her stumble backward, her hip hitting the edge of the kitchen counter.
Elara didn’t think. Just reached behind her, grabbed the first thing her hand found. A knife from the dish rack.
“Get out of my apartment.”
Luca stared at the knife, then at her face. Something shifted in his expression. Maybe he finally saw what he’d done. Maybe he just realized she wasn’t bluffing.
“You wouldn’t.”
Elara took a step forward. “Try me.”
He backed toward the door, hands raised. “You’ve lost your mind.”
“Get out!”
Luca grabbed his jacket and left, slamming the door behind him. Elara stood in her kitchen, knife still gripped in her shaking hand, listening to his footsteps disappear down the stairs.
When she was sure he was gone, she locked the door. Checked it three times. Then she slid down to the floor and sat there
in the silence.
It took her two hours to clean up the mess. Put the drawers back. Fold the scattered clothes. Erase any evidence that Luca had ever been there. By the time she finished, it was past 11 PM.
She sat on her newly made bed and stared at her phone.
One million dollars.
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Chapter 6
Two years of her life.
It was a devil’s bargain. But maybe the devil was the only option left.
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Elara pulled up Marcus’s contact. Her finger hovered over the call button. This was insane. Marrying her boss. Selling two years of her life for money. But what choice did she have? Victor will take the house tomorrow. Her mother needed treatment. And Luca had made it clear he’d take anything she managed to save.
She pressed call.
It rang once. Twice. Three times. No answer.
She tried again. Same result.
This was stupid. He was probably asleep. Or ignoring her. Or had already found someone else desperate enough to take his offer.
One more time. She’d try one more time, and if he didn’t answer, she’d take it as a sign from the universe to find literally any other solution.
The phone rang. Once. Twice.
“Yes?”
Marcus’s voice was clipped. Annoyed. Like she’d interrupted something important.
“Sir. Your offer.”
Silence on the other end. She could picture him, probably in his penthouse, surrounded by expensive furniture and floor- to–ceiling windows, trying to remember which employee was bothering him at 11 PM.
“Okay?”
Elara took a breath. “I’ll do it. But I need half the money upfront.”
Another pause. Then, “Good. Meet me at the office tomorrow. 9 AM.”
The line went dead.
Elara stared at her phone, and realized she’d just agreed to marry the devil.
