Chapter 3
1466 Words
ELARA'S POV
The next morning felt unreal.
I barely slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, memories of Dominic came rushing back like ghosts.
His laugh.
His touch.
His voice against my skin.
Then the look on his face the night I destroyed him.
By the time dawn arrived, my chest already hurt.
I stood in front of my mirror adjusting the sleeves of my cream blouse for what felt like the hundredth time.
Professional.
Calm.
Unaffected.
That was the goal.
Even if my hands wouldn’t stop shaking.
The drive to central London felt painfully short.
Every familiar street twisted my stomach tighter.
And by the time my car stopped in front of Kane Industries…
I could barely breathe.
The building towered over the city like power itself.
I stared at the silver letters above the entrance.
KANE INDUSTRIES.
He really built an empire.
People moved briskly around me as I stepped inside the lobby.
Everything about the place screamed wealth.
Marble floors.
Expensive perfume lingering in the air.
Employees dressed like they belonged in magazines.
I suddenly felt completely out of place.
The receptionist smiled politely.
“Good morning, ma’am. Do you have an appointment?”
I swallowed hard.
“Yes.”
“Name?”
For one terrifying second, I considered turning around.
Pretending I never came here.
But then I remembered my father coughing upstairs.
The bills.
The fear.
“Elara Vance.”
Recognition flashed across her face instantly.
Then she quickly picked up the phone.
“The executive floor has been informed of your arrival.”
My stomach twisted violently.
Executive floor.
A few minutes later, I stepped into the private elevator alone.
The doors slid shut.
And suddenly there was nowhere left to run.
Thirty floors.
Each second heavier than the last.
My heartbeat thundered loudly inside my ears as the elevator finally stopped.
Ding.
The doors slid open slowly.
The entire floor was silent.
Luxurious.
Cold.
A blonde woman in a fitted black dress stood behind the reception desk.
She looked up the second I stepped out.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then narrowed.
“You’re Elara Vance.”
I nodded carefully.
“Mr. Kane is expecting you,” she said coolly.
My pulse became painfully uneven.
She gestured toward the massive office at the end of the hallway.
Every step toward it felt impossible.
By the time I reached the door, my breathing had completely changed.
Five years.
Five years since I last saw him.
Slowly, I lifted my trembling hand and knocked.
“Come in.”
The deep voice from inside nearly destroyed me on the spot.
Dominic.
I pushed the door open slowly....
And froze.
The office was massive.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire London skyline while dark marble floors reflected the morning light. Everything about the room screamed power.
And there he was.
Standing near the window with one hand tucked into the pocket of his tailored black trousers.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Dark hair slightly messy like he’d been running his hand through it.
But it was his eyes that destroyed me.
Sharp enough to cut through my skin.
The same eyes that once looked at me like I was his entire world.
Not anymore.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The silence stretched painfully between us.
Dominic looked exactly the same.
And completely different at the same time.
Older.
Harder.
Dangerous.
The warmth I used to know inside him was gone.
Buried beneath years of anger and heartbreak.
His gaze moved slowly over me like he was memorizing every change.
Then finally....
“Well,” he said quietly. “This is unexpected.”
The sound of his voice sent a painful ache through my chest.
I swallowed hard.
“Hi, Dominic.”
Big mistake.
Something dark flickered across his face instantly.
“Still alive,” he replied coldly.
My stomach tightened painfully.
Maybe I deserved that.
I stood awkwardly near the door while he walked toward his desk slowly.
Every movement he made felt controlled.
Measured.
Like he refused to let me see even a c***k in him.
“You’re late,” he said casually.
I blinked.
“What?”
“You had an appointment at nine.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s nine twelve.”
Seriously?
After five years, that was the first thing he said to me?
“I got stuck in traffic.”
“London traffic didn’t exist when we dated?”
I stared at him speechlessly.
He really hated me.
Dominic sat behind the massive black desk before gesturing toward the chair across from him.
“Sit.”
The command in his voice instantly brought back memories I had no business thinking about.
I sat quickly before my thoughts betrayed me further.
Silence settled again.
Dominic leaned back in his chair slowly, studying me in a way that made me feel exposed.
“You look tired.”
The observation caught me off guard.
I forced a small smile.
“You look rich.”
One corner of his mouth almost twitched.
Then the coldness returned instantly.
“I am.”
This version of Dominic was exhausting already.
My fingers tightened around my purse nervously.
“I appreciate you agreeing to meet with me.”
“I didn’t agree for you.”
That hurt more than it should have.
He opened a file sitting on his desk casually.
“Vance Holdings,” he murmured. “Interesting situation.”
Humiliation burned inside me immediately.
I hated sitting across from him asking for help.
Hated that he was seeing me like this.
Weak.
Desperate.
Broken.
“The company is drowning,” Dominic said flatly.
I stayed quiet.
“The debts are severe.”
Still quiet.
“You’re close to bankruptcy.”
Every word felt like another slap.
Finally, I looked up.
“I know.”
His eyes lifted to mine immediately.
And just like that, the room became too small again.
“Then why are you still trying to save it?” he asked quietly.
Because it’s all I have left.
Because my brother died trying to protect it.
Because losing the company would feel like losing him all over again.
But I couldn’t say any of that.
So instead, I whispered....
“Because I have to.”
Dominic stared at me for a long moment.
Then he closed the file.
“What exactly do you want from me, Elara?”
The way he said my name nearly broke me.
Cold.
Detached.
“An investment.”
A low laugh escaped him instantly.
Cruel.
“You came to the wrong building.”
My chest tightened.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
He leaned forward slightly.
“Kane Industries doesn’t invest in failing companies.”
The rejection hit harder than expected.
“Please.”
The word slipped out before I could stop it.
Dominic went completely still.
Because in the entire time we dated…
I almost never begged.
Embarrassment flooded through me immediately.
“I wouldn’t be here if I had another option.”
Something unreadable flashed across his face.
Then disappeared.
“You should’ve thought about consequences before making certain choices.”
There it was.
The past.
Finally.
I looked down at my hands.
“You think I don’t regret it?”
A dangerous silence filled the room.
When I finally looked back up, Dominic was staring at me with an expression that made my stomach twist.
“Regret?” he repeated quietly.
Dominic stood slowly from his chair.
And suddenly the air changed completely.
He walked toward me calmly.
By the time he stopped beside my chair, my breathing had already changed.
“Do you know what regret feels like, Elara?” His voice dropped lower. “It feels like spending five years wondering how someone can tell you they love you one day…”
He leaned down slightly.
“…then destroy you the next.”
My heart physically hurt.
“Dominic”
“No.” His jaw tightened. “You don’t get to say my name like that anymore.”
Pain sliced through me instantly.
He moved away before I could respond, walking back toward the windows overlooking London.
Then finally....
“You should leave.”
The words shattered whatever hope I had left.
I picked up my purse carefully.
“I’m sorry for wasting your time.”
Dominic didn’t answer.
He just kept staring out the window.
I forced myself toward the door.
One step.
Then another.
My fingers wrapped around the handle.
Then
“Marry me.”
I froze completely.
Slowly…
I turned around.
Dominic was still standing near the window.
Still not looking at me.
“What?”
Finally, he turned.
Those blue eyes locked onto mine again.
“Become my wife for one year…”
His gaze darkened slightly.
“…and I’ll save your family.”
- Writer
