Chapter 11
She searched everywhere for Josh and the car, the cool night air biting at her bare arms. Did Lucien find out she left the house? So many terrifying possibilities went through her head as she stared at the empty parking lot.
She began walking, taking a different route so Noah wouldn't spot her. A sudden, cold drop hit her cheek. Then another. It began to rain.
"Shit," she cursed, looking down at her plain tee and jeans, which would soon be plastered to her skin.
She noticed a car was following her. Panic flared in her chest, and she hurried her pace, refusing to look back. The car accelerated, pulling up alongside her.
The window whirred down. "What are you doing here?" a voice asked, not bothering to look at her.
She froze, unable to turn toward him. Gosh, he's really doing a good job scaring the shit out of me, she thought. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't come alone. I came along with Josh, but he vanished."
"Sorry, ma'am," Josh said, lowering his own window just as she finally turned to face the car.
Her eyes widened. Josh's face was expressionless, a terrifying mirror of Lucien's. He didn't say anything more. He wound the glass back up, and the car zoomed off, leaving her stranded in the pouring rain.
She was astonished. It felt as if someone had just shot a bullet through her heart. He left her... under the rain. How cruel had he become?
"Fuck you, Lucien," she cursed, running toward a shelter as the rain became a torrential downpour.
It took her three grueling hours to get back to the house.
She was utterly soaked. I hate him, I hate the stupid contract, I hate my life, she thought, peeling off her wet clothes and tossing them onto the bedside table before grabbing a towel.
She immediately plunged into a hot bath, the heat a weak comfort against the cold despair setting in. She questioned her purpose, her whole life, in the steamy silence.
A soft knock came at the door. "El, dear?" It was Maggie.
Elara immediately opened the door and pulled the older woman inside.
"I'm so glad you're here," she said, guiding Maggie to sit on the bed and collapsing next to her.
"Oh, dear. I saw when you came in. What happened? Why didn't you take a driver with you?"
"I did, Maggie, I did. He took him away from me. He knew I was outside."
"Lucien?" Maggie asked.
"Yes, that son of a bitch," Elara spat out.
"Do calm down, dear," Maggie said gently, taking a wet strand of Elara's hair and tucking it behind her ear. "I'll make you some hot chocolate. Give me your clothes; let me take care of it for you."
Elara nodded, handing the sodden clothes to her. Maggie stood to leave.
"Maggie?"
"Yes, dear?"
"Is he in?"
"No, he isn't, dear," she said, and with that, she stepped out of the room.
The next morning, Elara didn't remember much of the previous night. She only recalled eating dinner and crying for most of it. Everything else was a blur. The sun, shining defiantly through the curtains, only served to make her angry.
She got up, rubbing her eyes. There was a letter on her desk. How did they enter my room? Was it Lucien? She picked it up.
After reading the note, her palms became sweaty. The event had been rescheduled for today, by 8 PM. She was going to be in the same car with Lucien, at the same event, as his wife! The thought almost made her physically ill.
Mid-afternoon, Maggie came in with Elara's lunch and a large, branded bag.
"Hello, dear. How are you?" she asked.
"I'm about to lose it, Maggie," Elara said with a weary sigh.
"Oh, dear. It's not going to be that bad," Maggie chuckled softly. "You better eat. You don't look so good, dear."
"Thank you, Maggie," Elara managed a genuine smile.
"Of course, dear. This is for you. Lucien said that's what you're wearing tonight, no exceptions."
"Really?" she scoffed.
"Yes, dear. And I can promise you, after this event, he'll probably let you go."
"Impossible! I signed an agreement for a year, and Lucien is the kind to complete whatever he starts," Elara finished bitterly.
"That's true, but there wouldn't be as many events you'll be attending after this—probably once a month. And you can beg him to allow you to come from home whenever he needs your presence."
"I really want to believe you, but I don't think it would be that easy."
"Just take it easy with yourself. It's not the end of the world."
"It might as well be," she murmured under her breath.
Maggie left the room.
Elara picked up the bag, opened it, and brought out the covered dress. She removed the protective garment bag, revealing a shimmering black, sparkly gown. Elara's eyes widened at the sight of the masterpiece. Gosh, this must be so expensive, she thought, touching the luxurious fabric. Her hands ran through the material, a brief flicker of awe piercing her misery. Tonight was going to be a long night, she thought.
It was time to get ready. A makeup artist and hair stylist were already in her room, their products and equipment spread everywhere. They didn't say a word, as if they had been strictly instructed to remain silent. Elara tried to make small talk, but her attempts were met with voided silence. She wasn't happy with any of this; she felt more like a prisoner with every passing day.
They took about two hours to finish. When they were done, they packed up and left immediately. Only the hairstylist offered a compliment before stepping out.
"You're very beautiful," she said with a small, fleeting smile, then closed the door.
When they left, Elara could finally breathe. She needed to see Maggie, she had to talk to someone; she felt constricted and overwhelmed.
It was time to wear the dress. She stared at it for what felt like forever. She finally picked it up and slipped it on.
The dress was a vision of midnight elegance. It was a floor-length, form-fitting gown crafted from black fabric dusted with what looked like a thousand tiny diamonds, catching the light like starlight on water. The neckline was a delicate, sweeping sweetheart cut that showcased her collarbones. The back plunged into a seductive deep V, held together by shimmering, barely-there straps. The dress hugged her figure before gently flaring out at the knee, giving her a statuesque silhouette. Her hair had been styled into a sophisticated, loose chignon at the nape of her neck. A few soft, curled tendrils had been allowed to frame her face, softening the dramatic look while still exuding effortless glamour.
She looked amazing, ethereal, she thought, running her hands over the smooth fabric again.
Something fell to the floor. It was the bag the dress came in, and a small black velvet box had tumbled out. She wondered what it was. She picked it up and opened it.
It was a ring... Her wedding ring.
She continued staring at it. It was exquisitely beautiful. Even though she wanted anything but to wear it, she knew she had to. She removed it from the foam and slipped it onto her finger. She felt the tears welling up again but looked up, taking a deep, shuddering breath.
She finally gathered the courage to leave the room.
She walked through the hall and saw Maggie waiting at the door.
"Oh, dear. You've always been extraordinarily beautiful," Maggie said, holding both of Elara's hands. "Be strong, dear," she whispered, giving her a light, bracing hug.
"Thank you, Maggie."
Maggie stepped back inside, and Elara walked out to find Josh waiting.
"Mrs. Voss."
She only nodded, still burning with anger at him for ratting her out.
"It wasn't my fault, ma'am," he said as they walked toward the car.
"Save it," she said, walking ahead of him. She entered the backseat. Josh waited, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Why aren't we leaving?" Elara asked, noticing him standing outside.
Just as she finished her sentence, Lucien emerged from the house. Her breath caught in her throat, and she immediately looked away.
A minute later, he entered the car, sitting beside her. The atmosphere suddenly became thick and cold. She didn't say anything, and she didn't look at him. He wasn't worth her time, she thought.
The new perfume in the car made Lucien briefly wonder if this merger was even worth it at all. He looked over at Elara. She hadn't bothered to shift her neck from the rigid position it was in. She didn't want to see him, and he knew it. He didn't care.
He looked over at her hand. The ring was present. He hadn't wanted to get the ring; it was Nathan's stupid idea to make their pretense look more realistic. But he couldn't deny the fact that it sat well on her finger and seemed to rhyme with her perfect skin. He just wanted to get through the event and be done with it.
He had been going to ask her to pick up the dress herself yesterday, but then he got word that she had left the house—already breaking rules, he thought. He ordered Noah to return immediately. He watched her from a distance as she searched for the car. He didn't know whose house she had come from, though her expression made it look like they hadn't had a good conversation. He scoffed at the thought that she would try to walk the distance back home.
He followed her until it started raining. He was going to pick her up, but he didn't want her to think this contract was rosy and all bliss. His intention was to make her regret they ever met. He pulled up to her; the shock and fear were quite evident on her face. He still followed her even after he zoomed off, until she entered the bus, when he finally went back to work. She was a case, he thought. He always had to be on his toes when it came to her. Every time he saw her, she reminded him of his mother , and sometimes their past. But the anger of the mother crushed any pleasant memories that thought of creeping in.
They arrived at the event.
"Do exactly what you're being paid for," Lucien said just as Josh opened his door.
"I know what to do," she retorted, still avoiding his gaze.
"You mess up, and your sick family faces it," he said, stepping out of the car.
She followed suit, walking up to where he stood. She tentatively tangled her elbow with his, and they started walking toward the entrance.
There were cameras everywhere, which took Elara off guard for a second. So many people; it reminded her of the gala night.
Mr. Reynard sighted Lucien from a distance and walked toward him. "Mr. Lucien!" he called out.
Elara turned at the mention of the name, as did Lucien.
"Mr. Reynard," he said. It was the first time Elara had actually seen him offer a genuine smile. It felt new, like unboxing a Christmas gift she didn't know she wanted. She realized she was still staring at him until Lucien placed a hand on her lower back, a silent, possessive nudge.
"This must be your wife," the woman standing next to Mr. Reynard said, smiling warmly.
"Yes, Mrs. Reynard, this is Elara," he said. She hadn't heard him call her name in years. She was still in shock. It sounded ridiculously refreshing. For some reason, she wanted to hear it again.
He nudged her again, making Elara snap back to reality. "I've heard so much about you, Mr. and Mrs. Reynard. It's so good to finally see the faces behind all those billions," she said, causing them both to laugh.
"Oh, dear, it's lovely to see you," Mrs. Reynard said, placing a kiss on her cheek.
"You've got yourself a really pretty lady," Mr. Reynard said to Lucien.
"Following your footsteps, sir," he replied, causing them to laugh again.
"Enjoy the event," Mr. Reynard said, walking away with his wife.
Immediately after he left, Lucien's face snapped back to its expressionless mask. He instantly removed his hand from her back. "Follow me," he said, leading them to their table.
There were six people at the table, including Mr. and Mrs. Reynard. So far, Elara thought, she was making a good effort. But then the conversation began.
"Lucien told us you're really shy, so I don't know if this is too much for you. We deeply apologize," an old lady at the table asked, looking directly at Elara.
"No, no, it's fine. Um, I was actually going through some personal crisis, and being in the spotlight or headlines wouldn't be the best option for my health and family."
"Oh, that makes sense," Mr. Reynard commented kindly.
"So, how did you meet Lucien?" another lady asked.
"We were childhood lovers, actually, we've known each other since we were kids" Elara said, stealing a glance at Lucien. He was sipping his wine, so she couldn't tell if he was angry or proud.
"Wow, that's so sweet!" the lady gushed.
"I would have never imagined you being in love, Mr. Voss," Mr. Reynard said, causing everyone at the table to laugh.
Lucien gave a small, thin smile.
"So, Mrs. Elara, are you into the business world? There's so much—"
"She's really not into business talk," Lucien cut in, smooth as silk. "Her expertise lies in... simpler things," he said, making Elara feel a bit unsettled.
"Ohh, alright," the man said, turning back to his food.
"I can handle business talks," Elara murmured under her breath, causing Lucien to drop his spoon with a soft clink.
"Don't strain yourself trying to sound smart, Elara. I'd hate for anyone to realize I hired you for looks, not logic," he whispered, leaning in and putting a strand of hair behind her ear, noting that people were watching them.
His hand felt like fire on her skin. Nothing hurt more than knowing that his entire plan was to embarrass her, and he was winning. She felt sick all over again. She couldn't eat anymore.
The others continued with business conversations as she zoned out until someone called her attention again. It was Mrs. Reynard. "Are you okay, dear?" she asked.
"She's fine, Mrs. Reynard. She's still adjusting to this lifestyle... It's quite an upgrade from her previous one," he said, causing everyone at the table to laugh lightly, but enough to stab Elara.
Elara kept her head down, squeezing the napkin on the table in cold anger and profound frustration.
Stranded
The night was terrible for Elara, but unfortunately, it went perfectly well for Lucien. "We'll make great partners, son," Mr. Reynard had told him at the table.
The event had finally come to an end. Lucien said his goodbyes to the people that mattered.
"We'll love to see you another time, dear," Mrs. Reynard said, giving Elara a warm hug.
Elara hadn't been able to say anything the entire evening for fear of being insulted by Lucien again. They walked to the car now. Josh had parked quite a distance from the event location. Elara began to wonder what they were up to.
"I have somewhere else to be. I believe you'll be able to find your way," Lucien said, entering the car.
"The fuck do you mean I'll be able to find my way?" she thought, gaping.
Josh entered his side of the car, giving her an apologetic look.
"Don't curse, darling; it doesn't fit you," he said without sparing her a glance.
Elara watched as the car drove off. She was speechless. More than that, she realized she was actually left alone and stranded.
"Fuck you, Lucien!" she cursed, pulling off her agonizing heels.