Chapter 83
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They walked into the venue together, Marcus holding Elara’s hand while Dante’s arm wrapped possessively around Mimi’s waist. The space was even more impressive on the inside than it had been from the outside. Crystal chandeliers hung from vaulted ceilings, casting warm light over marble floors and walls decorated with contemporary art. Waiters moved through the crowd carrying trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres that probably cost more per piece than most people spent on entire meals.
The room was already filling up with New York’s elite. Elara recognized a few faces from magazines and news coverage. CEOs, politicians, old money families who’d been running this city for generations. Everyone was dressed to impress, but even in this crowd, Elara felt like she belonged. The dress Marcus had chosen made sure of that.
They’d barely made it five steps inside when two men in expensive suits approached, their expressions serious and determined.
“Marcus, Dante, we need to discuss the Henderson acquisition,” one of them said without preamble. “The numbers came back and there’s a problem with the third quarter projections.”
Marcus’s jaw tightened slightly, irritation flashing across his face. “Can this wait? We just arrived.”
“It really can’t. We need to make a decision tonight before the Tokyo markets open.”
Dante sighed, giving Mimi an apologetic look. “Business never sleeps, apparently.”
Marcus turned to Elara, his hand coming up to cup her face gently. He kissed her forehead, his lips lingering there for a moment. “I’ll be back, my love. Don’t wander off, okay?”
“I won’t.”
“Stay with Mimi. I’ll find you as soon as this is done.”
Then he and Dante were being pulled away, disappearing into the crowd with the two businessmen. Elara watched them go, suddenly feeling exposed standing there without Marcus beside her.
“Well,” Mimi said, linking her arm through Elara’s. “Guess it’s just us girls for now. Want to grab some champagne? Oh wait, you can’t drink. Juice?”
“Juice sounds good.”
They started making their way toward the bar when something clicked in Elara’s brain. She stopped walking so suddenly that Mimi nearly tripped.
“What’s wrong?” Mimi asked.
“This restaurant,” Elara said slowly, looking around with new eyes. “This is the same place we came to that night. When we ran into Julius.”
“Oh shit, you’re right. I didn’t even realize.”
“And Julius said his uncle was throwing this event. Which means…” Elara’s stomach dropped. “Julius’s uncle is the one who invited Marcus. They’re the same person.”
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“Fuck.”
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“Exactly.” Elara’s mind was racing now. “I never told Julius I was married. We just talked that night, had dinner, and I gave him my number but I never mentioned Marcus. How is he going to react when he sees me here with my husband?”.
Mimi squeezed her arm. “Maybe he won’t even show up. It’s his uncle’s event, not his. He might not even be here.”
But even as Mimi said it, Elara knew it was wishful thinking. Of course Julius would be here. This was his family’s event.
She was still trying to figure out what she’d say if she ran into him when, as if on cue, she heard his voice behind her.
“Hey ladies, how are you doing?”
Elara turned around, and there he was. Julius looked even better than she remembered, if that was possible. He was wearing white linen pants and a thick white shirt with the collar unbuttoned, showing off his broad, hairy chest. The casual elegance of it somehow made him look more attractive than any of the men in their formal tuxedos. He had that effortless charm that some people were just born with.
“Julius!” Mimi said brightly, recovering faster than Elara. “Hi!”
Julius hugged Elara first, his arms warm and strong around her. When he pulled back, his eyes traveled over her dress with clear appreciation.
“You look, oh my God, you look so beautiful,” he said, his smile genuine and warm. “Thanks for coming. I didn’t know you’d be here tonight.”
“We didn’t know you’d be here either,” Elara managed to say.
“Well, it’s my uncle’s event, so I kind of have to show up.” He laughed. “But I’m glad you came. Both of you. This is going to be way more fun now.”
That’s when Marcus appeared beside them, materializing out of the crowd with impeccable timing. His expression was neutral, but Elara could see the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes had gone cold as they fixed on Julius.
The air between them shifted immediately, becoming charged with something uncomfortable.
Julius seemed to sense it too, his easy smile faltering slightly. But he recovered quickly, extending his hand
toward Marcus.
“Oh, Mr. Thorne! Fancy meeting you here,” he said with practiced professionalism. “Thank you for honoring our invitation. We’re hoping to work with your company in the nearest future.”
Marcus shook his hand, but his eyes kept moving between Julius and Elara like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
Julius must have noticed the look because he quickly tried to clarify. “Oh yeah,” he said, turning back to Elara with that same warm smile. “This is Elara. My girl. I met her in Santorini a few weeks ago. And Elara, this is Marcus Thorne, one of the biggest investors in the city.”
14:59 Mon, May 11 d
Chapter 83
The words hung in the air like a bomb waiting to explode.
My girl.
He’d just called her his girl. In front of Marcus. In front of everyone.
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Elara felt the blood drain from her face. Mimi stood frozen beside her, eyes wide with shock, clearly as dumbstruck as Elara felt.
What the fuck was happening?
Julius must have seen their expressions because he immediately backtracked, letting out a nervous laugh. “Yeah, I’m kidding. This is Elara, she’s my friend. I met her in Santorini.”
But the damage was already done. Marcus’s expression had gone from cold to absolutely glacial.
He cleared his throat, the sound cutting through the awkward tension like a knife.
“Well,” Marcus said, his voice dangerously calm as he stepped closer to Elara and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side possessively. “This is El. My wife. For your information.”
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