BETWEEN LOVE AND LIES

Chapter 7: Unspoken Tension

After an exhausting day at Montgomery Enterprises, she had planned to go straight home, curl up with a book, and escape into fiction. But Sarah had other ideas. after getting home Sarah called and requested they hangout since it's the weekend "You need a break, Elena. You never do anything fun," she had argued, Elena had no choice but get ready to meet Sarah at an upscale lounge in the heart of the city. The dim lighting, soft jazz music, and clinking glasses gave the place a sophisticated allure, a world away from the structured chaos of her office.

Elena wasn’t in the mood for company, but Sarah’s persistence had won out. Dressed in a fitted emerald dress that highlighted her curves, she took a sip of her cocktail, trying to shake off the weight of Adrian’s proposition. She could still hear his voice, cool and controlled, offering her a deal that felt too dangerous to accept—but also too tempting to reject.

“Okay, you need to stop looking so broody,” Sarah teased, nudging her playfully. “We’re here to relax. Have some fun.”

Elena sighed, setting down her drink. “I’m not broody.”

Sarah smirked. “You are. But don’t worry, I think someone’s already taken an interest in you.”

Elena followed Sarah’s gaze and locked eyes with a stranger at the bar. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and effortlessly confident. His charcoal-gray suit was tailored to perfection, his dark hair neatly styled, and his piercing blue eyes held a flicker of intrigue. He raised his glass in acknowledgment, a slow, knowing smile curving his lips.

Elena quickly looked away, her pulse spiking. “I think you’re imagining things.”

Sarah leaned in, whispering mischievously. “Nope. He’s definitely interested.”

Before Elena could protest, the man stood and strode toward their table. His presence was commanding, each step purposeful. He stopped beside her chair, his voice smooth and rich. “Mind if I join you?”

Sarah grinned. “Not at all.”

Elena shot her a warning look but forced a polite smile. “Sure.”

The man pulled out a chair and settled in. “I’m Lucas,” he introduced himself, offering his hand.

Elena hesitated before shaking it. His grip was firm but warm. “Elena Carter.”

Lucas’s gaze didn’t waver as he studied her. “Elena. That’s a beautiful name.”

She felt her cheeks heat. “Thank you.”

“So,” Lucas continued, leaning slightly closer, “I couldn’t help but notice you from across the room. You looked… different.”

Elena frowned. “Different how?”

His lips quirked into a smile. “Like you didn’t belong here. Not in a bad way—just like your mind was somewhere else.”

Sarah chuckled. “That’s Elena. Always lost in thought.”

Elena rolled her eyes. “I was just unwinding after a long day.”

Lucas tilted his head. “Rough job?”

She hesitated. “Something like that.”

His eyes held genuine curiosity, but he didn’t push. Instead, he changed the subject. “So, what does it take to make Elena Carter smile?”

Sarah gasped dramatically. “Oh, that’s a great question. Because she barely does.”

Elena groaned. “Sarah.”

Lucas chuckled, his deep laugh sending a shiver down her spine. “Well, now I’m even more intrigued.”

They talked for the next hour, the conversation flowing effortlessly. Lucas was charming, witty, and intelligent. He shared stories about his travels, his business ventures, and his love for photography. Unlike Adrian, who carried an air of impenetrability, Lucas was open, easygoing. It was refreshing.

At some point, Sarah excused herself, leaving them alone. The silence that followed wasn’t uncomfortable; instead, it was charged with something unspoken.

Lucas swirled his drink. “You fascinate me, Elena.”

She arched a brow. “I do?”

He nodded. “You have this quiet intensity about you, like there’s a storm behind those eyes. I want to know what you’re thinking.”

Elena hesitated. No one had ever said that to her before. But here was a man, a stranger, who saw past her surface.

She exhaled, looking away. “I don’t think you’d understand.”

“Try me,” Lucas said softly.

Elena opened her mouth but stopped herself. She barely knew this man. And yet, there was something about him that made her want to let down her guard.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed. A text from Adrian.

Adrian: Where are you?

She stiffened. It wasn’t a request—it was a demand. And that infuriated her.

Lucas noticed the change in her expression. “Everything okay?”

Elena forced a smile. “Yeah. Just work.”

Lucas leaned back, studying her. “You know, if work is making you that tense, maybe it’s time to reevaluate.”

She let out a soft laugh. “If only it were that easy.”

Lucas watched her for a moment before setting his drink down. “You don’t owe anyone an explanation, Elena. Not even your job.”

Something about his words settled deep within her. For the first time in a long while, she felt seen. Understood.

But before she could respond, Sarah returned, buzzing with energy. “Okay, I leave for a few minutes and come back to intense stares. What did I miss?”

Lucas smirked. “Just getting to know your friend.”

Sarah waggled her brows at Elena. “Oh, I like this one.”

Elena groaned. “Can we go now?”

Lucas’s expression turned amused. “I won’t keep you. But I’d like to see you again.”

Elena hesitated before nodding. “Maybe.”

Lucas smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

As they left the lounge, Elena’s mind was a whirlwind of emotions.

Adrian leaned back against the plush leather of the VIP section, his fingers loosely gripping a glass of whiskey. The music pulsed through the dimly lit bar, a steady bass that seemed to sync with his own restless thoughts. He hadn’t wanted to come out tonight, but his friends had insisted, dragging him away from the suffocating silence of his penthouse.

Yet, as he sat there, half-listening to whatever mindless chatter James and Cole were engaged in, his attention was pulled elsewhere. Across the room, just beyond the warm glow of the bar’s pendant lights, he saw her.

Elena.

She was seated at a corner table, engaged in conversation with a man "isn't that Lucas?" . He watched as he leaned in slightly, saying something that made her laugh, and Adrian felt his jaw clench involuntarily. His grip on the glass tightened as a slow burn settled in his chest.

Without thinking, he pulled out his phone and typed a message.

Adrian:Where are you?

He watched as the message was delivered, the read receipt appearing almost instantly.

She saw it.

And yet—no response.

A muscle ticked in his jaw. She wasn’t ignoring him by accident. No, this was deliberate. He wasn’t used to being disregarded, and certainly not by her. A sharp sense of irritation flared inside him, mingling with something else—something darker. His friends were still talking, but their voices faded into the background as his entire focus narrowed on Elena.

The man with her said something else, and she smiled—just a small curve of her lips, but it was enough.

Cole’s voice finally cut through his haze. “Adrian, you good, man?”

Adrian downed the rest of his drink in one gulp, the burn doing nothing to settle him. “Fine,” he muttered, setting the glass down harder than necessary.

He wasn’t fine.

He hated this. The uncertainty. The not knowing what she was thinking. The idea that she might actually be enjoying another man’s company when she hadn’t even had the decency to acknowledge his text.

For the first time in a long while, Adrian Montgomery felt something dangerously close to jealousy.

And he didn’t like it one bit.

Adrian couldn’t shake the unease that settled in his chest. He had never considered himself the jealous type, but seeing Elena standing there, engaged in conversation with another man, did something to him. He watched from his secluded seat in the VIP section, his grip on the glass tightening as she smiled slightly, her expression engaged and relaxed in a way that twisted in his gut. The worst part? She had seen his message and chosen not to respond.

His friends laughed and talked around him, but their words faded into meaningless background noise. The only thing that mattered was the fact that Elena hadn’t acknowledged him. Instead, she had continued her conversation, as if he didn’t exist, as if he was nothing more than a passing thought.

Sarah’s sudden appearance had been the only thing that stopped him from storming over. He watched as she spoke to Elena, then led her away. A temporary relief, but it didn’t change the fact that Elena had ignored him. And Adrian Montgomery didn’t like being ignored.

With a sharp breath, he tossed some bills on the table and stood abruptly.

“Where are you going?” one of his friends asked, raising a brow.

Adrian forced a casual shrug. “Home.”

“But the night’s still young,” another said, lifting a glass in his direction.

“I’ve had enough.” His tone left no room for argument. Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and left the bar.

The drive to her apartment was a blur. His rational mind told him to let it go, to wait until Monday and confront her at work, but another part of him—the part that had been simmering since the moment she ignored his text—couldn’t let it rest.

By the time he pulled up in front of her building, his decision was made. He climbed out of the car, his steps purposeful as he approached her door. He knocked twice, and when she didn’t answer immediately, he knocked again.

When the door finally swung open, Elena stood before him, her expression shifting from surprise to shock. She was dressed in casual loungewear, her hair slightly tousled, as if she had just been settling in for the night.

“Adrian?” Her voice was laced with confusion. “What are you doing here?”

He studied her face, looking for any hint of the emotions that had been plaguing him all night. “How did you know where I live?”

His gaze remained steady. “You work for me, Elena. I know everything about you.”

She blinked, taking a step back. “That’s… disturbing.”

He smirked, but there was no amusement in his eyes. “What’s more disturbing is that you saw my message and ignored it.”

Elena’s lips parted slightly in surprise. “How do you know that?”

“That’s not important,” he said smoothly, stepping inside without invitation. He shut the door behind him, his presence filling the space. “What matters is that you didn’t respond.”

She crossed her arms, her stance defensive. “I was busy.”

“With Lucas?” he asked sharply, the name tasting bitter on his tongue.

She frowned. “Why does it matter to you?”

His jaw tightened. “Was that the reason you refused my proposal?”

Elena stared at him, caught between irritation and something else—something unspoken. The air between them crackled with unresolved tension.

“Adrian,” she started, but he cut her off.

“Just answer me, Elena.”

Her silence only made the weight in his chest grow heavier. But one thing was certain—he wasn’t walking away without answers.