I Quit Being a Trophy Wife to Reclaim My Empire

the mirror wa

ing the sharp contour of her jawline, currently sof

felt like a noose, cold and h

alds the size of quail eggs surrounded by a galaxy of diamonds-b

g. You look a li

her own mother, adjusted the hem of the emerald-green gown. Her voice

pered, stepping back. "Don't keep him waitin

was considered "ungrateful." Instead, she took a shallow breath, holding it

Elara said. Her voice sound

lt of pain up her calves, but she didn't falter. She reached into the hidden pocket of her clutch, her fin

se. The driver opened the door, and Elara s

e angles of his cheekbones and the permanent furrow between his brows. He was devastatingly hands

Ethan said. He didn't che

y lipstick," El

r. We have investors mee

ion, but with the critical eye of an appraiser checking for flaws in a

p-tap-tap the only sound in the cabin. Elara looked out the window, watching the blur of New York City

before the air did. Screams, camera shu

ght, his fingers digging into her skin through the silk of her dress. It wasn't a

ashbulbs were blinding, a strobe light o

Over here! Who

he merger with Kine

. "Ethan, incredible turnout. And Mrs. Ste

n look at her eyes. He

"Elara is my good luck charm. She keeps the

ain. That was her cue. S

elt a numbness spreading from

he hum of power. Waiters circulated with champagne. Ethan immediately scanned

h softened. A genuine spark, one Elara hadn't

e is," he

nally out of place in a simple, ethereal white dress, was a girl.

The intern. The

rd her. "Serena! I didn

isted on using one of their sponsor slots for their liaison. They said it was good for branding." She gla

a compliment, delivered with

r as he addressed the girl. "Serena has been assisting on the Kin

houlder. It lingered. His thumb bru

atching her husband touch another woman w

er, a drink in hand. "Ethan, my man. And Elara. S

a giggled, covering her mouth with a

lowance," Ethan joked, winking

a loud snap. It was the quiet sound of a te

t her ear. "Why aren't you laughing? Y

gance in the set of his jaw, the cruelty in his eyes, the absol

she

soft, barel

back, frown

aid

rned back to Serena, dismissing Elara completely. "Ignore her. She gets

other. Ethan didn't notice. He

e she had perfected over six years of gala training. She walked past

as e

ear. She reached behind her neck and unclasped the heavy emerald necklace. It fell into

lvet pouch she had packed that morning. She dropped t

pouch on the

ed the heavy door open and stepped out into the cool New York night. The a

walked two blocks in her Loubout

ver asked, eyeing her gow

"24-hour Self Storage

hrugged and

kling his skin. "Where the hell did she go?" he muttered

rter said, draining his glass. "O

s phone. Stop the d

e screen. No

ffed, shoving the phone back into his

gently. "Is she okay? S

hand with his. "Don't waste you

he green gown, letting it pool on the concrete floor like a shed s

f jeans, a grey hoodie,

the device on top of the pile of silk. She powered on the cheap burner phone. She s

ber. Ne

ath. The air tasted

own righteousness. He expected to find Elara in bed, pretending to be aslee

tment wa

la

. The bed was made, the sh

tting alone under the la

osened the drawstring and dumped the contents onto the tab

small note t

words, written in

qu

at, harsh and incredulous. "You quit?" he said to the em

tiation tactic," he muttered. "She wa

the empty bed. He reached out his hand to th

were cold

'll be back by breakfast," he told the