A Bitter Truth, A New Resolve

Elara Vance pulled away from the restaurant, watching Chloe wave goodbye in her rearview mirror. The encounter with Lucas Sterling in the elevator had left her feeling exposed. The way he'd looked at her—with that hint of pity—made her stomach turn.

"He didn't even recognize me," she muttered to herself. The realization stung more than it should have.

Her phone buzzed on the passenger seat. A text from Chloe: "Call me when you get home. We need to talk more about this."

Elara sighed. There was so much to unpack, so many decisions to make. The divorce papers were already drawn up, waiting to be served. Yet part of her still hesitated, still wondered if there was anything left to salvage.

An hour later, Elara opened the door to her apartment. While technically she still lived at the penthouse with Damien, she'd been staying at this smaller place more frequently. It felt more like home than anywhere she'd lived in the past seven years.