Chapter twelve.
1280 Words
Calista thought it would be like any ordinary morning, except it wasn’t. There was a storm brewing, someone coming to interrupt her morning.
She sipped on her coffee while reading through some papers, turning the pages here and there, unaware of what was about to happen.
Elara stepped into the building like she owned it, her heels clicking against the tiles. Many turned their heads to look. Not only did she scream confidence, she screamed power.
She approached the receptionist with slow, steady steps. She stopped once she reached the desk, putting on one of her pleasing but fake smiles.
Elara stood calmly in front of the reception desk, her bag still in hand.
“I’m here to see Ms. Vale,” she said smoothly. “Tell her Elara Laurent is here.”
The receptionist gave her a polite smile. “Do you have an appointment, ma’am?”
“No,” Elara replied, her voice calm but firm. “But she’ll want to see me.”
The receptionist hesitated for a second, then nodded professionally.
“Please have a seat while I inform her assistant.”
Elara walked toward one of the waiting chairs, crossing her legs gracefully as she sat down. She placed her bag neatly on her lap, looking completely unbothered.
Behind the desk, the receptionist picked up her office phone and pressed a few buttons, dialing an internal extension.
The line rang twice.
“Lily speaking,” came a composed voice on the other end.
“Good morning, Ms. Lily,” the receptionist said quietly. “There’s a woman here asking to see Ms. Vale. She says her name is Elara Laurent. No appointment.”
There was a small pause on the line.
“Laurent?” Lily repeated.
“Yes.”
Another pause, longer this time.
“Alright. I’ll inform Ms. Vale. Ask her to wait.”
The receptionist hung up gently and looked toward Elara.
“Ms. Vale’s assistant has been notified. She’ll let us know shortly.”
Elara gave a small smile.
“Of course she will.”
Upstairs, Lily stood slowly from her desk, her expression slightly tense. She walked toward Calista’s office door and knocked twice.
“Come in,” Calista’s voice called out.
Lily stepped inside.
“Ms. Vale, there’s a woman downstairs asking to see you. She doesn’t have an appointment. She says it’s Elara Laurent.”
Calista paused briefly, curious about why she was there.
She had never really had an encounter with her, only once at that gala.
Or maybe she was already suspecting something.
Sighing, she stopped what she was doing and looked up at her assistant.
“Let her come in,” she said.
Her assistant nodded and left, closing the door behind her.
Calista had a lot of questions. She was curious about why Elara had come here.
She could not help but think of many possibilities, and none of them looked good.
The door opened slowly.
Elara walked in first, graceful, confident, eyes scanning the office before landing on Calista.
For a brief second, neither woman spoke.
Calista leaned back slightly in her chair.
“Mrs. Laurent,” she said politely. “To what do I owe this visit?”
Elara smiled faintly as she took the seat across from her without being invited.
“I believe you had dinner with my husband last night.”
Straight to it.
Calista folded her hands calmly on the desk. “I have dinner with many businessmen. You’ll need to be more specific.”
Elara’s eyes sharpened slightly.
“Cauis Laurent.”
Silence.
Then Calista gave a soft nod. “Ah. Laurent Technologies.”
Elara studied her face carefully. Watching for guilt. For recognition. For anything.
She found nothing.
“I don’t like people playing games in my marriage,” Elara said smoothly. “Especially ambitious women who think they can use my husband’s desperation for their own gain.”
Calista’s lips curved just slightly.
“Mrs. Laurent, if your marriage is fragile, that isn’t my responsibility.”
The air changed.
Elara leaned forward slightly.
“This isn’t about fragility. It’s about boundaries.”
“And what boundary do you believe I crossed?” Calista asked calmly.
“You had a private dinner with a married man.”
“It was a business meeting,” Calista replied. “Unless you’re suggesting your husband doesn’t know the difference.”
That hit.
Elara’s jaw tightened, but she quickly masked it with a soft laugh.
“I’m not here to argue. I’m here to warn you.”
Calista tilted her head.
“Warn me?”
“Yes. My husband is not someone you build leverage with. Whatever deal you think you’re structuring, rethink it.”
There it was.
The test.
Elara wasn’t just jealous.
She was probing.
She wanted to see how much Calista knew. How deep the deal went. Whether this was coincidence… or strategy.
Calista noticed it immediately.
Interesting.
She stood slowly from her chair, walking around the desk until she stood just a few feet away from Elara.
“Mrs. Laurent,” she said softly, “if your husband approached me, perhaps you should ask yourself why.”
A pause.
“Men in trouble look for solutions. I happen to provide them.”
Elara stood as well.
Their heels were almost level.
“If I find out that your ‘solutions’ extend beyond business,” Elara said quietly, “I won’t be as polite next time.”
Calista smiled.
“I look forward to it.”
Silence.
Heavy. Sharp.
Elara gave her one last look, studying her face again.
There was something about this woman.
Something unsettling.
But she couldn’t place it.
“Stay away from my husband,” Elara said finally.
Then she turned and walked out.
The door closed.
Calista remained standing.
For the first time since Elara walked in… her smile faded slightly.
Because something about that woman felt familiar.
Too familiar.
And for a split second..
She felt like she wasn’t the only one playing a long game.
Calista slowly walked back to her desk and sat down, her fingers resting lightly on the surface.
A warning.
Elara had walked into her office with a warning.
That alone was bold.
Calista leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling for a moment. Instead of feeling threatened, she felt something else. Something sharper.
Motivation.
If Elara thought she could walk into her territory and draw boundaries, then she clearly did not understand who she was dealing with.
Calista let out a soft laugh under her breath.
Stay away from my husband.
The words echoed in her head.
Her eyes darkened slightly.
Husband.
It was almost ironic.
A memory flickered at the back of her mind. A past she had buried deep. A man who once promised her everything. A man who was taken from her when she was at her weakest.
Cauis.
The same Cauis.
Her fingers tightened slightly against the desk.
What if, instead of just ruining his company, she ruined something far more personal?
What if she made him choose?
Not because she loved him. Not because she wanted him back.
But because she could.
A slow smile returned to her lips, colder this time.
Elara thought she was protecting her marriage.
She had no idea she had just made the game personal.
If Elara had stolen her husband in the past, then maybe it was time to return the favor.
Not out of heartbreak.
Out of revenge.
Calista stood up and walked toward the window, looking down at the city below.
Stealing a company was business.
Stealing a husband?
That was power.
And now, she was tempted to prove a point.
- Writer
