Two days later.
The rain had started as a whisper when I left the office—soft, hesitant, like the world was holding its breath. It was raining a lot recently. Making the skies heavy and gloomy.
By the time I reached the Sterling Mansion, it was a storm.
I dropped my bag by the foyer and walked straight into my father's study, the only place in this house that ever felt alive after dark. The air smelled faintly of rain and cedarwood, of memories with Kaelen as we planned the next steps. I just wanted silence. One night of stillness before the world started clawing at me again.
I sank into the leather chair and unlocked my phone, scrolling without thought—emails, reports, messages I didn't want to answer. Then I saw it.
Bella's post.
A private story.
I almost didn't click. I wish I hadn't.
A low-lit photo: Kaelen on a couch, shirt half unbuttoned, head tilted back, eyes closed. His tie is loose. There's a glass of whiskey near his hand.Right next to him, Bella, in a satin robe, sitting beside him with a glass of whiskey, her hair loose, watching him with a smile that looks tender.
And the caption:
"Some partnerships work harder than others 💼✨ #VisionCampaign #VancourtHoldings"
Then came the caption, hand-scrawled in gold font:
"Long days. Worth it."
My stomach dropped.
The breath caught in my throat — sharp, painful, real.
The comments below were a knife pit. And I couldn't resist but to read it all. Feeling the pain numbing my heart.
"Looking good babe!""Finally found his way home.""What is real will always be real."
It wasn't what it looked like.
That's what I told myself.
Again and again.
But the truth is, I'd said those same words too many times before — and every time, they hurt more.
I stared at the screen until my vision blurred, then threw the phone onto the nightstand.
I didn't cry.
Not then.
Just sat there in the dark, listening to the silence press down on me.
"That's not...him. That's not-"
Even I couldn't convince myself. Not anymore.
That's when the tears filled my eyes, slowly dropping onto the rug below.
Why... Why does it always have to be me?
First, it was Liam and Chloe. I thought Kaelen was different. I really did.
By the time I managed to stop the tears, I was all but numbed. I felt like a ghost.
My phone was buzzing again, at ten.
Kaelen.
The name li up my screen over and over again.
I didn't answer.
Once. Twice. Seven times.
Then the messages came.
Kaelen: Elara, call me.
Kaelen: Please. It's not what you think.
Kaelen: I need to explain.
Kaelen: Don't do this.
Each one carved deeper.
Each one made me hate myself more for wanting to believe him.
There were a few other calls. From Sienna, from Pauline. But I couldn't take any of those. I just wanted to be alone.
Just as the storm rolled in again, I heard it - the sound of tires on gravel, the heavy slam of a car door.
Then frantic knocking on the front door, something that sounded even louder in the near empty mansion.
At first, I ignored it.But then I heard another sound: a door opening upstairs, followed by the unmistakable click of heels on the staircase.
Chloe.
Of course.
Her voice floated down before she even reached the bottom step, syrupy and cruel."Wow. Someone's persistent."She leaned against the banister, silk robe tied loose, a wine glass dangling from her fingers. Her hair was messy in that deliberate way—half effort, half performance.
I didn't answer.
"Oh, come on," she said, smirking. "You've seen it, haven't you? Bella's story. It's all over the feeds by now. Poor Elara Sterling—always second choice. You really have a type, don't you?"
I stood up slowly, the ache in my chest turning sharp. "Go back to bed, Chloe."
She laughed, low and cutting. "Or what? You'll cry? Call Kaelen to defend your honor?"She sipped her wine, her tone turning mocking."He looked good, by the way. I almost feel bad for Bella—having to deal with your leftovers."
The air between us cracked.For one brief, ugly second, I wanted to hit her. I wanted to slap that smug, knowing smile right off her face.
But I didn't.
Instead, I looked her in the eye and said quietly, "You should be careful what you say, Chloe. I've got nothing left to lose."
Her smirk faltered, just a fraction.
Then another round of pounding echoed through the hall, harder this time.
"Elara!"Kaelen's voice.Hoarse. Urgent.The sound of it twisted something deep inside me.
Chloe's eyebrows lifted, eyes glittering with cruel delight. "He's still here, dear sister. I must applaud you for your skills in bed. That's probably why he's still here isn't it?"She tilted her head toward the door, taunting. "Well? Don't keep him waiting. He probably only has 5 minutes for you before going back to Bella."
That did it.
I brushed past her without another word. She muttered something under her breath as I opened the front door, but I didn't care enough to listen.
The moment the door swung open, the storm hit me full-force—wind, rain, thunder, all of it. And Kaelen, standing right in the middle of it.
He was soaked through, rain dripping from his hair onto his collar. His eyes were dark, searching.
"Elara."
The word broke something in me I didn't realize was still whole.
I just stood there, gripping the doorframe, the cold rain misting against my face.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice quieter than I meant it to be.
He stepped closer, the storm swirling behind him. "You wouldn't answer your phone."
"I didn't want to."
He flinched. "I know how it looks. But it's not—"
"Not what it looks like?" I cut in, my tone brittle. "You said that before. Remember?"
He opened his mouth to reply, but I didn't let him."Just tell me one thing, Kaelen," I said, my voice low. "Was it worth it? The plan? The campaign? Was it worth this?"
His throat worked, words caught between anger and regret. "Elara, please. Let me explain. I didn't—"
Lightning flashed, illuminating the rain on his face. For a moment, I saw something raw there—fear, guilt, maybe even desperation.
Behind me, Chloe laughed softly. "So romantic," she murmured. "Too bad the audience isn't buying it anymore."
That was the last straw.
I turned to her, my voice cold. "Go upstairs, Chloe. Before I forget that I'm still trying to be civil."
Her smile faltered. But I didn't wait to see if she obeyed.
I stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind me, cutting off her voice, the warmth, everything.
It was just Kaelen and me now.And the storm.
He exhaled, rain sliding down his face. "I didn't sleep with her, Elara. I swear on my life."
I said nothing.
The thunder rolled again, shaking the air between us. He looked wrecked, like he hadn't slept in days.
"Please," he said quietly. "Let me explain."
The rain hit harder, stinging against my skin.Kaelen stood there, unmoving, rain dripping down his jaw, his breath shallow like he'd run every red light to get here.
"Elara, please," he said again, quieter this time. "Let's not do this here. Not with her inside."
I stared at him. "You think I care who hears anymore?"
His voice broke. "Please. Just—come with me. Let's talk somewhere else."
I should've slammed the door. I should've walked back inside and locked it.But the way he looked at me—like I was the only thing tethering him to the ground—broke my resolve.
I nodded once, stiffly. "Fine."
We didn't speak on the drive.The storm followed us the whole way, flashes of white lightning cutting through the night as the city lights bled into rain-streaked glass.The silence between us was thick, full of all the things neither of us wanted to be the first to say.
When we reached his penthouse, I walked in without waiting for him to invite me. The air inside was warm, too warm, smelling faintly of whiskey and cedar.
It was quiet—except for the sound of rain hammering against the glass walls.
I turned to him. "You said you wanted to talk."
He ran a hand through his soaked hair, his jaw tightening. "I didn't know she'd do that. That's beneath even her. I swear to you, Elara."
I laughed—soft, brittle. "You didn't know? You think that makes it better?"
He took a step closer. "I was at a dinner with investors. She spiked the drinks, turned it into some goddamn performance. I didn't—"
"Didn't what?" I cut him off, my voice sharp. "Didn't stop her? Didn't realize she was into you? Didn't realize she was capable of doing that?"
His expression hardened. "You think I enjoyed that?"
"I don't know what to think anymore!"The words ripped out before I could stop them. "Every time I look at you, I have to remind myself what's real and what's strategy. And I'm tired, Kaelen. I'm so tired of having to defend the version of you that I can barely recognize anymore."
He looked stricken. "Elara—"
"I had to see all the photos... And now this!" I said, voice cracking. "I know what you're saying but... It looked real. Not staged, not planned—real."I swallowed hard. "Do you even know what that does to me?"
His voice turned rough. "You think it's been a walk in the park for me? I've been walking a tightrope for weeks—between David, between the management board, and Bella, between keeping this from destroying us. I'm trying to fend off what's on the outside. And I can't do this when you don't have my back!"
"That's not an excuse!"
"Maybe not," he said, his tone breaking. "But it's the truth."
The storm outside cracked again—louder this time. A long, blinding flash filled the room. I realized then I was shaking, from anger or heartbreak I couldn't tell.
He stepped closer, voice low. "You said you trusted me."
"I did." My voice dropped to a whisper. "And look where it got me."
He stared at me for a long moment. Then his voice came out, almost a whisper."You knew I was playing the part. We had to win this war. This is the path you told me to choose. The Vision Campaign, the pretence. But you never asked what it would cost me to keep pretending not to love you in front of everyone."
That stopped me.
My heart twisted painfully. "Don't you dare use that word now."
His hands clenched at his sides. "I told you my plans before even carrying it out. You said you would trust me. But now, every other day, I find myself having to explain everything to you. What happened, Elara?!"
"I don't know!"