CHAPTER 5
Elena felt better the next morning.
The fever had broken sometime in the night. Her body still ached, but the fog in her head was gone. And he skin looked better.She sat up slowly, looked around.She was alone.
The blanket was tucked neatly around her. A small tray sat on the nightstand—tea, toast, a little bowl of fruit,she hadn't made it.
Obviously,lying in bed, sick and all of that.
Aiden had.
She stared at it for a long time before touching anything.She drank the tea. Ate the toast. Quietly, slowly. Her thoughts were louder than ever.
Why did he stay
Did he care?
If he did,why did he care?
---
By the afternoon, she was walking around again. Not strong enough to do much, but she needed air. She needed to feel normal again.
She put on simple clothes—jeans, a soft sweater, flats. Nothing fancy.
She made sure to leave a note."WENT FOR A WALK JUST DOWNSTAIRS" she picked up her crossbody bag and walked out the apartment door.The elevator opened to the private lobby. The doorman smiled politely. He didn't stop her. She looked like she belonged now.
She stepped out into the cool air.
The sun felt good. She walked slowly down the sidewalk, not far. Just a few blocks. The city was busy as always—people rushing, cars honking, the smell of coffee and street food in the air.
She stopped at a bookstore.
Small, quiet, warm inside. The kind of place she would've gone to back home.
She wandered the aisles, let her fingers brush over the spines. Her heart felt a little lighter. For the first time since the wedding, she felt like herself.
---
She didn't see the woman until she heard her name.
"Elena?"
She turned.The voice was sweet. Familiar, but not comforting.
It was her.
The woman from the charity event. The one in the red dress. The one who had ignored her handshake and called her "shy."
Now she was in jeans and heels, sunglasses pushed on top of her head, coffee in hand,looking immaculate.
"Well, look at you," she said with a little smirk. "Bookstores? How charming."
Elena stayed calm. "Hello to you too."
"I didn't expect to run into Mrs. Black on the street. I figured you'd be locked in that penthouse, you know… guarded." she said slyly.
"I'm not a prisoner." She said with her eyebrows slightly raised.
"Of course not. Just a placeholder."
Elena stiffened. "Excuse me?"
The woman stepped closer."I know Aiden," she said softly. "Better than you do. And I know his type. You're not it."
Ouch!!!
That stung. Elena swallowed hard. "You don't know me." was all she could form from her fast drying mouth.The woman smiled, cruel and perfect. "No. But I know how this ends."
She turned and walked away, heels clicking against the sidewalk.
Elena stood frozen for a moment. Her chest tight. Her hands cold again.
She didn't belong here.
Everyone could see it.
---
Back at the penthouse, Aiden was waiting.He stood by the kitchen island, jacket off, sleeves rolled, a glass of water in one hand.
"You went out," he said immediately she walked through the door.
She nodded. "Just a walk."
"You should've told someone." Aiden replied hotly,eyes fixed on her face…
"I left a note." She said like he was dumb not to realize that.
"I didn't see it."
"Well, I left it." she snapped impatiently.
His jaw clenched. "Next time, call."
She stopped to stare at him in surprise"It was twenty minutes, Aiden. I wasn't running away."
"You were sick yesterday."
"I'm fine now."
He stepped closer. "You don't just disappear."
Something flickered in her chest.
"You care?" she asked, quiet.
He didn't answer,but his eyes said yes,and it scared him.He turned away, set down the glass a little too hard. "Just don't do it again." He snapped,but he wasn't angry…
Elena walked past him, calm on the outside, but her heart racing.
He cared for her?
He did!!!!
He didn't want to.
But he did.
And maybe… she cared,too.Just a little.
And that was dangerous.