Chapter 57
Elodie’s POV
“It’s fine,” I said quietly, pulling my hand back and cradling my wrist.
I hadn’t known it was a custom piece. Hadn’t known it was one of a kind.
But now that I did, the disappointment settled in my chest like a stone.
I looked around at the other gowns in the boutique, they were all beautiful things, expensive things, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some were probably worth more than what most people made in a year.
But after seeing that purple dress, everything else just looked… ordinary.
Eventually, I settled on a simple off-white silk gown with delicate floral embroidery along the hem. It was elegant. Understated. The kind of dress that wouldn’t draw too much attention but wouldn’t embarrass me either.
It was Safe.
While the salesperson was wrapping it up and processing my payment, I overheard two of the staff talking nearby.
“Can you believe it? That necklace and gown together are over three million dollars,” one whispered.
“Three million for one outfit. It’s like wearing an entire house p>
“Right? And she’ll probably only wear it once p>
Three million dollars.
I felt sick.
Even if I could afford something like that, I’d never be able to justify spending that kind of money on a single dress. It was obscene. Wasteful.
I thanked the salesperson, took my garment bag, and left.
That evening, Cara called. “Dinner! My treat! You saved my life the other night, and I need to properly thank you p>
“You don’t need to thank me p>
“Too late, I’m already making reservations. Tomorrow night p>
“I can’t tomorrow. I have that banquet with Johnny p>
There was a pause. Then Cara squealed so loud I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “The banquet! Oh my God, I’m coming over tomorrow afternoon. I’m doing your hair and makeup, and I don’t want to hear any arguments p>
“Cara p>
“No arguments p>
The next afternoon, Cara showed up with what looked like an entire salon’s worth of supplies.
She worked on me for over an hour, curling my hair, doing my makeup with a careful hand, making small adjustments and stepping back to assess her work like I was a painting.
When she finally let me look in the mirror, I barely recognized myself.
I looked… good. Really good. The gown fit perfectly, and Cara had done my makeup in a way that highlighted my features without being too much. My hair fell in soft waves over my shoulders.
I looked like someone who belonged at a high-society banquet.
I looked like someone who mattered.
“You’re gorgeous,” Cara breathed. “Johnny’s going to lose his mind p>
I smiled, but it didn’t quite reach my eyes.
When Johnny arrived to pick me up, his reaction was immediate. His eyes widened, and he actually stopped mid-step. “Wow. Elodie, you look… you look beautiful. That dress is perfect on you p>
“Thank you p>
Something warm flickered in my chest at his genuine compliment. It had been so long since anyone had looked at me like that.
We got into his car, and as he pulled out onto the road, he said, “So you’re officially starting at the firm tomorrow, right p>
“Yes p>
“Perfect timing.” He glanced over at me with a smile. “There’s someone else joining tomorrow too, the algorithm specialist I mentioned. I’ll introduce you. Her name is—” He paused, seeming to realize something. “Actually, you might not know her. Her name’s Sienna. She just got back from the Packs in Europe. Brilliant woman. PhD from p>
The world stopped.
“Sienna?” My voice came out strangled. “Sienna Brown? Like Sienna Logan Brown? The one who was racing the other night p>
Johnny’s smile faltered. “Yes… do you know her p>
“She’s my half-sister p>
The words tasted like poison.
Johnny’s hands tightened on the wheel. “Your… what p>
“My father’s daughter. From his affair.” I stared straight ahead, my voice flat. Emotionless. Because if I let myself feel anything right now, I’d shatter. “She’s also Dante’s mistress p>
The car lurched as Johnny slammed on the brakes.
We sat there in the middle of the road, the engine idling, and I could feel him staring at me.
“Elodie p>
Johnny said nothing for a long moment.
“I’m fine,” I said, keeping my voice steady even though I wasn’t fine at all. “I just don’t want her joining the company. Call it whatever you want, nepotism, personal bias but I can’t work with her p>
Johnny’s expression shifted, becoming serious in a way I’d never seen before. “I respect your decision completely p>
The relief that washed over me was so sudden it almost hurt. “Thank you p>
He deserved to know what he was giving up. “But you should know you’re losing someone brilliant. She really is a genius p>
Johnny shook his head, and when he glanced at me, there was something fierce in his eyes. “She might be good at algorithms, but compared to you? She’s worthless p>
I blinked, caught completely off guard.
He meant it. The weight in his voice, the way he looked at me, he actually meant it.
“Johnny p>
“I’m serious, Elodie.” He turned his attention back to the road. “I’ve seen your work. I know what you’re capable of. She doesn’t even come close p>
I didn’t know what to say to that. Didn’t know how to explain that I’d spent so long being told or shown, that I was less than everyone else that hearing the opposite felt almost painful.
After a moment, curiosity got the better of me. “She’s been interviewing with you for a while now, hasn’t she? Why hasn’t she started yet p>
Johnny shrugged. “She said she had some things to handle first. Personal matters. I didn’t push for details p>
Personal matters.
Like taking care of Dante when he rushed to her side. Like going to dinner with him and Liora. Like slowly, methodically taking over every piece of my life.
We drove in silence for another ten minutes before pulling up to the venue, a beautiful historic building lit up against the evening sky.
But I barely saw it.
“What are you thinking about?” Johnny asked gently.
“I just don’t understand why she wants to join your company specifically.” The words came out quieter than I meant them to. “ I mean your company is doing well, very well but… There are bigger firms. More prestigious ones. With her credentials, she could go anywhere. Why yours p>
Why was she everywhere I turned? What did she want from me that she hadn’t already taken?
Johnny was quiet for a moment, thinking. Then his expression shifted, like something had just clicked. “When we were talking during her interview, she mentioned CUAP. Said she was really interested in it p>
My blood ran cold.
CUAP.
The programming language I’d designed when I was seventeen. The one I’d built with a small team, working late nights in my dorm room, fueled by cheap coffee and the desperate need to prove I was more than just some girl who’d gotten lucky marrying into the Bellini Pack.
At the time, people had dismissed it. Called it a pet project. Nothing special.
But over the years, it had become popular in the tech industry. The thing that set them apart from everyone else in the industry.
My creation. My work. The one thing I’d made that no one could take from me because no one even knew it was mine.
Except now Sienna knew about it.
And she was interested.
“She knew about CUAP?” My voice sounded strange. Distant.
“Yeah. She seemed pretty fascinated by it, actually. Asked a lot of technical questions about its architecture.” Johnny glanced at me. “Why p>
And now she wanted my work too.
Was there anything she wouldn’t take from me?
Was there any part of me she’d let me keep?