Chapter 21
Marcus carried her bag to the car without asking if she needed help. Just took it and walked
The drive to his penthouse was quiet. No radio. No conversation. Just the sound of the engine and the city passing by
outside
They got there early. No fraffic today.
When they got there, he grabbed her bag again and headed straight upstairs. She followed, still wearing his jacket over the torn dress.
“You okay?” he asked at the top of the stairs.
“Yeah”
He didn’t look convinced but didn’t push. Just showed her around. Kitchen Living room. Gym. Pool on the rooftop. His
office down the hall.
Three staff members appeared. A housekeeper named Maria A cook named James A driver she’d already met.
Marcus introduced them all with the same clipped efficiency he used when he’s in a board meeting. But his hand stayed
on her lower back the entire time. Protective. Gentle.
Not the cold billionaire she’d worked for. Someone different
She was grateful for it.
“I have a work thing,” he said after the tour. “Will you be okay here?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
He hesitated like he didn’t believe her. Then left anyway.
Two hours later the stylist showed up. Took measurements. Asked questions about colors and styles. Elara answered on autopilot. Her mind was still back in that apartment with Victor’s hand over her mouth.
When the stylist finally left, Elara called her mother.
“How are you feeling, Mama?”
“Good, baby. Tired but good. The doctors say the treatment is going well.”
Relief flooded through her. “That’s great.
They talked for twenty minutes. Her mother asked about work. About life. Elara lied and said everything was fine.
After hanging up, she called Mimi.
“Babe: Finally I’ve been waiting for you to call”
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Chapter 21
Elara told her everything, About Victor and her dad Luca.
“I’m going to kill him,” Mimi said. “When I get back, I swear to God I’m going to deal with that man myself.”
“Please don’t. Just leave it.”
“Elara….”
“I’m fine. Really.”
She wasn’t fine. But saying it out loud made it easier to pretend.
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After the call, Elara raided Marcus’s fridge. Found enough ice cream and chocolate to feed ten people. Ate half of it sitting
on the kitchen floor.
Marcus had asked her to pick any room she wanted. She just chose the guest room. The one she’d woken up in that
morning. It felt safer somehow. Maybe familiar?.
That was a week ago.
Now Elara sat on the couch in the living room staring at the ceiling and wondering how her life had become this boring.
It had been seven days since she moved in. Seven days since she’d seen Marcus.
He was avoiding her. She didn’t know why. Maybe the Victor thing had freaked him out. Maybe he regretted the whole
contract. Either way, he was gone.
Early mornings before she woke up. Late nights after she’d gone to bed. She only knew he was alive because of the black card he’d left on the kitchen counter three days ago. Her name on it. Password written on a sticky note. And a reminder:
*Wedding this Saturday.*
Cute. Isn’t he?
Her mother’s chemo had started. Going well according to the doctors. Elara visited twice this week. Her mother asked
about Luca both times. Elara said she hadn’t seen him. That meant one thing, Luca hadn’t been to the hospital too.
Good. Hopefully it stayed that way forever.
And Victor? She hadn’t seen him either. Marcus had offered to get her a therapist. She’d waved him off. She was fine. Totally fine.
Except she wasn’t sleeping. And every time a door opened unexpectedly she flinched.
But fine. She was fine.
Oh, and she was still pregnant.
Five weeks now. Still not showing. Still hiding it from everyone including her best friend who was coming back next week.
Mimi. God, how was she supposed to tell Mimi she’d married her asshole boss? And was pregnant with his baby?
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Chapter 21
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That conversation was going to be a disaster.
Their wedding was this weekend. At the registry. Quick and legal. Nothing romantic about it.
Her closet was full now. Designer everything. Dresses and shoes and bags. It still didn’t feel real. Like she was wearing someone else’s life.
All she did now was eat. Sleep. Visit her mum. Come home. Eat again. Sleep again.
Marcus had people who even cleaned. People who cooked. She didn’t have to lift a finger.
It was boring.
Boring. Boring. Boring.
She’d thought living like this would be a dream. Turns out dreams get old fast when you have nothing to do and no one to talk to.
Elara grabbed a book from the coffee table. Some thriller she’d found in Marcus’s office. Opened it to a random page and held it over her face.
Two chapters in, her eyes closed.
She must have dozed off because the next thing she heard was his voice.
“Praying?”
Deep. Familiar. The first time she’d heard it in a week.
“Mhmmm,” she mumbled, leaving the book on her face.
“I can see that.“.
Elara pulled the book off and sat up. Marcus was standing by the doorway. Suit. Tie. Looking like he’d just come from a
meeting.
“You finally stopped avoiding me. Praise God.”
“Avoiding you?” He stepped into the room.
“Forget it.” She wasn’t in the mood to argue. Wasn’t in the mood for anything really.
“Do I need permission to be in my own house?”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Marcus sat in the chair across from her. Leaned forward. Elbows on his knees.
He looked at her. Really looked at her. Like he was trying to figure out how to say whatever he needed to say.
“I have something important to discuss with you,”
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