Chapter 7

Early in the morning, Elaria woke up with a pounding headache. The housekeeper, ever so thoughtful, brought her some painkillers. After taking the meds, she felt a bit better and was just about to shower when the housekeeper muttered angrily, "Mr. Richards got bewitched by that vixen. He came back last night, saw how drunk you were, and still drove off." That's when Elaria realized-Sebastian had actually returned home the night before. The housekeeper then remembered something else. "Oh, right, ma'am. Mr. Richards asked us to dry-clean Mr. Collins' coat-and hand-deliver it to him too. Guess he's still got some conscience left, trying to look after you like that." She had no clue about Sebastian's real motives and only saw it as some kind of thoughtfulness. But Elaria knew better-Sebastian just didn't want to be mistaken for a fool. Still feeling under the weather, she spent two days resting at home and visited her grandma when she had the strength. Monday came, and everything shifted at Halden & Co. A major project had gone wrong, and all fingers pointed to Elaria for the blunder. After a shareholder meeting, she was suspended from all her duties. That same day, she had to move out of the vice president's office. On the 32nd floor, in that very office, she stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, quietly staring out at the bustling skyline of Caelmoor. Then Annie came in, gently closing the door behind her and lowering her voice. "President Grace, they handed the Aurvista project over to Bianca." Annie was fuming, but Elaria stayed calm. At this point, she'd let go of Sebastian. All the fame and status-she no longer cared about any of it. Once she got what she deserved, she'd walk away with dignity, out of Sebastian's world. Whether he truly loved Bianca or just felt guilty-it was none of her business now. Just as she was about to speak, her phone on the desk buzzed. She stepped over to pick it up. It was Charles, Sebastian's father, asking to see her in his office. Elaria didn't hesitate-she said yes. That afternoon, she headed over to where Charles worked. He wasn't actually based at Halden & Co.-he had his own ventures. He always came off as cultured and low-key, but in truth, he'd been quietly paving the way for his son. It was late October. A gust of cool autumn wind carried the sweet scent of blooming osmanthus through the air. As soon as Elaria got out of the car, Charles' personal secretary-an elegant woman-approached with a polite smile and led her to a refined tea room. Sliding the door open, the secretary announced, "Mr. Richards, Sebastian's wife has arrived." Charles was sipping tea and looked up at her with a warm smile. "Elaria, come, join me for tea." She took off her shoes and stepped in. It was clear Charles already knew what had gone down at the company. Without giving much away, he poured Elaria a cup of tea and started chatting about Halden & Co. He genuinely admired her skills-she had kept Sebastian's position rock solid. But sometimes, competence is a double-edged sword. When a beast grows its wings, it stops being useful-and starts becoming a threat. On that point, father and son were surprisingly aligned-Sebastian just took a rougher approach. Charles remained easygoing. "Elaria, I've always thought highly of you. Is something going on between you and Sebastian lately? If it's about that Bianca girl-honestly, she's just a little nobody." Elaria gave a faint smile. "No issues." She wasn't about to air her dirty laundry to them. The Richards weren't exactly a merciful bunch. Charles paused, caught off guard. And his respect for her only deepened-this woman really knew how to hold her ground.Charles hesitated for a moment before voicing his concern. "The Aurvista Project is in partnership with Mr. Harmon. Daniel has a short fuse-I'm worried giving it to him could spell trouble for the company." Elaria caught the drift of what he was implying without needing it spelled out. "Don't worry," she said calmly. "Officially, Bianca's in charge, but it's actually Sebastian calling the shots. Daniel won't get the chance to stir things up." Having his real intention laid bare made Charles a tad uncomfortable. He mumbled something vague to soften the air. By the time Elaria left, dusk had already fallen. The sky bled a fractured orange as the sun dipped below the horizon. Charles's assistant stood by the car, bowing slightly to see her off. The woman's polite smile was so polished, she looked like a perfectly sculpted doll. Elaria paused, feeling like she'd seen her before... ***** Elaria returned to her office before night fully settled. She quietly started packing-handing some stuff over, tossing out the rest. Annie, fuming, went off about Sebastian, swearing that once they were back on their feet, they'd make those fake people pay. Elaria just smiled faintly, saying nothing. A knock came at the door. Sebastian stood there, every bit the sharply dressed gentleman, like he had walked out of a fashion ad. He asked Annie to step out. She did-but not before muttering, "Jerk," under her breath. Once alone, Sebastian stepped closer. His eyes were dark and serious, locked on Elaria. They were face to face again-but everything had changed. Trying to keep things civil, he said, "Bianca's never been the problem between us. If you're willing, I'll call a shareholders' meeting next month and have you reinstated at Halden & Co." Elaria let out a soft chuckle. It was honestly laughable. All the nights they fought. All the times she lost control, drank herself into oblivion-he saw all that as childish tantrums. And now, with some offer to "take her back," as though she should be grateful? He still didn't get it. She wasn't begging for a place anymore. She wasn't his loyal second, ready to battle the world for him. Thinking about how tender he was with Bianca made her realize how much of herself she'd wasted. She stepped closer, reaching up to fix his collar. She'd done this countless times before every big event. It was muscle memory. Sebastian instinctively leaned in so she could adjust it more easily. They were close-close enough that she could feel the heat of his breath on her cheek. Seeing her up close like this, Sebastian couldn't help but recall that night in bed. Four years of marriage, and he had never seen her like that. Something had shifted in her. His Adam's apple bobbed. Elaria's fingers brushed along the fabric. Fine material. Expensive. Familiar. Six years of love. Four years of marriage. It was over. This would be the last time. She looked up at him quietly and said, "No need. I'm not coming back." Sebastian froze. Then she stepped around him, lifting her small suitcase. After all that time, it hit her-she didn't have much to take. At the door, she stopped, voice tight but calm. "Sebastian, goodbye." A thud landed in Sebastian's chest. Something about her felt... off. But he couldn't quite say what. He stood there, still in her office, watching her walk toward the elevator, watching her vanish from sight. What he didn't realize was- That really was goodbye. She wasn't coming back to Halden & Co. And she wasn't coming back to him.