The In-Law Mistress

Chapter 3

Playing with Fire at Dinner

Julian stepped closer, towering over Elena as she kept her face turned away. He reached out, using his index finger to force her chin up so the girl had no choice but to look into his eyes.

"I asked you a question, Elena Thorne. Do you understand?" Julian repeated in a deeply intimidating tone.

Elena locked eyes with him. In those cold depths, there was no longer a single trace of the wild passion from last night, there was only the calculating gaze of a businessman ensuring his contract was running smoothly.

She swallowed hard, then gave a slow nod. "I understand, Julian."

The man released her chin and strode out of the hotel room. Closing the door behind him with a sharp click that marked the official beginning of Elena's new life as her own brother-in-law's secret kept woman.

Once the door was securely shut, she finally released the breath that had been trapped in her throat. She stared at the black credit card sitting on the nightstand.

A faint wave of relief crept into her chest knowing her administrative crisis was solved. But that relief was instantly drowned out by a bitter realization.

From this moment on, peace would be a luxury she could no longer afford. She had signed a contract with the coldest demon in the city.

Her racing thoughts were shattered when her phone suddenly vibrated on the table. The name flashing on the screen made her heart drop into her stomach. Richard Thorne. Her biological father.

With a trembling hand, she slid the green button. "Yes?"

"Tonight, come to Le Petit Restaurant at seven o'clock. We are having a family dinner," Richard's voice sounded flat and distant from the other end, carrying none of the warmth a father should have.

"Don't be late. Beatrice has already booked a private room." He didn't even realize his daughter hadn't come home last night.

"But Dad, I have classes until late afternoon and—"

"I don't want to hear any excuses, Elena. Just be there!" Richard cut her off sharply, hanging up the phone immediately without waiting for a reply.

Elena lowered her phone weakly, her heart hammering with anxiety. A family dinner meant Beatrice and Victoria would be there to torment her with their sharp, venomous words.

Yet, the person she feared most right now was someone else entirely. She closed her eyes tightly. Please let that monster skip tonight. I will literally die on the spot if Julian is there.

She couldn't daydream any longer. Elena was forced to go to campus. That morning, she walked along the campus corridors toward her classroom.

"Elena!"

A wave from Anna, her close friend, made Elena stop in her tracks. She jogged over to her, but her brow immediately furrowed with deep concern as she took in her best friend's appearance.

"Oh my god, El? What’s wrong? You look incredibly pale," Anna asked worriedly.

Elena's cheeks suddenly felt hot. She quickly adjusted her bag to cover up her awkwardness. "Ah, here, yes. I didn't get much sleep last night. That's normal," she replied awkwardly.

"Oh my, your parents still haven't given you any money?" Anna looked concerned.

"That's it. So I have to find extra work. That's why I haven't been getting enough sleep."

"Oh yeah, El, the administrative staff were looking for you. They said you were asked to come to the rectorate building immediately before class starts," Anna said.

Elena nodded. She said goodbye to her friend and headed straight to the administration desk with mixed feelings. When she gave her name at the counter, the administrative officer smiled kindly.

It was a rare sight for her in recent semesters. "Morning, Miss Elena. Here's proof of payment." The officer handed her a piece of official, stamped paper.

Elena accepted the paper and her eyes widened. It stated that all her semester arrears, thesis fees, and graduation fees had been paid in full. Not a penny was left.

Julian had truly kept his promise in just a matter of hours. "Even though I haven't done my job well, he's already kept his promise."

A faint smile finally crept across her lips. At least the pride she'd staked last night was worth it. Her future at this campus was secure.

Later that evening, the girl's anxiety returned tenfold as she stepped into the private room section of Le Petit Restaurant. The moment the waiter slid the door open, Elena froze completely.

Julian Vance was right there. The man was walking alongside his wife. His face was as cold as ice, and he didn't even glance her way when she entered.

"Ah, the missing child finally decides to show up," Victoria Thorne's sharp, mocking voice echoed through the room.

Victoria held onto Julian's arm with absolute arrogance. A highly successful career woman who had always been Richard's ultimate pride, she wore a striking, fire-engine red dress.

"Why are you dressed so shabbily, Elena? Did you come from campus or did you just finish begging on the streets?" Victoria jeered with her usual condescending tone, looking down at Elena's simple dress with disgust.

"Julian, look at my stepsister. She truly has no idea how to present herself in a luxury restaurant."

Julian remained entirely silent, casting a brief, unreadable glance at Elena. It was as if they were two total strangers who had never crossed paths before. Cold, distant, and untouchable.

"That's enough, Victoria. Come inside, Daddy is already hungry. Just leave her be," Beatrice chimed in from inside the room with a lazy tone.

Victoria let out a cynical scoff, released her grip on Julian's arm, and strutted into the room first. Leaving the two of them behind without a single shred of suspicion.

Realizing they were momentarily alone, Elena turned around in a panic, desperate to distance herself from Julian to save her racing heart.

However, before she could even take a single step, his large, powerful hand clamped firmly around her wrist. With a forceful yank, he dragged her body completely out of sight, pinning her behind a massive, dark pillar in a deserted corner of the hallway.

"Let me go, Julian!" Elena protested in a frantic whisper, her eyes darting wildly around the corridor in absolute terror.

Her body trembled as her back hit the cold wall, Julian’s towering frame completely trapping her in place. "Our family is right inside! What if Victoria or Papa walks out and sees this?" she pleaded.

He merely took another step forward, eliminating the remaining space between them until their chests were practically touching. A faint, dangerous smirk spread across his handsome face.

"Let them find out," he hissed deeply, his heavy baritone sending an electric jolt straight down Elena's spine. "I actually prefer a bit of a challenge, Elena."

"You are insane!" the girl gasped, suffocating under the pressure.

"I went insane because of you last night," Julian countered, his eyes darkening as they locked onto Elena’s lush lips. "Tonight, I expect you at my house. Eleven o'clock."

The girl's eyes widened in sheer panic. "How could I possibly go there? Victoria lives in that house! Do you want me to get killed?"