Elena’s pov
It’s been three days since I last saw Damien.
I sat in my office pretending to focus on work, but every thought circled back to him.
Three days.
And still, Damien.
What’s worse is that on Monday, he’d officially start working here.
The thought made my stomach twist.
If I was like this when he wasn’t even close by… how would I survive knowing he’d be somewhere in this building?
I shook myself out of it, snapping back to focus.
4 p.m. on a Friday, and I was thinking about my ex-husband.
How pathetic.
My phone buzzed.
My brother.
Adrian: Dinner tonight.
Marcello’s, 7 PM.
It’s important.
I was exhausted, burned out from throwing myself into work, from avoiding my feelings.
From everything.
I wasn’t in the mood.
Me: Can it wait?
His response came immediately.
Adrian: No. So that’s how I ended up at Marcello’s three hours later, still in my work clothes.
The restaurant smelled like expensive wine and old money.
I spotted Adrian at a corner table and then froze when I saw who was sitting across him.
Aunt Catherine.
My dad’s half sister.
The woman whose messy divorce is the reason my life is being ruined.
She looked like she stepped out of a magazine in her cream suit.
Blond hair in a low twist, not a single hair out of place.
What was she doing here?
I almost turned to leave , but she’d already seen me and waved me over.
I forced myself toward the table, trying not to draw attention.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
I didn’t sit.
Catherine laughed lightly.
“Why don’t you sit first, darling?”
Adrian looked apologetic but didn’t say anything.
I shot him a glare, and sat down.
“I’m in town negotiating Sterling’s European expansion,” she said, like that explained everything. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
The waiter came and poured wine in our glasses, placing menus on the table.
I folded my arms.
“Why are you handling the expansion? Dad bought you out for a reason. You weren’t supposed to be involved in anything Sterling anymore.”
She didn’t flinch.
She just stared at me.
Adrian cleared his throat to speak, but she beat him to it.
“It’s complicated,” she said, sipping her wine.
I blinked at her.
“Clearly.”
She set the glass down.
“How long has it been? Seven years?”
”Since Dad’s funeral,” I said flatly.
The silence after that was thick.
Talking about my dad still stung.
Catherine cleared her throat, putting on a big smile.
“Adrian tells me you’re doing wonderfully with the company.”
She went on and on after that, asking Adrian about his life, his apartment, if he’s dating anyone.
The entire dinner felt rehearsed.
Fake.
The food arrived twenty minutes later.
I didn’t even remember ordering.
Catherine lifted her wine glass.
“To your father. He’d be so proud of what you’ve built.”
My throat tightened.
I didn’t raise my glass.
She noticed, but moved on smoothly.
“The Blackwell acquisition caught a lot of attention. Taking over your ex-husband’s company? Quite the power move.”
”It was a business decision,” I said sharply.
“Of course it was,” she lied.
“Though I’m surprised you let him work there afterward. Most people wouldn’t.”
”I’m not most people.”
”No,” she said softly.
“You’re much more your father’s daughter than you realize.”
She sipped her wine, then asked, “How is Damien, by the way? Must be strange seeing each other again after everything.”
”We don’t work together,” I said.
“He works for me.”
”Important distinction.” She smirked.
“And the other woman? Victoria, is it?”
I looked straight at her.
“What about her?”
”Oh, just curious if she’s still around.
These affairs usually burn out when they’re exposed.”
Adrian shifted, uncomfortable.
“Aunt Catherine, maybe this isn’t…”
She cut him off.
“Isn’t what? Necessary? Please. Elena’s a grown woman. She should know the truth.”
My stomach dropped.
“What truth?”
Catherine studied me with something like pity.
“That your marriage didn’t fall apart on its own.”
I froze.
“What does that mean?”
”It means,” she said calmly, folding her napkin, “I intervened.”
”Intervened how?”
She didn’t answer.
She just stared like she was waiting for me to catch up.
And suddenly, I did.
Victoria.
She mentioned there was someone else.
Ice ran down my spine.”You hired that woman to end my marriage?”
She raised a brow, amused I’d finally caught on. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
“It was already ending. I simply sped it up. You were blinded by a man who was going to ruin you like mine ruined me.”
I stood up so fast my chair crashed backwards, drawing attention.
“Are you kidding me!? That wasn’t your decision to make!”
”It became mine when your choices threatened this family,” she snapped.
“I mean Damien Blackwell? He’s a nobody.”
Adrian ran a hand through his hair.
“Aunt Catherine…”
She ignored him.
“Victoria needed… motivation to do what I asked. So I provided it.”
My voice shook.
“What did you do?”
She shrugged.
“I flew to Geneva and took a picture with her niece and nephew. Harmless photo. But I let her assume the worst if she didn’t… cooperate.”
Adrian stared at her like she’d lost her mind.
“What the hell, Catherine?!”
”Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes.
“I didn’t touch those kids. I would never. But Victoria didn’t know that. And she was way too dumb to even question it.”
My vision blurred.
I couldn’t breathe.
I grabbed my bag.
“I’m done here.”
I turned, ready to storm away.
“Elena,” she called out.
“You need to finalize your divorce.”
Adrian frowned.
“How do you even know it’s not finalized?”
She sipped her wine, and said lightly, “Please, Adrian. I know everything that happens in this family.”
That was it.
I walked out without a word.
By the time I reached my car, my sight was blurry.
The moment I got in and closed the door, I broke down.
I cried my eyes out, full on shaking, ugly crying into my steering wheel.
I couldn’t believe this was happening all those while and I had no idea.
After a few minutes, I finally pulled myself together and forced myself to relax.
I reached into my bag, and pulled out my phone .
I scrolled down, stopping at his name.
Caleb.
We hadn’t spoken since the gala.
Two weeks now.
I saw he texted me a few times.
I didn’t even see the messages he sent.
I typed a message before I could stop myself.
Me: Are you back yet?
Caleb: Got back yesterday.
What’s wrong?
Even through text, he could tell.
My throat tightened.
Me: Can you come over tonight?
His reply came instantly.
Caleb: On my way.