Elara did not cry after the bedroom door closed.
That almost scared her more.
Rain crashed violently against the penthouse windows while Manhattan drowned beneath silver stormlight. Usually, thunderstorms made her anxious.
Tonight, she barely heard them.
She stood motionless in the centre of her room, wearing a simple cream lounge dress, the soft fabric wrinkled from exhaustion. Her hair, normally perfect hung loose and messy around her shoulders. Mascara shadowed beneath her eyes.
And somehow she still felt trapped inside Alaric's elevator.
Still hearing him say her name.
Still seeing the look on his face when the doors closed between them.
Elara ripped Sebastian's engagement ring from her finger and threw it across the vanity.
"I hate all of you," she whispered.
Silence answered her, a knock hit the bedroom door.
Then Julian walked in before she answered.
One glance at her face made his expression darken instantly.
"You look terrible."
"Thank you."
His eyes moved toward the ring abandoned across the vanity "That's concerning."
Elara crossed her arms tightly. "I'm tired, Julian."
"No. You're hurt." The room went quiet.
Julian noticed the faint bruise near her collarbone, and his entire posture changed instantly.
"Who touched you?"
"It doesn't matter."
"It matters to me," he said in concern.
She was exhausted.
Tired of Sebastian.
Tired of Alaric.
Tired of Alera's ghost following her everywhere she went.
"You know what's pathetic?" she whispered suddenly. "I don't even know which part hurt more."
Julian stayed silent.
"The fact Sebastian thinks I'm replaceable ", her throat tightened painfully, "or the fact I still wanted Alaric to deny it."
The room went still. Julian stared at her carefully Then said quietly,
"Alaric Virement." Not a question.
Elara closed her eyes. That was enough confirmation.
Julian dragged a hand slowly down his face. "When exactly did this become a disaster?"
"It wasn't supposed to happen."
His expression sharpened. "Elara."
"We kissed, okay?" Silence exploded through the room.
Julian blinked slowly. "You kissed"
"I KNOW."
He stared at her as she'd confessed to murder then laughed once under his breath.
Not because it was funny because this was catastrophic "Oh, this is bad."
Elara collapsed onto the edge of the bed. "You think?"
Julian started pacing immediately "If Sebastian finds out"
"Maybe He knows." Elara said in her deep breath.
Julian stopped dead "what?"
"There was a fight."
His face lost all expression. "Define fight."
Elara remembered blood splattering across marble floors growls that didn't sound human.
Black veins beneath Alaric's throat.
Her stomach twisted "bad."
Julian studied her face carefully then his expression changed again sharper now.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Elara looked away instantly.
And Julian understood enough to become afraid, not of her of how deep this already was.
"You're in love with him."
Her head snapped toward him "No."
Lie they both heard it.
Julian exhaled slowly through his nose then quietly asked,
"Do you want me to cancel the engagement?"
Elara stared at him because Julian sounded completely serious before she could answer,
"Cancel what exactly?" the voice sliced through the room.
Elara froze. Julian turned sharply toward the doorway.
Celeste Montclair stood there in a fitted black dress, elegant and effortless despite the fury hardening her expression. Her dark hair was twisted into a polished low chignon, diamond stud glinting beneath flashes of lightning.
And judging by her face she had heard enough for one dangerous second. Nobody spoke.
Then Celeste stepped slowly into the room.
"What is going on?"
Julian straightened instantly. "Mom"
"No." Her eyes locked onto Elara "I want her to answer me."
The room turned ice cold.
"You were with the Virements tonight," Celeste said quietly.
"Yes" Elara said without hesitation'
"And apparently now my daughter wants to destroy one of the most important business this family has secured in years."
"This isn't about business," Julian snapped.
Celeste looked at him sharply "Everything is about business."
Her gaze returned to Elara.
Then slowly moved toward the bruise near her collarbone The discarded ring.
Understanding hit her face instantly "Oh my God."
"It was Alaric?" The name landed like poison.
Elara looked away that was answer enough.
Celeste laughed softly in disbelief "You cannot be serious."
"It's complicated," Julian said carefully.
"No " Celeste snapped. "It is not complicated."
Her eyes sharpened dangerously on Elara.
"You are engaged to one brother and sneaking around with the other?"
"I wasn't sneaking around."
"Then what exactly were you doing?"
Elara opened her mouth nothing came out.
Because there wasn't a clean answer Celeste saw that too and something inside her hardened completely.
"You always do this."
Elara blinked. "What?"
"You create disasters and expect everyone else to clean them up."
"Alera made people feel safe," she said coldly. "You make people nervous."
Elara physically flinched.
"You act recklessly. Emotional. Self destructive."
"Enough, Mom," Julian snapped.
But Celeste had already crossed the line between anger and cruelty.
"Do you know how many problems this family covered for you?" she continued sharply. "The scandals? The fights? The headlines?"
Elara went pale.
"And now you're willing to ruin everything over another terrible decision."
"You think I planned this?" Elara whispered.
"No," Celeste said coldly. "I think you never think at all."
Silence. Then came the worst part.
"It would've been easier if you had died instead of Alera."
The world stopped Completely.
Julian looked horrified. "Mother."
But Celeste wasn't finished.
"Alera held this family together," she said harshly. "After she died everything became chaos."
Elara stepped backward like she'd been hit.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Julian shouted.
Celeste's eyes glistened now with grief and fury.
"She was good!" she snapped. "She was kind and careful and loved people properly!"
"And Elara doesn't?" Julian fired back.
Celeste looked shattered which somehow made it worse because she meant every word.
For one long second, Celeste said nothing then her gaze settled coldly on Elara.
"You are going to marry Sebastian," she said quietly. "And whatever you have for Alaric Virement end tonight."
Then she turned and walked out the bedroom door slammed shut behind her.
Silence swallowed the room whole.
Julian immediately turned toward Elara and his anger vanished instantly.
Because she looked destroyed Not crying. Worse. Empty.
"Elara"
She stepped away from him slowly.
Like she suddenly needed distance from everyone.
The evening skyline burned gold outside the guest room where Clara lives when Sebastian walked in with blood still split across his lip.
Clara looked up from the dining table immediately with her pregnant belly.
"what happened to you?"
Sebastian laughed under his breath while loosening the buttons of his black dress shirt "Nothing honey"
Clara rolled her eyes instantly. "Please tell me you didn't start another fight."
"I didn't start it."
"That sentence means absolutely nothing coming from you."
He grinned god, he was still replaying it in his head.
Alaric slamming him against walls.
Actually growling.
Losing control completely.
Sebastian almost laughed again thinking about it.
Clara noticed immediately. "Why do you look so entertained?"
Sebastian smiled into the glass because he was happy.
For years Alaric had walked around acting untouchable.
Cold. Controlled.
Better than him and now?
One girl had reduced him to something desperate.
Pathetic, honestly.
Sebastian leaned back against the couch with a quiet laugh.
Clara moved toward him slowly. "You and I are still leaving for Milan next month, right?"
That dragged him briefly back into reality "Yeah."
"You say that like you forgot."
Sebastian smirked faintly. "I forget most things."
"That's unhealthy." She sighed dramatically and stole his whiskey glass before he could stop her.
"Hey." Sebestien looked at Clara.
"You already look unstable."
"I am unstable."
"I noticed."
That finally made him laugh properly.
Real laughter this time
Clara shook her head, smiling despite herself.
While alaric,
The motorcycle accelerated faster through the glowing city streets.
People turned to stare as he flew past intersections like something reckless and untamed.
He barely noticed because for the first time in years.
Alaric Virement had absolutely no control over his own heart anymore.
Elara Montclair woke up after sleeping all evening and decided two things.
First, She was absolutely not going to cry over the Virement brothers again.
She's out of their league
Second, she needed alcohol immediately.
Which was exactly why she was currently lying dramatically across her bed while Yuze suffered through her phone call.
"No." Yuze
"You're actually evil, you don't care about your childhood best friend," Elara said dramatically
"You are asking me to go clubbing tonight."
"Exactly, that's what I need, yuze," she said sincerely
"I value peace."
Elara stared at the ceiling. "If you cared about me, you'd say yes."
"I don't care enough for New York nightlife," he said jokingly
She gasped loudly. "Wow, that was fake outrage."
"It wasn't fake to me." Yuze sighed deeply through the phone like a man already regretting his life choices.
Then Elara smiled suddenly Dangerously.
"Oh," she said sweetly. "Should I remind you who covered for you after that Lamborghini incident last year?"
Silence.
"You emotionally manipulative witch." Yuze laughed while saying.
"So you'll come?" Elara asked
"I hate you."
"Perfect. Invite Sara Bennett too."
That got his attention "What?"
"I want to meet her."
"You've never even talked to her."
"Exactly. She sounds interesting."
Yuze narrowed his eyes suspiciously, even though she couldn't see him. "Why do I feel like you're planning something?"
Elara grinned.
Because for the first time in two days, she actually felt alive again.
By midnight, New York was glowing.
Music pounded through the walls of Eclipse, one of the most exclusive clubs downtown. Neon lights flashed across crowded dance floors while laughter, perfume, and expensive alcohol filled the air.
The black BMW stopped outside the club first, and Yuze came.
Tall. Sharp. Annoyingly attractive in the effortless rich boy way. He wore black tailored trousers with a partially unbuttoned white dress shirt beneath a dark Saint Laurent jacket, silver rings glinting beneath the city lights.
He looked like a man arriving to the club against his will, which was accurate.
Then Sara stepped out from a taxi and immediately looked like trouble.
She wore a glittering wine red halter dress with that revealed curve of her breasts silver layered neclace rested between her cleavage her messy wolf cut made her wild but attractive she wasn't soft pretty she looked like the kind of people fall for and regret later.
She looked like she'd either steal your wallet or your boyfriend. Possibly both.
Then Elara stepped out last from her Koenigsegg.
And people stared instantly Not subtly either Actually stared.
Her black Dolce & Gabbana mini dress was dangerously elegant silk fabric wrapping around her body perfectly with an open back and off shoulder, and gold detailing along one side of her dress. Her heels were sharp enough to kill someone. Dark hair fell in glamorous waves down her back while smoky eyeliner made her eyes look lethal.
Yuze looked at Elara for a full five seconds after she stepped out of the car.
Then slowly removed the cigarette from between his lips.
"yeah, that's dangerous."
Elara adjusted the silver strap slipping down her shoulder. "You're being dramatic."
"No, I'm being observant."
Sara came around the other side of the car, then stopped beside Elara completely.
For a second, she just stared.
The black silk dress fit Elara perfectly elegant enough for Manhattan, dangerous enough for nightlife. Open back. Bare legs. Diamonds at her ears catching every city light.
Sara exhaled softly. "Okay. I get it now. " she forget all her jealousy
"Get what?" Elara is confused
"Why men make terrible decisions around you." Elara smiled sweetly. "Thank you." Sara giggled "let's go baby" she told Elara and dragged her into the club
Yuze already wanted to go home.
The second they entered the atmosphere swallowed them whole.
Music thundered through the massive club while laser lights cut across packed dance floors in violent flashes of blue and gold. Manhattan's elite crowded the VIP balconies drinking overpriced champagne while models, celebrities, and finance bros flirted beneath glowing neon signs.
The entire place smelled like expensive perfume and terrible decisions.
Yuze muttered, "I hate both of you already."
Neither girl listened.
Ten minutes later, things got worse.
Sara danced like she belonged there confident, reckless, impossible not to watch.
Yuze stared from the booth in disbelief "why are you good at this?"
Sara grabbed his wrist instantly. "Get up."
"No I value dignity"." Yuze
Elara nearly choked laughing as Sara dragged him onto the dance floor.
Then came the vodka shots.
"Drink," Sara ordered.
Yuze narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Why do they smell radioactive?"
"STOP THINKING." He drank it anyway Immediate regret crossed his face.
"Oh my God." Sara screamed laughing. "HE'S DYING."
"It tastes like gasoline."
Meanwhile, Elara leaned against the glowing bar with amusement warming her chest for the first time in days.
This was what she needed.
Music too loud.
Lights too bright.
Thoughts too drowned in alcohol to hurt properly.
For once she wasn't thinking about Sebastian.
Or Alaric Or Alera.
Then a deep voice beside her said "You've been pretending not to notice me for ten minutes."
Elara turned slightly and paused.
He was standing close enough for the club lights to catch the sharp edge of his jaw, one hand resting lazily against the bar. Black shirt. Rolled sleeves. Dark watch against tan skin. The kind of face people in New York looked at twice without meaning to.
But it was his energy that caught her first.
Calm.
Not trying too hard.
Not hovering.
Not performing.
Like he already knew women usually came to him.
Elara took another sip of her drink slowly. "Bold assumption."
His eyes moved over her face once.
"You looked at me three times."
God Okay.
His voice was low enough to disappear beneath the music, but somehow she heard every word perfectly.
Behind her, Sara was dancing on pure chaos while Yuze looked deeply regretful about every life decision that led him there.
Normally Elara would've been watching them.
Instead she stayed focused on the man beside her.
Which annoyed her immediately.
He noticed the expression change on her face and smiled slightly.
"There it is."
"There what is?"
"That look." His gaze stayed on hers. "Like you're deciding if I'm worth your time."
"And are you?"
His smile deepened a little.
"I don't know yet. You haven't talked enough."
That made her laugh unexpectedly.
Not the polite kind either.
Real laughter.
And suddenly he looked more interested.
"What's funny?"
"You're different."
"From?"
"Elaborate men."
"Ah." He leaned slightly closer. "You only get approached by men who think money is a personality trait ?"
"All the time."
"Tragic."
The lights flashed across his face again.
Dark eyes.
Messy hair.
The kind of confidence that didn't need attention to survive.
Elara hated how fast she relaxed around him.
No tension.
No emotional warfare.
No complicated history hanging between every sentence.
Just attraction.
Easy and immediate.
"What's your name?" she asked finally.
"Alex ." He tilted his head slightly toward her. "And you?"
"Elara." Recognition flickered for half a second.
Then disappeared just as quickly. "Montclair?"
She raised a brow. "Should I be worried you know that?"
"Hard not to." His eyes stayed on hers. "You look exactly like the kind of woman Manhattan writes articles about."
"And what kind is that?"
"The kind men ruin their lives over."
Jesus Elara looked away for one second just to breathe properly.
When she looked back alex was still watching her with the same calm expression.
Like he had all night.
Like he wasn't in a rush to impress her.
That was somehow worse.
The music changed around them, bass heavier now, bodies moving closer together across the dance floor.
Alex held out his hand toward her like a gentleman.
"Come dance with me." Simple.
No performance. No cheesy line.
And somehow that made her want to say yes immediately.
Elara looked at his hand.
Then at him.
And for the first time in days, she stopped thinking about Alaric completely.