Chapter 5

Elaria knew the moment the truth came out, there'd be no going back with Sebastian. But when disappointment builds up to a breaking point, people stop second-guessing - they just let go. She looked up at the man she once loved, ripped off the last bit of armor, and threw her pain right in front of him. Her voice was tired, hollow, like she'd run out of strength. "Sebastian, don't bother pretending anymore. I don't care about titles, not the job at Halden & Co., not even being your wife. None of it matters... because I can't have-" She didn't even get to finish the word. Sebastian's phone vibrated. He stared at her face as he picked up. On the other end, Ms. Woods sounded panicked. "Mr. Richards, it's urgent. Miss Thompson's in bad shape. You need to get here now." "Got it," he replied crisply. Hanging up, he barely looked at Elaria. "We'll talk later." Then without another word, he turned and walked straight to the black Rolls-Royce. Elaria stayed rooted in place as the cold night wind cut through her. At first, she whispered his name. Then she raised her voice. And finally, it came out like a scream torn from her soul. "Sebastian, you couldn't even spare me one freakin' minute? After four years of marriage, I'm not even worth finishing a sentence for?" He had one hand on the car door. His tone was distant, clipped. "We'll talk when Bianca's out of danger." Then the engine roared, and he was gone - just like that. The night was cold, but nowhere near as cold as her heart. Elaria stood silently, staring at the road he vanished down, and finally said the words she couldn't finish earlier. "Sebastian, I can't have children." The wind howled. She repeated it - louder. "Sebastian, I can't have children!" Each time she said it, it was like stabbing herself with the broken pieces of her love for him. Like laughing at how foolishly she'd thrown herself into this marriage. She gave him her youth, her everything - but it was never enough. Her pain never mattered to him. It never had. Something inside her snapped. Tonight, she didn't want to play the dutiful wife anymore. The title of "Mrs. Richards" had become a chain she was finally ready to break. By tomorrow, she'd just be Elaria. No one's wife. Just a woman finally living for herself. She looked down at her outfit. What a joke. It had been the perfect power suit for corporate events. Sebastian liked it on her at business dinners. But outside that world, he found it dull, boring. Now, even she couldn't stand wearing it. She had dressed for him, tried to be his kind of woman - for what? Some scraps of affection? It was pathetic. She was done. When Annie showed up, Elaria had already taken off her blazer. The smooth silk shirt beneath had two buttons undone, exposing a hint of porcelain skin. Her long black hair was loose, spilling across her shoulders. She leaned against the car, legs stretched, looking both fragile and alluring. She turned her head slightly, voice soft. "Got a cigarette? I really want one." Annie felt a sting behind her eyes. She'd worked as Elaria's assistant for four years. She knew exactly how deep Elaria's love for Sebastian ran. And now that love had shattered - she'd never seen Elaria look so wrecked. Annie didn't have any cigarettes, but she rushed off to get some. Elaria had never smoked before. Her first drag choked her. She coughed, eyes watering. But even as the smoke stung her throat and the tears fell, she smiled - a bitter, broken kind of smile. In every puff, she burned her love for Sebastian down to ashes, letting hatred carve deep into her bones, pierce through her heart... ***** It was Elaria's first time letting loose. Dim lights, heady air - it was all so beautifully ruined. Elaria was completely wasted-and honestly, she just didn't care anymore. Sebastian' opinions, the Richards family's so-called rules, all of it... meaningless now. Slumped over the bar, she lazily tapped her glass to signal for another drink. The bartender was about to respond when a slender hand pressed down on her glass. A tall figure slid onto the seat beside her. It was Liam, the guy from Ashbridge Legal. His sharp gaze lingered on Elaria, thoughtful, unreadable. She looked even more wild than last time-shirt slightly undone, revealing a hint of soft skin, sprawled over the bar like she had no bones. Her skin was pale-striking in the dim light. Liam's eyes darkened just a bit before he shrugged off his coat and gently draped it over her shoulders. Startled, Elaria slowly tilted her head up to look at him. Through the shifting neon lights, she locked eyes with him-deep, dark eyes that seemed to pull her into something bottomless. "You've clearly had enough. I'm taking you home," Liam said, voice cool, keeping his distance. Elaria leaned against the bar, staring hard at him. Liam noticed how her naturally sultry eyes-usually masked under proper outfits-were more noticeable now. Her voice came out unsteady, totally different from her usual collected tone. "Who even are you? Why should I go with you?" Trying to reason with a drunk woman? Pointless. Liam pulled out his wallet and tossed down a stack of cash on the bar. Then, without waiting, he leaned in and scooped her up like it was nothing. Elaria tried to resist, but he held her legs down firmly, his tone sharp like he was dealing with a stubborn suspect. "You want your face all over gossip sites tomorrow? Thought not. Then walk out of here with me. Now." She had no choice but to stay in his arms. Her head rested against the side of his neck-his skin was surprisingly warm, almost too warm-so she shifted slightly, pressing her cheek against his shoulder instead. The fabric of his shirt was cooler, more comforting, but she still grumbled, "Liam, put me down." In the parking lot, city lights faded, only a scattering of stars left. Liam looked down at Elaria, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. She recognized him-that much was obvious. But he quickly shoved that thought away. She was Sebastian' wife. Not someone he could mess around with. Five minutes later, he placed her gently in the back seat. She leaned back into the leather, eyes closed, face pale-exhausted from the inside out. Liam glanced at her, then pulled out his phone to call Sebastian. Both numbers? Off. Figures it had something to do with Bianca. Elaria wouldn't be drinking like this for no reason. Just as he started dialing Ms. Woods instead- Elaria suddenly stirred. She reached out and smacked the phone from his hand. "I don't want to go home." She tipped her head slightly, chest rising and falling rapidly. The soft blouse shifted with her breathing, her scent lingering in the closed air, faintly intoxicating. Liam's Adam's apple bobbed once. Hard. He turned away, staring at the fading glow of the skyline, then stole a glance back-Elaria seemed to have drifted off again. He watched her silently for a beat... and stepped out of the car. The night wrapped around them, quiet and dim. Leaning against the front of the dark Range Rover, Liam's tall frame melded with the shadows. He lit a cigarette, shielding the flame from the wind. Smoke curled upward, swallowed quickly by the breeze, softening the lines of his face. Halfway through the cig, he turned his head slightly to look at her through the window. She was glowing in the moonlight-those beautiful features, soft eyes with a hint of lingering sadness, the kind that just stayed with you.