Elena stared at the note again.
Dinner. Tonight. 8PM. No press. No
cameras. Just us.
She wasn't sure what to make of it.
Dominic didn't do "just us." Every interaction they had felt like a business transaction
or a cold, calculated chess move. This? This felt… personal. And that scared
her more than anything.
Still, part of her was curious.
Was he trying to make an effort?
Or was this just another way to gain
control?
She set the note on her vanity and
walked to the window. Outside, the sun was slowly setting behind the skyline,
casting a soft orange glow across the city. From this room, the world looked
peaceful. But inside her, everything was a storm.
Her heart had never stopped racing
since the day she walked into this mansion. Every moment felt like a test she
didn't know how to pass.
But tonight, maybe she'd get answers.
Maybe she'd finally understand the man
behind the mask.
Later That Evening
The staff had brought up a dress. A sleek,
wine-red gown that hugged her figure without being too much. The fabric felt
soft and expensive, and Elena knew without asking—it was Dominic's choice.
She almost didn't want to wear it. She
didn't like the idea of him picking what she wore.
But a small voice inside her
whispered… What if he's trying?
So she wore it.
She tied her hair back in a low,
elegant bun and added a touch of lipstick. When she looked in the mirror, she
barely recognized herself.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
And then, without waiting for an
answer, she left her room.
The dining room was on the west wing
of the mansion—somewhere she had never been before. A butler guided her through
the long hallways until they reached a pair of tall wooden doors.
He opened them slowly.
Inside, the room was dimly lit with
warm lights and candles. A long table stood in the center, but instead of
sitting at opposite ends like strangers, there were only two chairs… placed
side by side.
Dominic was already there.
He stood when she walked in, his eyes
scanning her from head to toe. For a moment, his expression changed. Just for a
moment.
"You look…" he began, then stopped.
"Nice."
Elena raised a brow. "Nice?"
He gave a small smirk. "Beautiful. If
that's what you're fishing for."
"I wasn't fishing," she said, walking
past him to the table. "But thanks."
They sat.
For a moment, it was quiet. A few soft
piano notes played from hidden speakers. Then the first course was brought
out—some sort of fancy soup Elena didn't recognize.
She took a small spoonful.
Silence.
Then Dominic finally spoke.
"I thought it was time we talked."
Elena looked up, her spoon paused
midair. "Talked? You mean like… actual words? Not orders?"
He sighed. "I know I haven't made this
easy. I haven't explained much."
"No, you haven't," she said, her tone
sharper than she meant. "You just expect me to play my role, smile for the
cameras, and stay quiet."
His eyes met hers. "Because I thought
that's what you wanted. A deal. No emotions."
"I didn't want to be treated like
furniture."
He leaned back. "Fair."
Another silence.
The main course was brought in—roasted
chicken, garlic potatoes, and grilled vegetables. It smelled amazing, but Elena
barely touched it.
"I saw the message from Julian,"
Dominic said suddenly.
Elena's head snapped up. "You had no
right to read that."
"I didn't. But I saw the name. And I
know who he is."
Elena crossed her arms. "He's my
friend. Someone who actually treats me like a person."
"He's also your ex."
"So?"
Dominic frowned. "Do you still have
feelings for him?"
She blinked, caught off guard. "Is
that what this dinner is about? Jealousy?"
"I don't get jealous."
"Could've fooled me."
He stared at her for a long moment.
Then he looked down at his plate, quiet again.
"I don't know how to do this," he
finally said.
She softened, just a little. "Do
what?"
"This. Marriage. Emotion. I've spent
my whole life building walls."
"Well, you're very good at it."
He looked up. "Maybe too good."
For the first time, Elena saw
something in his eyes—something other than ice. Regret, maybe. Or guilt. She
wasn't sure.
"I don't expect us to be in love," he
continued. "But we live in the same house. We share the same name. I thought
maybe… we could try not hating each other."
Elena put her fork down. "That's a low
bar."
"But it's a start."
She sighed. "I don't want to hate you.
Believe it or not, I didn't come into this hoping we'd destroy each other."
He tilted his head. "Then why did you
agree to it?"
She looked down at her hands.
"My mother is sick. My brother is
drowning in guilt. And I've watched everything my father built fall apart. I
couldn't lose everything. I just… couldn't."
Dominic was quiet.
"I never wanted this life," she
whispered. "I didn't ask for a rich husband or a mansion or fake smiles. I just
wanted peace. For my family."
He nodded slowly. "And I wanted
silence. Control. No more surprises."
They both laughed bitterly.
"And yet, here we are," Elena said.
"Here we are," Dominic echoed.
After Dinner
They walked through the garden behind
the mansion. It was quiet except for the chirping of crickets and the soft
splash of a nearby fountain. Elena wrapped her arms around herself as the night
breeze brushed her skin.
Dominic offered his jacket.
She hesitated, then took it. It
smelled like him—clean, expensive, with a hint of spice.
"I come here when I can't sleep," he
said, walking beside her. "It's the only place that feels real."
Elena looked around. "It's beautiful.
Peaceful."
"Yeah."
They stopped near the fountain.
"I know I've been… distant," Dominic
said. "But I want to be honest with you about something."
She turned to him.
"What is it?"
He took a breath. "Your father.
Gregory Hart. I knew him."
Elena's eyes widened. "What?"
"Years ago. Before I built Vance Corp.
He mentored me, in a way. I was a nobody back then. Just a kid with big ideas
and no money. Your father saw something in me."
She stared at him, shocked.
"He believed in me," Dominic said.
"But then… things changed. He backed out of a deal we had. It cost me
everything at the time. I had to start over."
Elena's heart pounded. "So all of
this… was revenge?"
"No," Dominic said quickly. "Not at
first. Maybe part of me wanted to prove I was better. Stronger. But when I saw
how much Hart Enterprises meant to you… I realized it wasn't about your father
anymore. It was about you."
Elena was quiet.
"I don't expect you to forgive me," he
said. "But I want you to know the truth."
She nodded slowly. "Thank you. For
telling me."
He looked at her, and for the first
time, there was no mask. Just a man—flawed, tired, and trying.
"You're not what I expected," she said
softly.
"Neither are you."
They stood there, the silence now
comfortable.
Then Elena did something unexpected.
She reached for his hand.
He didn't pull away.
They stood like that for a long time,
under the stars.
Not enemies. Not strangers.
Something in between.
Maybe something more.
Later That Night
Elena returned to her room, her mind spinning.
She closed the door and leaned against it, heart racing.
Something had shifted.
She could feel it.
The man she had married—the cold,
arrogant Dominic Vance—wasn't just a villain in her story. He was more
complicated than she'd thought. And maybe… just maybe… he wasn't her enemy.
Not anymore.
She walked to her bed, set his jacket
carefully over the chair, and crawled under the covers.
As she drifted off to sleep, she
whispered a quiet thought into the dark:
"Maybe this isn't the end. Maybe it's
just the beginning."