A stunned silence hung in the air for a long moment after Elara's
confession.
"I…" Chloe stammered, her eyes wide as saucers. She grabbed Elara's arm,
her grip tight. "Pinch me. Seriously, pinch my skin. I think I'm hallucinating.
I can't breathe… I'm going to faint."
Elara couldn't help the soft laugh that escaped her lips at her best
friend's dramatic reaction. Playing along, she reached over and gave a gentle,
precise twist to the skin on Chloe's arm.
"Better?" Elara asked, a mischievous glint in her almond eyes. "Do you
need me to focus a little harder?"
"Ouch! Okay, okay! I'm awake!" Chloe yelped, snatching her arm back and
scooting away on the couch. "Message received. It's real."
She'd seen her fair share of crazy drama at Aeternum Inc., but this…
this was something else. This was her best friend. Sweet, kind-hearted Elara.
The sheer audacity of it was breathtaking.
Chloe took a deep, steadying breath, then another, before turning to
face Elara with a dead-serious expression.
"Okay, truth time," she said, her voice low. "Did you marry him to get
back at that trash-bag Julian? Because, wow, what a power move. Marrying your
ex's dad? That's nuclear revenge."
"No," Elara said, the gentle smile on her lips tightening into something
firmer. "A man who could betray me so easily isn't worth wrecking my future
over. He's not worth a single second of my energy, let alone my marriage."
She placed a protective hand on her still-flat stomach. "I'm doing this
for the baby. I want my child to have a complete family. To grow up knowing
they're loved by both their parents."
She wanted the kind of happy, secure childhood she'd had before she was
nine. The kind every child deserved.
Seeing the fierce, maternal hope shining in Elara's eyes, Chloe
swallowed any other arguments she had. Her friend's sincerity was undeniable.
"Okay," Chloe said softly, her features finally softening into a real
smile. "I get it. And you know… it's kind of crazy, but you two are kinda
destined, huh? Like it was written in the stars."
She'd seen Silas Thorne once before, at the bar that night. Just a
glimpse of him had been enough—the aura of power and untouchable authority that
rolled off him was unforgettable. She'd even joked that Elara should find
someone exactly like Julian's father next time.
She never imagined her joke would become a prophecy.
Elara's thoughts drifted back to her whirlwind of a relationship with
Silas—from their chaotic first meeting to the quiet intensity of their
marriage. It was a story written in the stars, albeit a messy, complicated, and
utterly breathtaking one.
A faint, unconscious smile touched her lips, making her already
beautiful features glow with a soft, pure light. Chloe watched her and sighed
inwardly. With a face like that—innocent yet alluring—was it any wonder she'd
captivated a man like Silas Thorne?
"Wait a second," Chloe said, a new thought striking her. "Does Julian
know? Does he know you're pregnant with his… his future sibling?"
Elara shook her head. "Silas said the first three months are sensitive.
It's a secret for now. The family doesn't know."
Chloe leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand. "Think about it, Elly.
The baby in your belly will be over twenty years younger than Julian. If he
finds out he's got a new sibling—from his ex-girlfriend, no less—who will also
be a contender for the massive Thorne fortune… do you think he'll just throw a
congratulatory party?"
It wasn't that she was cynical; she'd just read enough news and
witnessed enough office politics to know that money changed people. Especially
old money.
Elara froze, a slight frown creasing her brow. She hadn't considered
that. Not really.
"And," Chloe pressed gently, seeing the dawning concern on her friend's
face, "the fact that your husband is keeping it a secret… do you think that's
part of the reason? Is he worried about how Julian will react?"
Is he worried Julian would be a threat to the baby?
The memory of the tense dinner at the Thorne family mansion flashed in
Elara's mind—the clear divide between Silas, his aunt, and the Winslows on one
side, and Old Madam Thorne and Julian on the other. The pieces began to click
into a more ominous picture.
Once the seed of doubt was planted, it was hard to ignore. Chloe had
done her job as a best friend: she'd given a warning. The rest, Elara would
have to navigate herself.
Changing the subject, Chloe brightened. "Enough heavy stuff! What about
your big win at work? That proposal you slaved over killed it in the
department! You were a shoo-in for a permanent position."
"Yeah," Elara said, her smile returning. "The whole team was amazing. I
wanted to see it through, but… you know. With everything happening, Silas wants
me to focus on my health. He says he'll make arrangements for me after the baby
comes."
"Hey, don't you worry about a thing," Chloe said, giving her shoulder a
reassuring squeeze. "Your husband literally owns Aeternum. You can be whatever
you want to be. The world is your oyster now. Just remember our plan to start
our own sun care line, 'Sisley Sun'. We'll just have to launch it after you
pop."
Elara giggled. "I haven't forgotten. It's still the dream."
They chatted for a while longer, until Elara's phone buzzed on the
coffee table at exactly 11 a.m. Silas's name flashed on the screen.
A flutter of warmth went through her. "Hello?"
His deep, magnetic voice filled her ear. "I'm finished here. Are you
ready to go?"
Across from her, Chloe waggled her eyebrows suggestively. Elara felt a
blush creep up her neck.
"We're all done," she said, trying to sound casual.
"Good. Wait for me. I'm coming up."
He'd been parked downstairs for half an hour, patiently waiting until
the exact time she'd said they'd be done.
Minutes later, a firm knock sounded at the door. Elara opened it to find
Silas there, his tall frame filling the doorway. His light eyes found hers
immediately, a silent question in them, before he glanced at Chloe and gave a
polite, slight nod.
His presence—that reserved, powerful elegance—was instantly palpable.
Elara's heart did a little flip. She glanced between her husband and her
best friend, suddenly stumbling over the introductions. What was she supposed
to call him? Silas sounded too informal. Mr. Thorne was too cold.
Finally, she settled on the simple, undeniable truth.
"Silas, this is my best friend, Chloe Smith." She turned to Chloe, her
voice firming with a pride that surprised her. "Chloe, this is my husband,
Silas Thorne."
The title 'my husband' landed in the room, and Elara saw the subtle,
pleased shift in Silas's expression. The barest hint of a smile touched his
lips as his gaze flickered to her, taking in her flushed cheeks.
He turned his attention back to Chloe, the picture of cool courtesy.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Smith. Elara speaks highly of you. We'll
have you over for dinner soon."
Chloe, momentarily stunned by the direct address from the legendary
Silas Thorne, could only nod. "Yeah. Absolutely. Sounds great."
"Thanks for the gifts, Chloe," Elara said, gesturing to the bags by the
door. She moved to pick them up, but Silas was already there.
He bent down, effortlessly gathering all the bags in one hand. His other
hand found hers, his fingers lacing through hers in a move that was both
possessive and tender.
"Let's go, darling," he said, his voice a low rumble meant just for her.
Elara's blush deepened under Chloe's knowing grin. Letting him lead her
away, she gave a final little wave goodbye.
Chloe watched them go, the image of the powerful, sophisticated man
holding her friend's hand with such care etching itself into her memory.
"Well, I'll be damned," she whispered to the empty apartment. "The best
way to get over a trash man isn't to find a better one… it's to find the best
one. And become his stepmother."
In the sleek, quiet interior of the car heading back to the Oculus,
Elara's phone lit up with a new message.
[Chloe: HOLY. CRAP. ]
[Chloe: Okay, first. THAT MAN. Elara, hold onto him and never let go.
And not for the baby. For YOU. ]
[Chloe: Second. The way you said "my husband"??? I saw the way he looked
at you. He LOVED that. Call him that more often. ]
Elara's cheeks flamed. She quickly locked her screen, her heart doing a
frantic tap dance against her ribs.
"My Darling Wife."
The new endearment, spoken in his low, resonant baritone, washed over
her. It was filled with a possessiveness and tenderness that made her breath
catch. She froze, her eyes wide.
He'd always called her Elly before. This was… different. Official.
Intimate.
A faint chuckle came from the driver's seat. Silas glanced over, taking
in her stunned, blushing form.
"It's just a title," he said, a thread of amusement in his voice. "It's
not that frightening, is it?"
But the pleased curve of his mouth told her he knew exactly the effect
he was having on her.