Elena’s POV
Coming back to Eric’s villa felt like coming home or at least, I thought it would. I expected to finally breathe again. To rest. To have a little peace while Eric decided what to do about my career and the mess at work. I thought, at least here, I’ll be safe. I was wrong.
The villa felt different the moment I stepped inside. Cold. Tense. Like something had shifted while I was away. The first thing I noticed was that James was gone. In his place stood a woman I’d never seen before. Mrs. Hill. She was older, stiff, and always wore a tight frown, like the world personally offended her. Her eyes followed me everywhere, sharp and judging. I knew instantly, I wasn’t welcome.
Once we settled back in, Eric became busier than ever. He barely stayed home. Most days, he left be
