ELARA'S POV
Chloe stood in Kaelan's office like she owned it.
Her designer purse hung from her arm. Her makeup was perfect. Her smile was poison.
"Hello, sister," she said sweetly. "You look... different."
My hands curled into fists. "Get out."
"Now, now. Is that any way to greet family?" Chloe walked around the room, touching Kaelan's desk, his books, everything. "Nice place. I didn't know you were friends with Kaelan Vance. How interesting."
Kaelan stood perfectly still. His face showed nothing. But his eyes were sharp as knives.
"You have thirty seconds to state your business," he said coldly. "Then security will remove you."
Chloe laughed. "So protective! Tell me, Elara, what did you promise him to get this job? Or should I guess?"
Heat rushed to my face. "You're disgusting."
"And you're desperate." Chloe pulled out her phone. "I have a video. Want to see? It's you, crying outside a motel last week. You looked so pathetic. I bet the internet would love it."
My stomach dropped. She had been following me?
"Delete it," I whispered.
"Why would I do that? It's perfect for my social media. 'Poor Elara, so broken without her family.' My followers will eat it up."
Rage exploded inside me. I stepped toward her. "You lied about being sick! You stole my wedding! You destroyed my life!"
"Prove it." Chloe's smile grew wider. "Oh wait, you can't. Because my lawyers already made sure those fake medical records disappear. Whoops."
I lunged at her.
Kaelan caught me. His arms wrapped around my waist, holding me back. "Don't. She wants you to lose control."
"Listen to your boss, Elara." Chloe headed for the door. "By the way, Liam is coming to my birthday party next week. He's bringing me a very expensive gift. Just thought you'd want to know."
She walked out, her laughter echoing down the hall.
I shook with anger. Tears burned my eyes. I wanted to scream.
Kaelan let me go. He walked to his desk and pressed a button. "Sarah, cancel my afternoon meetings."
"But sir—"
"All of them. Now."
He hung up and looked at me. Really looked at me.
"Sit down," he said quietly.
"I don't want to sit! I want to hurt her! I want to make her pay for everything!"
"I know. Sit down anyway."
Something in his voice made me obey. I collapsed into the chair, my whole body shaking.
Kaelan poured water from a pitcher and handed me the glass. "Drink."
I drank. The cold water helped a little.
"Your stepsister is a snake," Kaelan said. "She knows exactly how to get under your skin. That's her power. But you have power too. You just don't know it yet."
"What power? I have nothing! She has money, lawyers, everything!"
"You have me."
The words hung in the air between us.
Kaelan sat on the edge of his desk, his arms crossed. "I'm going to tell you something I haven't told anyone. Five years ago, your stepmother's company stole technology from mine. They copied my designs and sold them as their own. I lost millions. But worse than that, I lost something I created. Something important to me."
My mouth fell open. "That's why you're helping me? Because you want revenge on my family too?"
"Partly. But also because when I saw you that day, thrown out like garbage, I saw myself. Years ago, someone powerful tried to destroy me too. They almost succeeded. I know what it feels like to have nothing."
I studied his face. For the first time, I saw pain there. Hidden, but real.
"What happened to you?" I asked softly.
"That's a story for another day. Right now, we need to talk about your future." He leaned forward. "I'm offering you a deal, Elara. A real one. Not just a job."
"What kind of deal?"
"Work for me for one year. In that year, I'll teach you everything. Business, confidence, strategy, how to fight back. I'll give you money, clothes, training, everything you need. By the end of the year, you'll be unstoppable."
"And what do you get?"
"Your help taking down your stepfamily's company. From the inside, you know things I don't. Together, we can destroy them legally. Completely. No coming back."
My heart raced. "You want me to spy on them?"
"I want you to become so successful that they regret ever hurting you. And yes, along the way, we'll gather evidence of their crimes. Real evidence this time. Evidence their lawyers can't make disappear."
"Why would they let me near them after everything?"
Kaelan smiled. It wasn't a nice smile. "Because we'll make them need you. We'll make them believe you're desperate to come back. That you've learned your lesson. And when they trust you again—we'll strike."
I thought about Chloe's smug face. Liam's pathetic tears. My stepmother's cold eyes.
They all thought I was weak. Broken. Done.
What if I could prove them wrong?
"If I say yes," I said slowly, "I need to know something. What happens after the year is over? After we destroy them?"
"You'll be free. Free to start your own company, your own life. With my help, you'll have enough money and connections to do anything you want."
"And us? What happens to us?"
Kaelan's eyes darkened. "What do you want to happen?"
The question felt dangerous. Important.
Before I could answer, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and his face changed.
"I need to take this." He answered. "Yes?"
I watched him listen. His jaw got tighter and tighter.
"When?" he asked. "How bad?"
A pause.
"I'll be there in twenty minutes." He hung up and looked at me. "I have to go. Family emergency."
"Is everything okay?"
"No." He grabbed his jacket. "Sarah will drive you home. We'll continue this conversation tomorrow."
"But I haven't answered yet! About the deal!"
Kaelan stopped at the door. "I know. Think about it tonight. Really think about it. Because once you say yes, there's no going back. This path will change you. Maybe in ways you can't imagine."
He left.
I sat alone in his office, my mind spinning.
One year. One year to become someone new. Someone powerful.
One year to make them all pay.
Could I do it? Could I really become the kind of person who destroys others on purpose?
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number: I'm watching you, Elara. Enjoy working for Kaelan while it lasts. -Chloe
Then another message: P.S. I sent that video to Liam. He's very worried about you. Maybe he'll come save you. How romantic!
Rage filled me again. Hot and bright.
I grabbed my phone and typed a message to Kaelan: My answer is yes. I'm in. Let's destroy them.
I hit send.
Three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.
Finally, a response: Good. But first, you need to know something. Chloe isn't your only problem. There's someone else. Someone who's been pulling strings this whole time. Someone you trusted. Meet me at my house tonight. 9 PM. Come alone. I'll explain everything.
My blood turned cold.
Someone I trusted?
Who could he mean?
And why did I suddenly feel like I was stepping into something much bigger and darker than I ever imagined?