Chapter 42 42 ~Elara’s POV “Here,” Darlon said softly, holding his tie out. “Knot this for me p> I blinked, my fingers trembling slightly as I took it. “Uh… okay,” I whispered. My heart was already beating too fast. I fumbled slightly as I knot the tie. “You’re doing fine,”
Chapter 41 41 ~Elara’s POV I woke up groaning, my head pounding like someone was drumming inside it. My eyes fluttered open and the first thing I saw was Darlon—staring at me. My heart jumped, and I scrambled upright. “How… how did I get here?” I asked, my voice cracking
Chapter 40 40 ~Lira’s POV I don’t know why I still get shocked anymore. Maybe I’m foolish. Maybe I just keep expecting things to go my way, even when life keeps showing me it won’t. But the moment I stepped into that boutique p> the moment I saw Elara standing
Chapter 39 39 ~Darlon’s POV I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Not even for a breath. The club lights moved over her face in soft colors, and her mask hid half her features, but somehow I still saw everything. The nerves in her fingers. The way she kept rubbing
Chapter 38 38 ~Elara’s POV He smiled a little, stepping closer. “You look beautiful, Elara p> Something tightened in my chest. “Thank you p> He offered his hand. “Shall we p> I followed him out. The mansion hallways felt quieter than usual, the lights soft, his hand warm around mine.
Chapter 37 37 ~Elara’s POV I slammed the door behind me and leaned against it, my chest heaving, hot tears slipping down my cheeks. I didn’t even bother to lock it at first, just let myself sink to the floor. My fingers clenched into the soft carpet as I whispered,
Chapter 36 36 ~Darlon’s POV I slammed the office door behind me, frustration coiling in my chest. Elara left. Just like that. Didn’t even wait for me to take her home because that was what I had in mind. My jaw tightened, and I ran a hand through my hair.
Chapter 35 35 ~Elara’s POV Janae didn’t slow down. The cart was already wobbling under the weight of what we’d chosen, but she was on fire. “Okay, let’s check the next rack. I need a new top anyway. And maybe a dress for tonight.” She grabbed a glittery black mini
Chapter 34 34 ~Elara’s POV “Well,” Lira said, her voice dripping sugar and poison, “who let the pauper into a place like this p> My chest tightened. I swallowed hard and stared at a spot behind her head, anywhere but her eyes. She tilted her head, the fake innocence in
Chapter 33 33 ~Elara’s POV I pushed back my chair slowly, trying not to make it squeak, even though my heart felt loud enough to betray me anyway. Darlon’s offer still echoed in my head. “Shopping p> The word clung to my mind like something sticky. I didn’t know why
Chapter 32 32 ~Elara’s POV I walked back into my office with this strange heaviness in my chest, like someone had placed a stone there when I wasn’t looking. I shut the door gently and stood still for a moment, letting the silence settle around me. The room felt too
Chapter 31 31 ~Lira’s POV I slammed my pen down on the desk, the sharp clack echoing in the office. My fingers drummed against the polished wood, not that it helped. Nothing helped. I was so pissed off I could practically feel the smoke rising from my head. My parents
Chapter 30 30 ~Lira’s POV The morning sun spilled through the long glass windows of my office, warming the polished marble floor and catching on the gold trim of my desk. Everything looked perfect, because things around me were supposed to be perfect. But inside me? Chaos. Annoyance. And that
Chapter 29 29 ~Elara’s POV The woman dropped to her knees so fast the air shifted around her. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that! Please, Alpha, forgive me p> My stomach clenched. I had no idea why he looked that angry. And I had absolutely no idea if…
Chapter 28 28 ~Elara’s POV I took a shaky breath and straightened my shoulders, even though my hands were trembling as I spoke. “I… I was just hired by Alpha Darlon,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, like saying it louder would make the world collapse around me. “That’s why
Chapter 27 27 ~Elara’s POV I froze, my mouth opening then closing, shocked. The best position he could give me… personal secretary? My chest tightened, and my cheeks burned as I tried to steady my racing heart. I really do look like an assistant… I bit my lip, hiding the
Chapter 26 26 ~Elara’s POV A soft knock at the door startled me. I jumped, flinching as two guards bowed low before entering, their hands on the handles of my suitcases. “Luna, we’ve come to move your belongings into your chamber,” one said respectfully. I nodded quickly, cheeks heating, and
Chapter 25 25 ~Elara’s POV I sat alone in the middle of the bed, staring at my suitcase like it had personally offended me. My hands rested on my thighs, but they felt heavy—like bricks glued to my skin. My chest tightened. My throat felt dry. And the same question
Chapter 24 24 ~Darlon’s POV The moment my eyes landed on the boxes in the living room, the air left my lungs. Not slowly. Not gently. It punched out of me. I whispered under my breath, more to myself than anyone else, “I knew I fucked up p> The maids
Chapter 23 23 ~Darlon’s POV The second I got into the back seat, David slid into the driver’s seat and closed the door quickly, like he thought the car itself needed protection from my temper. As he pulled out, I felt the anger rising again, boiling in my stomach. My