“Elena.”
The name was spoken softly.
But it carried authority.
Adrian didn’t look up from the message on his phone. “She wants dinner.”
Elena froze mid-step in the dressing room. “Tonight?”
“Sunday. Seven p.m.”
She stared at him through the mirror. “Your grandmother doesn’t request. She summons.”
A faint flicker of amusement crossed his face. “You remember.”
“I remember everything.”
He adjusted his cufflinks with quiet precision. “She’s been asking about you.”
That surprised her.
“Asking… what?”
“Whether I brought you back because I couldn’t replace you.”
Elena’s breath caught.
“And what did you say?”
“I told her I don’t replace what belongs to me.”
The words settled heavily between them.
Belongs.
The word had become familiar. Dangerous. Possessive.
She turned fully towa
