Elowen’s breath caught. Her heart began beating faster, and she hated that he still could affect her so easily after everything he had done.
She quickly averted her gaze, trying to hide her reaction. But her mind refused to quiet down.
’What does he mean?’
For seven years, Soren had barely looked at her. He had kept his distance, made it clear that his heart belonged somewhere else, and even told her that their marriage meant nothing.
And now he was claiming that she was the one he wanted.
Elowen couldn’t understand it. She didn’t want to believe him.
’No. This is not normal.’ She was certain of it. ’Something has happened to him. That’s why he is behaving abnormally.’
Elowen cautiously glanced at him through the corners of her eyes.
Soren was focused on the road, his hand steady on the steering wheel. But there was a small smile at the corner of his lips.
Elowen’s heart gave a leap.
’He is smiling!’
She had spent years longing to see him smile at her. There had been countless moments when she wished he looked at her with warmth. But he had only given her the cold shoulder. He always looked annoyed when he was with her.
And now, he was smiling.
Elowen didn’t know what to do with the feeling it stirred inside her. She sat there numbly, her ears ringing and her face burning.
’I have to find out,’ she was determined. ’I need to know what caused this sudden change."
The rest of the journey passed in silence.
After dropping Seraphina off at school, Soren drove Elowen to her office.
Both of them were quiet. No one spoke.
Elowen grew increasingly nervous. Every time Soren changed the gear, his hand brushed against her knee. Each touch sent small tremors through her body.
She pressed her lips together and stared out of the window.
Her heart raced faster and faster.
’Why am I reacting like this?’
"Did you forget something to tell me?" Soren broke the silence.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that his sudden voice startled her. She almost jumped in her seat and turned her head toward him.
"What did I forget?"
Soren took a quick look at her, his gaze dropping to her stomach.
"I remember you called me to come home early last night. You said you had something important to tell me. What was it? I want to know."
Elowen instinctively turned toward the window. Her hand protectively shielded her abdomen.
She had planned to tell him about her pregnancy last night. But she had already changed her mind the moment he had asked her to sign the divorce papers.
"There is nothing special," she said quietly. "I just wanted to have dinner with you."
She didn’t say a word about the baby growing inside her womb.
’I can’t trust him yet. This change may not last. He will change his mind soon and throw us out of his life again. He shouldn’t know about the baby yet.’
A flash of hurt crossed his face.
He had hoped she would reveal her pregnancy if he asked. But she had not.
’She won’t tell me.’ A small sigh escaped his mouth. ’She doesn’t trust me.’
He stole a glance at her. "I know you have something you want to tell me. But you are not ready to say it yet."
Elowen stiffened. She thought he would press her and demand answers.
Instead, Soren said, "It’s fine. I won’t pressure you. I’ll wait until you are ready to talk."
Elowen remained still. She didn’t even dare to take a long breath. She didn’t know how she had made it to the office.
Her mind was still buzzing with everything that had happened that morning. As she stepped into the office building, she tried to keep Soren out of her mind. She had barely reached her desk when she heard someone calling her from behind.
"Elowen." Vera, her friend and colleague, rushed over to her. "Thank goodness you have arrived. The manager wants all the designers in his office."
"What happened?"
Vera sighed dramatically. "The company has been acquired by some big shot who just returned from abroad. Everything happened overnight. The management didn’t even have time to inform the employees properly."
She lowered her voice. "Everyone is panicking."
"Acquired overnight?" Elowen was surprised too.
"And the new CEO is coming tomorrow," Vera said in a serious tone. "The management is afraid that the new boss may sack employees and bring in a completely new workforce. The executives are holding an emergency meeting."
Elowen gaped at her, listening to her in stunned silence. She had had enough surprises for one morning.
At first, Soren had suddenly become a completely different man. And now, the company had been taken over.
’How many surprises are waiting for me today?’
"The manager seems nervous. I don’t know what she is going to tell us."
Elowen took a slow breath. "Let’s find out."
Together, they went to the manager’s office.
Several other employees were already there.
"Vera, Elowen." The manager was a middle-aged woman. "Take your seats." She gestured to the empty chairs.
Elowen and Vera sat down.
The manager’s expression was grave. "The company has been taken over by a foreign businessman. The new CEO will arrive tomorrow."
Her gaze moved across the employees. "I want all of you to prepare your best designs. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. If you get fired, don’t blame me. I’ve already warned you."
The room fell silent.
Elowen and Vera looked at each other. The other employees looked equally nervous.
"Don’t be late tomorrow. I want everyone here on time."
"Sure."
Everyone nodded in unison.
At Soren’s office...
Kael, Soren’s assistant, appeared in the office. "Mr. Vale," he greeted him with a small bow of his head. "You called me."
Soren looked at him for a long moment. In his past life, Kael had died in the accident, while he had been left crippled. Seeing him standing in front of him alive stirred emotion deep in his chest.
Kael, his most trusted man... Tahlia and her boyfriend had killed him.
Soren’s fingers curled into fists. ’They took everything from me. They destroyed my life. Tahlia will pay for what she did.’
"Sir, are you okay?" Kael’s voice brought him back to the present.
Soren blinked, forcing himself to calm down. Then he looked into his eyes. "Look into Tahlia. Who she meets, where she goes, her bank details—every damn thing."
Kael’s shoulders stiffened. "You want me to investigate Miss Tahlia!"
He struggled to believe what he was hearing. "Are you suspicious of her?"
He narrowed his eyes, trying to understand what had happened. "Did she upset you lately?"
Soren’s glare sharpened. ’Will you believe me if I say she killed both of us in the past life?’
He wanted to tell Kael everything, but the words died in his mouth. How could he tell him that he had lived a miserable life because of Tahlia?
"Don’t ask questions. Do as I say."
Kael straightened. "Understood, sir. I’ll check on her."
"And one more thing," Soren added. "Look into the yearly company event seven years ago. Check the surveillance. Find out who actually drugged me that night."
’Eh?’ Kael scratched his head in confusion. ’Didn’t Mr. Vale always believe his wife was the one who drugged him? Why does he suddenly want to investigate it after seven years?"
The questions kept piling up in his mind, but he couldn’t ask anything.
"I’ll check into it. Anything else?"
Soren waved a hand. "You can leave now."
Kael nodded and walked out. He barely stepped outside the office when he ran into Tahlia. The moment he saw her, he remembered what Soren had just instructed her.
Kael had always treated her with respect, as he thought Tahlia was the woman his boss favored. But now, he wasn’t sure how he was supposed to treat her.
Yet, he greeted her warmly, "Good morning, Miss Tahlia."
Tahlia gave him a half-hearted smile before slipping into the office. As soon as her eyes landed on Soren, her expression brightened.
"Soren..." She approached his desk, her lips stretching wider.
Soren looked up. The moment he saw her, he immediately remembered what she had done to him in his past life.
Her betrayal, the cold satisfaction on her face when she said she had arranged Elowen and Seraphina’s accident, and her cruel way to kill him – every scene came alive.
His fingers curled tightly against the edge of the desk. His anger was about to spill over. But he forced himself to remain calm.
Tahlia had no idea the man sitting in front of her wasn’t the same man she had once manipulated.
"I am upset with you." She pouted. "You didn’t come to see me. I want you to compensate me."
"Compensate?" he snorted. "How do you want me to compensate?"
Her smile returned. "I want the vice president’s post."