Chapter 2: The Message She Wasn't Supposed to Receive
Part 2 ⬇️
Marcus didn't stay frozen for long.
He caught up with Elena in the hallway, grabbing her arm before she reached the door.
"You planned this," he said, his voice low and shaking.
"You timed the whole thing on purpose."
Elena looked down at his hand on her arm, then back up at him.
She didn't raise her voice.
"Let go of me, Marcus."
He released her — but he didn't step back.
"That company should have been ours.
We built a life together.
You owe me."
"I owe you nothing," she said quietly.
"You made that very clear when you brought her into our home."
From the doorway of the living room, Chloe appeared.
But something had shifted in her expression.
The triumph was gone.
She was staring at Marcus — not at Elena.
"Five hundred million?" Chloe's voice was almost a whisper.
"You told me her family had nothing left."
Marcus turned.
"Chloe—"
"You told me she was broke." Her eyes narrowed.
"Is that why you pushed so hard to finalize the divorce this week?
Were you trying to beat the transfer?"
The silence that followed said everything.
Elena watched the two of them — and for the first time, she almost felt sorry for Chloe.
Almost.
She picked up her bag, opened the front door, and stepped into the sunlight.
Her phone buzzed.
A message from a number she didn't recognize.
*Elena.
May you like
There's something about your father's company you don't know yet.
We need to talk.*
