ELARA'S POV
"You're late."
I rushed into Kaelan's office, breathless and sweating. My new phone showed 8:03 AM.
"I'm sorry! The traffic was terrible, and I couldn't find parking, and—"
"I don't want excuses." Kaelan didn't look up from his computer. "I want results. Being on time is a result. Try again tomorrow."
My cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Yes, sir."
"Don't call me sir. Call me Kaelan. Now sit down. We have work to do."
I sat in the chair across from his desk, my heart still pounding. This was my first real day working for him. I didn't want to mess it up.
Kaelan finally looked at me. His gray eyes studied my face like he was reading a book.
"You didn't sleep last night," he said.
"How did you—"
"Dark circles under your eyes. You're wearing the same clothes as yesterday. Your hair is pulled back because you didn't have time to wash it. Should I continue?"
I felt naked under his gaze. "No."
"Good. Here's lesson one: in this world, people judge you in three seconds. Three seconds to decide if you're worth their time. If you show up looking tired and messy, they'll assume you're weak. Are you weak, Elara?"
"No."
"Then stop looking like it. Sarah will take you shopping today. New clothes. New shoes. Everything. Consider it part of your training."
"I can't afford—"
"I'm paying. This is an investment in my employee. Don't argue with me."
I closed my mouth and nodded.
Kaelan stood up and walked to the window. "Your stepfamily thinks you're broken. They think you'll crawl back to them, begging for forgiveness. We're going to prove them wrong."
"How?"
He turned to face me. "By making you unforgettable. By the time we're done, you won't just be successful. You'll be extraordinary. The kind of woman people stop and stare at. The kind of woman Liam will regret losing for the rest of his miserable life."
Something stirred in my chest. Hope, maybe. Or anger. Or both.
"What do I need to do?"
"Everything I tell you. Starting now." He pressed a button on his desk. Sarah walked in, holding a coffee cup.
"Take Elara to Lexington Street. Full makeover. Clothes, hair, everything. Budget is unlimited. Make her look like she belongs in this building."
Sarah grinned at me. "This is going to be fun. Come on, Elara."
I followed her out, my head spinning. This was really happening. My life was changing right before my eyes.
But as we stepped into the elevator, my new phone buzzed.
Unknown number: Saw your car at Vance Tech. What are you doing there? - Liam
My blood turned to ice.
Three hours later, I stood in front of a mirror and didn't recognize myself.
My hair was shorter, styled in soft waves that framed my face. The stylist had added subtle highlights that caught the light. My nails were painted a deep red. And the outfit—a black pantsuit that fit perfectly—made me look powerful.
"You look amazing," Sarah said, beaming. "Kaelan is going to be impressed."
But I couldn't stop thinking about Liam's text.
He was watching me. Tracking me. Even after everything, he wouldn't let me go.
"Sarah?" I asked quietly. "How did Kaelan know about the tracking apps on my old phone?"
She hesitated. "Kaelan knows things. It's better not to ask how."
"That's not an answer."
Sarah sighed. "Look, Kaelan has resources. Connections. He knew about your situation before he ever approached you. He's been... investigating your family for a while."
"Why?"
"That's a question for him, not me. Come on. Let's get you back to the office."
We drove back to Vance Tech in Sarah's car. My shopping bags filled the back seat—more clothes than I'd owned in my entire life.
When we walked into Kaelan's office, he was on the phone. He glanced at me, and something flickered in his eyes. Surprise? Approval?
He finished his call and hung up.
"Better," he said simply. "Much better."
I didn't know why his approval made me feel warm inside.
"Now for the hard part," Kaelan continued. "Sit down. We need to talk about Liam."
My stomach dropped. "What about him?"
"He texted you this morning. He knows you're here."
"How did you—" I stopped. Of course he knew. He probably had access to my new phone too.
"I need you to respond to him," Kaelan said. "But carefully. We don't want him to know what we're planning."
"What should I say?"
"Tell him you got a job. Keep it vague. Make him think you're just trying to move on with your life."
I pulled out my phone and typed: I needed work. Not that it's your business anymore.
Liam's response came instantly: Can we meet? Please? I need to explain things.
I showed Kaelan the message.
"Say yes," he said.
"What? No! I don't want to see him!"
"I know. But this is important. We need to know what he wants. What he knows. Whether he suspects anything."
"I can't face him. Not yet."
Kaelan's expression softened slightly. "You can. You're stronger than you think. And I'll be there."
"You'll be there?"
"Not with you. Nearby. Watching. If things go wrong, I'll step in. You have my word."
I looked at the text message. My hands were shaking.
Could I really do this? Could I sit across from Liam and pretend everything was fine?
"Where should I tell him to meet me?" I asked.
"The coffee shop on Fifth Street. Tomorrow at noon. Public place. Lots of people. Safe."
I typed the message and hit send before I could change my mind.
Liam replied immediately: Thank you. I'll be there. I love you, Elara.
Those three words made me want to throw my phone across the room.
"He doesn't love me," I said bitterly. "If he loved me, he wouldn't have married someone else."
"You're right," Kaelan agreed. "He loves the idea of you. The girl who waited for him. The girl who made him feel important. But he doesn't love the real you. He never did."
His words stung because they were true.
"Go home," Kaelan said. "Rest. Tomorrow will be difficult. But remember—you're not the same girl he left behind. You're becoming someone new. Someone better."
I nodded and stood to leave.
"Elara?" Kaelan called after me.
I turned back.
"You did well today. I'm proud of you."
Those simple words meant more than they should have. I smiled and walked out.
The next day, I arrived at the coffee shop fifteen minutes early. I wore one of my new outfits—a navy blue dress that Sarah said made me look "elegant and untouchable."
I ordered a coffee and sat by the window, watching people walk by.
At exactly noon, Liam walked in.
He looked terrible. His eyes were red. His hair was messy. His clothes were wrinkled.
He spotted me and froze.
"Elara?" he whispered.
I took a sip of my coffee and said nothing.
He walked over slowly and sat down across from me. "You look... different."
"I am different."
"I've been trying to reach you for days. Your old number doesn't work. I didn't know where you were staying. I was worried."
"Were you worried before or after your honeymoon plans?"
He flinched. "You saw that post."
"Everyone saw that post. Chloe made sure of it."
Liam ran his hands over his face. "This is all wrong. Everything is wrong. Chloe isn't who I thought she was."
"Really? What gave it away? The lying? The manipulation? Or the fact that she's not actually dying?"
His head snapped up. "What?"
I pulled out my phone and showed him a photo. The medical records Kaelan had given me. Proof that Chloe was healthy.
Liam stared at the screen, his face going pale. "Where did you get this?"
"Does it matter? It's the truth. She lied to all of us."
"But... but she had hospital bracelets. Doctor's notes. I saw them."
"All fake. She paid someone to create them. She's been planning this for months, Liam. Maybe longer."
He looked like he might be sick. "I need to... I need to go home. I need to confront her."
"No." I grabbed his wrist. "You can't tell her you know. Not yet."
"Why not?"
"Because—" I stopped. What could I say? That I was working with someone to take them all down? That this was part of a bigger plan?
"Because you need proof," I finished. "Real proof. If you confront her now, she'll just deny everything. She'll make you look crazy. You need to be smart about this."
Liam's eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry, Elara. I'm so, so sorry. I should have believed you. I should have chosen you."
"But you didn't."
"Let me fix this. Let me make it right. I'll get a divorce. I'll—"
"No," I said firmly. "It's too late."
"It's not too late! I love you!"
"You loved the old me. But she's gone, Liam. I'm someone else now."
I stood up to leave.
Liam grabbed my hand. "Please. Give me one more chance. I'll do anything."
I pulled my hand away. "There's nothing left to give."
I walked out of the coffee shop, my heart pounding. Through the window, I saw Liam sitting alone, his head in his hands.
My phone buzzed.
Kaelan: Well done. Meet me at the office. We have a problem.
A problem? What kind of problem?
I hurried to my car and drove to Vance Tech as fast as I could.
When I burst into Kaelan's office, he was standing at his window, his face dark.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
He turned to face me. "Chloe knows about the medical records."
"What? How?"
"Someone tipped her off. And now she's threatening to sue anyone who tries to expose her. She's claiming defamation. Her lawyers are already drawing up papers."
My heart sank. "So we can't use the records?"
"Not yet. Not until we have more. But there's something else." He paused. "She's coming after you specifically."
"Me? Why?"
Kaelan's jaw tightened. "Because she knows you're working for me. And she knows about our history with her family. She thinks you're planning revenge."
"We ARE planning revenge!"
"Yes, but she can't prove it. Still, she's dangerous. More dangerous than I thought. We need to be careful."
"What do we do?"
Kaelan looked at me with those intense gray eyes. "We move faster. We hit harder. And we make sure that when we take her down, she never gets back up."
A knock on the door interrupted us.
Sarah rushe
d in, her face white. "Kaelan, we have a visitor. Security is bringing her up now."
"Who?"
"Chloe Reed. She's demanding to see Elara."