Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Elara moved swiftly toward her bedroom. Her heart was racing. Trying to get away before Marcus came upstairs and realized she’d been eavesdropping.
She reached for the door handle, trying to pull it closed.
But the handle caught her towel. The short one wrapped around her body.
It dropped. Right on the floor.
And as if on cue, Marcus appeared at the top of the stairs.
He stopped. Froze. Just stood there staring.
Elara stood there too. Completely naked. Unable to move or breathe.
Thirty seconds passed. Maybe longer. Counting the time when completely naked was kind of weird.
Marcus’s eyes moved. From her face down to her breasts. Down to her thighs. Back up to her face. Then back down to her breasts again.
She saw him swallow. Hard. Like something was stuck in his throat.
Finally, he spoke.
“Eavesdropping is rude, El.”
Elara tried to defend herself. Her voice came out shaky. “I wasn’t eavesdropping. I was just…..
He lifted one brow. Complete disbelief written all over his face. “Of course. I believe you.”
The sarcasm was thick. He didn’t believe her at all.
دو
She suddenly remembered she was standing there naked. Completely exposed. Every inch of her on display. She bent down quickly to grab the towel from the floor.
“I’m sorry I broke your vase. I didn’t mean to….”
Marcus waved his hand dismissively. Cut her off before she could finish. “Don’t worry about it. It’s fine.”
“But it looked expensive and I…”
“Are you hurt?” he asked. His voice changed. Softer like he was actually concerned.
She shook her head. Wrapped the towel back around herself. Held it tight against her chest.
“Good. Get dressed and come down for dinner. Okay?”
Elara muttered something that might have been okay. She wasn’t even sure what came out of her mouth.
10:21 Mon, May 11 ♫
Chapter 40
85
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Marcus turned and left. Walked back downstairs without looking back. Without saying anything else.
She stood there holding the towel against her chest. Breathing hard. Trying to process what just happened.
He’d seen her naked. Completely naked. Every part of her. And he’d just walked away, is this going to change anything? Did he get annoyed?
Like seeing her body didn’t affect him at all.
Or maybe it did and he was just better at hiding it than she was.
Elara closed the door properly this time. Made sure the handle didn’t catch anything. Locked it for good
measure.
She leaned against it and tried to calm her racing heart. Tried to stop replaying the way his eyes had moved over her body. The way he’d swallowed. The way his expression had shifted for just a second before he’d put that cold mask back on.
Forty minutes later she was dressed.
A long, floral sundress. V-neck that exposed her chest and the tops of her breasts just enough to be noticeable but not obscene. Cream colored with small floral patterns.
She put her hair up in a messy bun, Let a few strands fall loose to frame her face. Applied a little lip combo. Mascara to make her eyes stand out. She took the body oil from her bag and rubbed it on her boobs and feet, it’s a behaviour she’s got used to.
Simple and casual. Like she wasn’t trying too hard even though she’d stood in front of the mirror for ten minutes deciding what to wear.
She slipped on sandals and headed downstairs.
Everything was set up perfectly. The table had candles. White linens. Wine glasses already filled. The whole space looked like a mini restaurant. Intimate and romantic.
Marcus was already seated at the head of the table. He held his wine glass loosely in one hand. Just staring at her as she walked in.
His eyes tracked her movement. From her face down to the dress. Lingering just a second too long on the neckline before coming back up to meet her gaze.
He pointed to the chair across from him. Didn’t say anything. Just gestured for her to sit.
Elara sat down. Smoothed her dress over her lap. Tried to look anywhere but directly at him because the way he was looking at her made her skin feel hot.
An older woman appeared from the kitchen, who she assumed was a private chef. She set plates down in front of them without a word. Some kind of fish. Vegetables. Everything plated beautifully.
“Good evening,” she said with a slight accent. Greek probably. “I hope you enjoy.”
10:21 Mon, May 11 ♫
Chapter 40
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She set the plates down in front of them. Some kind of fish. Grilled perfectly with lemon and herbs. Roasted vegetables on the side. Everything plated like a piece of art.
“Thank you,” Elara said.
The chef smiled and disappeared back into the kitchen.
Marcus picked up his fork. “We’re here for five days.”
Elara looked up. “Five days?”
“Yes. The wedding is tomorrow. Then we have four days before we fly back to New York.”
“Oh.””Oh.”
“You can explore the city if you want. There’s a driver available. Maybe go to the shop, beaches, restaurants. Whatever you need.”
Elara picked up her fork. “Have you been to all those places already?”
“Most of them.”
“And you’re not bored?”
Marcus cut into his fish. “I don’t bore easily.”
Soft music played in the background. Something instrumental. Classical maybe. Violin and piano. It filled the silence whenever neither of them spoke.
Elara ate slowly. The food was incredible. Fresh. Perfectly seasoned. The fish melted in her mouth. The vegetables were crisp. Everything tasted expensive.
“So,” she said after a few bites. “Tomorrow. The wedding. What exactly happens?”
“We go to the town hall at ten AM. Sign the necessary papers. The officiant will say a few words. It takes about twenty minutes total.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“No ceremony?”
Marcus took a sip of his wine. Set the glass down carefully. “It’s a legal contract, Elara. Not a romance novel.”
Right. Of course. How could she forget?
“And after?” she asked. “Do we just come back here?”
“You can do whatever you want. It’s your wedding day.”
10:21 Mon, May 11 ♫
Chapter 40
85
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The words felt strange. Your wedding day. Like it was supposed to mean something. Be special. But it wasn’t. It was just another day. Another item checked off a list.
“What about photos?” Elara asked.
“What about them?”
“Don’t we need wedding photos? For the announcement? For people to believe this is real?”
Marcus paused. Considered. “Good point. I’ll arrange for a photographer to meet us at the town hall.”
“And clothes? I don’t have a wedding dress.”
“I ordered for something already, they’ll deliver it tomorrow”
Elara nodded. Took another bite. Her mind was racing with questions she didn’t know how to ask.
His answers this night were weird, normally they’re not the best of friends but right now he just answers her like she was bothering him.
“Are you nervous?” Marcus asked suddenly.
She looked up. “About what?”
“Tomorrow. Getting married.”
She thought about it. Was she nervous? Maybe. A little. Not about the marriage itself. That was just paperwork. But about what came after. About living this lie for two years. About pretending to be in love when she could barely figure out what she actually felt.
“No,” she lied. “Are you?”
“No.”
Of course not. Marcus Thorne didn’t get nervous. He planned, controlled and executed.
They finished dinner in comfortable silence. The chef returned to clear the plates. Offered dessert. Some kind of chocolate mousse that looked too pretty to eat.
Elara ate it anyway.
By the time they finished it was almost ten PM. The jet lag was hitting her hard now. Her eyelids felt heavy. Her whole body was exhausted from the flight and the time change and everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours.
“I’m going to bed,” she said. Standing up. Pushing her chair back.
“Goodnight, El.”
“Goodnight.”
10:21 Mon, May 11 ♫
Chapter 40
85
55 vouchers
She walked back upstairs. Down the hallway to her bedroom. Closed the door behind her.
The room was dark except for the moonlight coming through the balcony doors. She didn’t bother turning on the lights. Just walked to the bed and collapsed face-first onto the soft mattress.
Tomorrow she was getting married.
To Marcus Thorne.
In Santorini.
For two million dollars and a contract that said she had to pretend to love him for two years.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. She reached for it without lifting her head.
**Mimi:** You better call me tomorrow or I swear to God Elara I will hunt you down
Elara smiled despite her exhaustion. Typed back quickly.
**Elara:** I promise. Love you.
She set the phone down. Closed her eyes.
Sleep came fast.
