Marked By Two Fates

Chapter Five

Elias Wolfe stands there with that relaxed, end-of-day looseness to him- tie undone, sleeves rolled, hair slightly mussed from stress or the wind or both. His smile is warm, friendly, familiar. Exactly what I needed after the day I’ve had.

Cassandra gasps loudly. “Elias! You survived the corporate abyss!”

He presses a hand to his chest. “For Alexandra’s first-day-survived dinner? I’d fight my way through worse.”

I huff a tired laugh. “It was not that dramatic.”

“It sounded dramatic,” he says, pulling out a chair and sliding into it like he belongs there. Which he does. “I mean, Kane Holdings on day one? That’s… ambitious.”

“It was chaotic,” Cassandra corrects. “Which is different and also funnier.”

He flashes her a grin. “Noted.”

Then, to me, “And don’t worry about the Wolfe Corp issue. It’s already squared away.”

“That fast?” Cassandra asks.

He shrugs in that effortless, annoyingly competent way of his. “Charmer’s Aura. It helps.”

Cassandra snorts. “You probably just smiled at the guy until he changed his mind.”

Elias lifts a finger in mock seriousness. “And that, Cassandra, is the secret to good negotiations.”

I shake my head. “You two are impossible.”

“Only on weekdays,” Elias says. “Now- tell me everything. How was day one?”

So I give him the summary- the spilled coffee, the stumble in front of the CFO, and of course, the multifaceted nightmare that is Nicholas Carter.

Elias listens the way he always does: patient, focused, like he’s actually absorbing the details instead of pretending to. It’s what makes him such a good friend; he pays attention.

When I finish, Cassandra sighs theatrically. “A tragic, soul-crushing first day. Honestly? I don’t know who had the rougher time- Alex or you.”

Elias lifts a brow. “Well, I didn’t fall on any executives.”

“Exactly!” Cassandra points at me triumphantly. “Alexandra wins.”

“I feel very honored,” I say dryly.

Cassandra leans forward, eyes gleaming. “Okay, but the real headline- Nicholas Carter remembering you.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “We’re doing this again.”

“No, really!” she insists. “People under your curse forget you entirely after 24 hours. Yet he recognized you immediately, 2 days later!”

Elias’s expression turns thoughtful. “It’s unusual. He remembered you without hesitation?”

I nod reluctantly. “Yes. Like… clearly remembered. And he definitely wasn’t thrilled about it.”

Cassandra gasps. “Maybe he’s your soulmate! Maybe that’s why the curse didn’t-”

“No,” I cut in immediately.

“His eyes could be-”

“Cobalt,” I remind her. “Not slate silver. Not honey gold. Cobalt.”

Cassandra waves a hand. “Okay, but maybe fate decided to free-trial a new-”

“No.”

“Maybe destiny-”

“Still no.”

She tries again. “Maybe he-”

“Cassandra.”

She groans dramatically and flops back. “Fine. Ruin my fun.”

Elias lifts a hand like he’s adding a footnote. “Technically speaking, I also remember her perfectly. And,” he adds with a small, joking flourish, “my eyes do match one of her soulmate flashes.”

He wiggles his brows.

Cassandra cackles. “Oh my gods- true!”

I roll my eyes. “You remember me because you’re my friend, not because of cosmic romance. Please.”

Elias pauses half a beat, then he smiles, easy and playful. “Fair. I suppose friendship is a decent loophole.”

“Decent?” I snort. “Wow. I’ll cherish that glowing endorsement.”

Cassandra laughs. “You two are ridiculous.”

I shrug. “He started it.”

Elias raises a hand. “Guilty.”

The conversation drifts back into comfortable banter: Cassandra reenacts my coffee spill like a tragic stage performer, Elias pretends to scold her but absolutely laughs anyway, and the three of us share dessert like always.

By the time we step outside, the city’s settled into that soft evening glow- streetlights humming, air cool and gentle.

Cassandra heads toward her car with a dramatic wave. Elias falls into step beside me for a few blocks, like he always does.

“You sure you’re okay?” he asks in that steady, grounding tone he only uses when it’s just the two of us.

“Yeah,” I say honestly. “Just… overwhelmed. But I’ll survive.”

“You’ll do more than survive,” he says. “You’re good at what you do. You always have been.”

I smile- grateful, glad for a friend who gets it. “Thanks, Elias.”

“And if Nicholas gives you trouble,” he adds, “call me. I’ll handle it.”

“Pretty sure even your Charmer’s Aura gift has limits.”

He looks amused. “Maybe. But I can be surprisingly effective.”

I snort. “I’ll keep it in mind.”

We part at the corner. He gives a small wave, then disappears down the opposite street.

I've got good friends, I think. Reliable. Steady. And honestly, exactly what I needed tonight.

I turn toward home, the city lights catching in the pavement, and let the quiet settle around me.

Tomorrow will be chaotic.

But for now?

For now, I feel okay.