Chapter 119
Elara’s Pov
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Morning came with soft sunlight filtering through the curtains of Elara’s room. She woke up slowly, awareness creeping in piece by piece. The warmth of another body pressed against her back. An arm wrapped around her waist. Steady breathing against her neck.
Marcus.
The events of last night came flooding back. The reconciliation, the apologies, falling asleep in his arms. Elara stayed very still, not wanting to wake him, not wanting this moment to end. For the first time in over a week, she felt like she could actually breathe.
Behind her, Marcus stirred. His arm tightened around her waist briefly before he seemed to fully wake up and remember where he was.
“Morning,” he said, his voice rough with sleep.
“Morning.”
They lay there for a moment longer before Marcus reluctantly pulled away and sat up. He ran a hand through his messy hair and checked his phone on the nightstand.
“Shit, I have a board meeting at nine,” he said. “I need to get ready.”
Elara rolled over to face him. “Okay.”
Marcus looked down at her, and for a moment she thought he might say something important. But instead he just leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before climbing out of bed.
“I’ll see you tonight,” he said.
“Yeah. Tonight.”
He left the room and Elara heard his footsteps heading down the hall to his own bedroom. She lay there staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out what they were now. They’d made up, sort of. But nothing had really been resolved. They’d just agreed to stop being angry at each other.
After a while, Elara got up and showered, then stood in front of her closet trying to decide what to wear. Her regular clothes were getting tighter around her stomach.
The baby bump was definitely visible now if you knew what to look for exactly.
She settled on a loose sweater dress that hid everything and paired it with leggings. When she checked herself in the mirror, she looked normal. Tired, but normal.
Elara grabbed her phone and keys, deciding she’d go visit her mom at the hospital today. She hadn’t been in almost a week, too caught up in the drama with Marcus and the contract and everything else falling apart.
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Chapter 119
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The drive to the hospital was quiet. Elara turned on the radio but didn’t really hear the music, her mind wandering through everything that had happened recently. Marcus stealing back the contract Penelope probably having no idea yet that it was gone. Aurora still living in the guest house like she belonged there.
When she pulled into the hospital parking garage, Elara felt some of the tension case from her shoulders. Her mom always had a way of making things feel more manageable, even when they were falling apart
She took the elevator up to her mother’s floor and walked down the familiar hallway to her room. But as she rounded the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks.
Luca was standing outside her mother’s room.
He looked different from the last time she’d seen him.
Still cleaned up, still wearing decent clothes. But there was something in his posture that made her instantly wary. He was leaning against the wall scrolling through his phone, completely casual like he had every right to be there.
“What are you doing here?” Elara said angrily, her voice getting very loud m.
Luca looked up and smiled. Not a warm smile. Something calculating and smug.
“Visiting my wife. Is that a crime now?”
“You were banned from this hospital. Security was told not to let you up here.”
“Security can be very understanding when you explain the situation properly.” He pushed off from the wall and took a step toward her. “Relax, Elara. I’m not here to cause trouble.”
“You’re always here to cause trouble.”
“That hurts.” Luca put a hand over his heart in mock offense. “Here I am, trying to turn my life around, and my own daughter treats me like a criminal.”
“You are a criminal. And you’re not turning anything around. Penelope is paying you to help destroy my marriage.”
Something flickered in Luca’s expression. Surprise, maybe. Or respect that she’d figured it out
“Smart girl,” he said. “But you’re missing some pieces of the puzzle.”
“I know everything I need to know. You and Penelope found the contract I stupidly left at the apartment. You gave it to her. She’s planning to use it to destroy Marcus.”
Luca laughed, the sound echoing down the hospital hallway. “Is that what you think?”
“That’s what I know.”
“Then you’re dumber than I thought.” He stepped closer and Elara resisted the urge to back away. “You think Penelope told me everything? You think she trusts me enough to share her whole plan?”
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Chapter 119
“I don’t care about Penelope’s plan. Just stay away from my mother.”
“Our mother.” Luca corrected. “I have just as much right to see her as you do.”
“You lost that right when you stole her money and disappeared for months.”
Luca’s smile faltered slightly. “I made mistakes. I’m trying to fix them now.”
“By working with Penelope to destroy my life? Great rehabilitation plan, dad.”
“I’m working with Penelope to get what I deserve. What we deserve.” He gestured between them. “You think you’re the only one who had it hard growing up? You think you’re the only one who struggled?”
“Don’t compare us. I never abandoned my family. I never chose gambling and drinking over the people who needed me.”
“No, you just chose a rich man and pretended to be something you’re not.”
The words hit harder than Elara expected. She felt her face flush with anger and shame.
“Get out of here,” she said. “Before I call security myself.”
“I’m leaving anyway. Already said what I came to say to your mother.” Luca started walking past her, then paused. “Oh, one more thing.”
He turned back to face her, that smug smile returning.
“Penelope’s gonna be real mad when she finds out what’s missing.”
Elara’s stomach dropped. “What’s missing Luca?”
“You heard me.” Luca’s smile widened. “She doesn’t know yet. But when she does? Oh man, it’s gonna be fun
to watch.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about”
“Ohh, I know lots of things, Elara. More than you think.” He pulled out his phone and waved it slightly. “Technology is amazing. You can find out almost anything if you know where to look.”
“What are you going to tell her?” What are you even on about
“Not yet. I’m waiting for the right moment.” He started walking backward down the hallway. “Might tell her today. Might wait a few days. Depends on what benefits me more.”
“Luca…..”
“Enjoy your visit with Mom. Tell her I said hi.”
He turned and disappeared around the corner, his footsteps echoing as he headed toward the elevators.
Elara stood there frozen, her heart pounding. She doesn’t know what Luca was talking about but from the
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Chapter 119
look of things he knew something she just didn’t know what.
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