The Billionaire's Secret Contract

Chapter 2 - Forgive Him

Eliora's POV

By the time Eliora reached her best friend's apartment, her phone had already rung seventeen

times.

She didn't answer once.

Gavin's name kept appearing on the screen.

Again.

Again.

Again.

She turned the phone face down on the table. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

Mira stood in front of her, arms folded, staring at the woman who had walked into her

apartment less than twenty minutes ago with swollen eyes and a suitcase.

Eliora had not cried in front of Gavin.

She had not cried in the car.

But the moment she saw Mira, everything she had been holding inside collapsed.

"He cheated."

Mira's expression changed.

"What?"

"Gavin cheated on me."

"With who?"

"I don't know."

"Did you catch them?"

Eliora nodded.

Mira sat beside her.

"Did he lie?"

"Of course."

"Did he apologize?"

"Of course."

"Did you forgive him?"

Eliora looked at her.

"No."

Mira exhaled. "Good."

Eliora gave a humorless smile.

"I thought you'd say that."

"Because I know you. If you forgive him tonight, you'll wake up tomorrow and hate yourself."

Eliora stared at the floor.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

"Leave him."

"I told him I wanted a divorce."

Mira's eyes widened.

"And?"

"He refused."

Mira scoffed.

"He thinks marriage is a prison he owns?"

Eliora's phone started ringing again.

Gavin.

She ignored it.

A few seconds later, a message appeared.

Please come home. We need to talk.

Another arrived immediately.

I'm sorry.

Then another.

I love you. Eliora locked the phone.

"I don't want to see him."

"You don't have to."

Mira reached for her hand.

"Stay here."

Eliora nodded.

For the first time since she left the mansion, she allowed herself to breathe.

Then someone knocked on the door.

Mira frowned.

"Are you expecting someone?"

Eliora shook her head.

The knock came again.

Harder.

Mira walked to the door and looked through the peephole.

Her expression immediately changed.

"Eliora."

"What?"

"Your parents."

Eliora closed her eyes.

"Of course."

Mira opened the door.

Her mother walked in first, followed by her father.

Neither looked pleased. Her mother didn't even greet Mira.

She walked straight toward Eliora.

"What happened?"

Eliora stared at her.

"You already know."

"Your father received a call from Gavin."

Her mother's voice was cold.

"You left the house."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Eliora almost laughed.

"Because he cheated on me."

Her mother sighed.

"Lower your voice."

Eliora stared at her in disbelief.

"Why?"

"Because this is a family matter."

"He cheated on me, Mom."

"We know."

"Then why are you talking to me like I did something wrong?"

Her father finally spoke.

"Nobody said you did." "Then what are you here for?"

Her mother sat down.

"To stop you from making a decision you will regret."

Eliora's stomach tightened.

"I'm not changing my mind."

"You haven't even given Gavin a chance to explain."

"I saw everything with my own eyes."

"He admitted he was wrong."

"That doesn't erase what he did."

Her father sighed.

"Marriage is not perfect."

Eliora stared at him.

"Is that what you came here to tell me?"

"We came because divorce is serious."

"So is cheating."

Silence.

Her mother looked away.

"Eliora, think about the family."

There it was.

Not her feelings.

Not her pain.

The family.

"The Gavin family is respected," her father continued. "People will talk." "I don't care."

"You may not care now, but you will."

Eliora stood.

"My husband cheated on me and your biggest concern is what people will say?"

Her mother frowned.

"We are trying to protect you."

"No."

Her voice cracked.

"You're trying to protect the marriage."

Nobody answered.

Eliora looked from her mother to her father.

"Does anyone actually care that I'm hurt?"

Her mother softened.

"Of course we care."

"Then stop asking me to forgive him."

Her father's expression hardened.

"One mistake should not destroy five years of marriage."

Eliora stared at him.

"How many mistakes would be enough?"

He said nothing.

Her phone rang again.

This time, it was not Gavin. It was his mother.

Eliora didn't answer.

The call ended.

Then another came.

And another.

Mira watched her carefully.

"This is becoming ridiculous."

Eliora's mother stood.

"You should go home."

"I'm not going back."

"At least speak to Gavin."

"I have nothing to say."

Her mother walked toward her.

"Sometimes a woman has to know when to put her pride aside."

Eliora's eyes narrowed.

"This isn't pride."

"What is it?"

"Self-respect."

The room fell silent.

Her mother looked disappointed.

Her father looked angry.

Mira looked proud.

Eliora picked up her phone and switched it off. "I've made my decision."

Her father stared at her.

"You're really going to throw away your marriage?"

Eliora looked at him.

"No."

She swallowed.

"Gavin threw it away."

Her parents left shortly afterward.

The moment the door closed behind them, Eliora sank onto the sofa.

Mira sat beside her.

"You did the right thing."

Eliora stared at the dark screen of her phone.

"I don't feel like I did."

"That's normal."

"What if I'm making a mistake?"

"You aren't."

"What if he really changes?"

Mira was quiet for a moment.

"Then he can change without you."

Eliora looked at her.

Mira continued.

"You don't owe him another chance just because he finally regrets losing you." Eliora lowered her eyes.

That sentence stayed with her.

Later that night, she finally switched her phone back on.

There were forty-three missed calls.

Twenty-six messages.

Three emails.

And one message from an unknown number.

You should be careful about the people Gavin knows.

Eliora stared at it.

She typed a reply.

Who is this?

No response came.

She tried calling.

The number was unavailable.

A cold feeling settled in her stomach.

She looked at the message again.

The people Gavin knows.

What was that supposed to mean?

Before she could think further, another message arrived.

This one was from Gavin.

I know you're angry, but please don't take the job at Atelier.

Eliora froze.

She had never told Gavin about the job. She slowly sat up.

How did he know?

She had only applied that afternoon.

Nobody knew except Mira.

And the company.

Her fingers hovered over the screen.

For the first time that night, Eliora's anger was replaced by something else.

Suspicion.

She stared at Gavin's message.

Then she typed:

How do you know about Atelier?

The message showed as delivered.

Gavin didn't reply.

Not for five minutes.

Not for ten.

Not for an hour.

And that silence frightened her more than his apology ever could.