Who would you like for Elara to go with? Who do you think she'll choose to go with? Thank you for reading this far🤍❤️
Elara's POV Almost thirty minutes pass before I'm able to convince my dad to let me go with Lorenzo. He wants me to stop working for him and travel with him and Uncle Damien to the North. But the thought of all I've grown accustomed to—Jayden, the orphanage, the East Side, Alexander, and the grey-eyed man standing behind me—makes me choose to stay here. Uncle Damien stops Dad from trying to persuade me, then tells me they'll just relocate to the Central Side and stay with me. After exchanging goodbyes, we finally head to Lorenzo’s vehicle. Once we’re strapped in, the driver pulls away. Lorenzo glances at me, his voice softer than usual. "Thank you, Elara." I raise an eyebrow, as much as I can, considering how tired I am. "Thank me? For what?" "For choosing me. Choosing to come with me," he whispers, a smile playing on his lips. "I don’t know what I would have done if—" "Oh, Lorenzo, please," I cut him off. "You don’t really think I chose you, do you? The only reason I’m her
Elara’s POV “What the hell is going on here?” My father’s voice echoes through the room, strong and commanding. His eyes, blazing with anger, lock onto us as he stands in the doorway with Uncle Damien. I stare at the ground, unable to meet their gazes, my mind racing. How do I explain why I was making out with my boss to my dad and uncle? I open my mouth to speak, but he cuts me off. “Not you.” His gaze shifts to Lorenzo. “I’m talking to this man.” Lorenzo takes a deep breath and steps forward, his expression calm. “Mr. Rossi, I believe you’ve seen enough to understand the situation. So there’s no need to dance around it. I care deeply about your daughter, and I would like your permission to date her.” My eyes widen at his words. Date? Does he actually want to pursue something real with me? Lorenzo’s declaration leaves me stunned. Did he mean what he had said when he kissed me back home? My father laughs, a loud, mocking sound. “You’ve got some nerve, Lorenzo. I won’t all
Lorenzo's POVAs Elara leaves the room, her uncle plops down on the sofa behind him."Really, Anton? Really? We just got this girl back. And what next? You just had to be so... be yourself. You called and intimidated yourself with your own daughter? I'm embarrassed."Antonio runs a hand through his hair, pacing the room. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got over me. This is all new to me.""Yes, new to you, huh? Well, you better learn how to start acting around people like your recently found daughter, or else you're going to lose her when you just got her."I internally agree with Damien. But, one way or another, I am not letting Elara go, even if it means I have to take drastic measures to keep her close to me.I start walking toward the door, but Antonio's voice stops me in my tracks."Now, where do you think you're going?"I turn to face him, my jaw tightening as I fight to keep my composure. "Mr. Rossi, I would appreciate it if you just let me go to where I am about to go.""And whe
Elara's POV I stare at Alexander as he speaks. His face looks strained, as if what he’s about to tell me has already taken a toll on him. “It all started when we were six. Lorenzo and I grew up as the best of friends. We met in kindergarten and became inseparable. Actually, our families were mortal enemies. His parents had always been wealthier than mine—not that mine were wealthy at all. My father had dragged his father to court over some issues at work, since my father was employed by them. But as children, we were so innocent. None of it mattered. So we kept doing everything together. We didn’t mind. We didn’t care. Even when our parents quarreled at events or wherever, Lorenzo and I would sneak away to play.” I smile softly. That sounds like a pretty beautiful childhood—much like mine in the orphanage. “I won’t bore you with the details of how we grew up,” Alexander continues, “but when we were twelve, a new girl came to our school. Her name was Sophia, and she was Russian—Soph
Elara's POV "Vitali! What the hell are you doing with her?" Lorenzo’s voice booms as he closes the distance between me and Alex, his eyes blazing with fury. "Chill, Lorenzo. We aren’t doing anything." Alex leans back against the sand, as if the heated glare from the tall, brooding man walking toward us is the least of his concern. "Although I don’t see why there’d be a problem if we were." I groan. Dang it, Lorenzo. You just had to show up now, didn’t you? Right when I was so close to getting answers from Alex. Now, who knows when I’ll have another chance? Unless… I plaster on a smile, keeping my tone light but edged with sarcasm. "Lorenzo, why don’t you join us? Let’s all sit together, enjoy the view, and catch up." I gesture to the mesmerizing sea behind us. His jaw tightens as his gaze shifts between Alex and me, suspicion written all over his face. "Elara, we need to talk. Alone." "Oh, come on, Lorenzo. Can’t it wait? Look at this view! It’s amazing." I spread my arms, letti
Elara's POVMy mouth drops open when I see the bearer of the melodious voice. A dashing woman who looks to be in her forties stands with a bright smile on her lips. Her hazel eyes exude warmth, and she has the shiniest brunette hair I have ever seen, which falls longer than her waist. For a woman her age, it’s mesmerizing. High cheekbones stress her beauty even more.I stand there, staring at her like a creep. She is so gorg—“Victoria, what the hell are you doing here?” Lorenzo’s sharp voice startles me, pulling me out of my daze.Wait, why is he being so rude?The woman’s smile falters, and I feel sorry for her. She runs a hand through her hair and looks away from us.“Lorenzo, son, I am—”“Do not call me son,” he snaps, his tone ice-cold. The woman lowers her gaze to the floor, shielding her face with her hair.My eyes widen. Oh my god, son? She must be Lorenzo’s mother. But isn’t she too young? Well, not young, but—“I'll ask for the last time. What the hell are you doing here?”“
Elara's POV"Excuse me?" Lorenzo booms, moving towards Victoria as if to confront her physically.Victoria's eyes widen as she takes a step back, stuttering. "L-Lorenzo, I just, you know, never mind. I just thought Elara and I could, you know, hang out a bit for a short while. It could be just for a few hours. I just want to get to know her. There are only men around here…""Go meet one of your fellow rich wives or something!" Lorenzo shouts, making her wince and nod slowly.I immediately feel horrible for Victoria, seeing as she's just trying to be friendly. Pulling my hand out of Lorenzo's, I tap her shoulder, making her halt in her spot. "That's okay, Mrs. Russo. I'd like to spend time with you.""Really? You mean it?" she smiles, a hopeful look in her eyes."Yes, I mean it," I smile back. "You're right—the men can hang out for a few hours on their own.""What about our outing?" Lorenzo mumbles from beside me. "She can go hang out with others. Let's go. I have somewhere in mind.""
Elara's POV"Lorenzo, you know you’re being too rude, right?" I huff. "When I said 2 hours 30 minutes, I didn’t mean you should come exactly at that time to get me."He raises an eyebrow. "Of course, I’m a man of my word, Elara. You really think I’d leave you for longer than that? Hell no. You said 2 hours 30 minutes, and I came at 2 hours 30 minutes. Now shh.""But you didn’t even let me say a proper goodbye to Victoria. Is that fair? How would she feel?""Elara," Lorenzo says, his tone firm, "I don’t care how Victoria feels. Okay? Let’s go.""And where exactly are we going?" I ask, crossing my arms."I don’t know," he says with a small smirk. "I told you it’s a surprise, didn’t I? But do prepare—it’s going to be a long, long journey.""Long?" I ask, my eyebrows knitting together. "What do you mean by long?""You’ll find out," he replies, his face unreadable.I frown. "Okay, give me a hint.""You can try to decode it yourself," he answers casually, walking one step ahead of me.I hur
Lorenzo's POVAn important business meeting is going on.By important, I mean a meeting among the top people in the country.You can already guess who they are.Damien and Antonio Rossi sit at the curved edge of the expensive polished mahogany table, their faces set into hardened glares, exuding an aura of power.Just like the powerful men they are.On the other side of them sits Alexander Viali.I don’t know why the fool had to show up in my office, but his presence here is getting on my nerves.We are at the top floor of my building, in the boardroom designed specifically for meetings of the upper class and important investors.Since my building is taller than all the others around, we have a great view of the blue skyline, the city below, and the rooftops of the slightly lower but still elegant buildings surrounding us.But neither the presence of these men nor the beauty of the view can hold my attention.All I can focus on is Elara, seated across from me, scribbling down notes on
Elara's POVOkay, I admit, Peter has a death wish, and he wants me to be included in his demise. I try to pull away from him, but he hugs me even tighter. Finally, with one shove, Lorenzo gets him off me.Peter staggers backward but maintains his balance, then smiles at me, his crooked teeth on full display.No, don’t get me wrong, Peter is not ugly. He just has crooked teeth. He’s quite cute, which is the stupid reason I am in this predicament.“Baby, who are these men, and why are they acting all protective of you?” he asks. Then, as if figuring out the missing piece of a puzzle, he smirks. “Oh, I understand.”Peter’s smile widens as his gaze flickers between them. “These are your brothers from the family that adopted you. Well, guys, you have nothing to worry about. Elara and I have come too far for me to ever hurt her.”My head snaps to Lorenzo, and I see his eyes darken before his jaw tightens. Dang it, Peter! Just leave already.“Lorenzo,” I plead, trying to hold his arm, but he
Elara's POVThe halls are brightly decorated, large, and filled to the brim with what looks like a thousand people—or maybe more. Each of them is adorned in glittering dresses. Gold chandeliers line the ceiling, and the finest artistic paintings fill the walls.My eyes scan the crowd, looking for any familiar face to help ease my anxiety and stop the trembling in my legs. Soon, two towering figures—one in a crisp white suit and the other in blue—push through the crowd, walking forward to stand before me. I leap into my dad's arms, hugging him like my life depends on it."Happy birthday, princess," he whispers in my ear while ruffling my hair, which was perfectly done by the stylist. I hug him even tighter, never wanting to let this moment go.Someone clears their throat, making us pull away from each other."I understand you guys doing all this father-and-daughter bonding, but where's my own hug?" Uncle Damien opens his arms and narrows his eyes. I smile and lunge into his open arms.
Elara's POVIf anyone had told me that I would stand in front of my own grave, I would never have agreed. I would have looked at them as if they were the craziest humans to grace the Earth. But I had indeed stood there, looking at my name, Kiara Rossi. The name Uncle Damien and Dad had called me.That was supposed to be my name, but Mother Esther must have changed it to Elara—either to cover her tracks or protect me. Dad promised that he would have his men take her in for questioning after the party.He had given me space to connect with my mom and sister, but all I felt as I stared was emptiness.Maybe because I never knew they existed, or because I had long given up hope of ever being with them. Still, I spent almost three hours at the graveside, just staring into nothingness, until my dad had called me to inform me that we were to leave.Now, as I stand in front of the mirror, staring at myself in a royal blue floor-length gown that hugged my waist and flared at the bottom, my hair
Elara’s POVTalk about bad timing. Why is Dad here now? And why did Lorenzo have to come into my office this afternoon? I force a smile onto my face, though I know it looks awkward, and walk toward him."Dad, You didn’t tell me you were coming," I say, hugging him."Why? Is a father not allowed to visit his daughter at her place of work?" He emphasizes the word work, his eye lingering on my face, which I know is smudged from my make-out session with Lorenzo.I run a hand through my hair. "It’s not what you think…" Why did you have to say that, Elara? That is so cringe, my subconscious chimes in. It is exactly what it looks like. You’re lucky he didn’t walk in just as you two were…"Mr. Rossi," Lorenzo calls out, and I exhale in relief at his intervention. He extends a hand to shake my dad’s, who blatantly ignores him and turns to me with a broad smile."My baby girl, come. I have something I want to show you. Let’s go now."I narrow my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. "Dad!"He h
Lorenzo's POVIt has been a month since Elara stormed out of the orphanage and, without even a hint of a smile, told me we should leave. I didn’t want to leave, knowing that someone had hurt her in there, but I respected her decision.In the car, I had probed, trying to find out what the problem was, but she didn’t tell me. She just said it was nothing too important.Frustration washed over me like a plague, and every single day when I found her, for at least five minutes, staring off into the distance, or pulling out her hair, or pacing a room, I would groan and think about what I could do to find out who had hurt her and what they had done.I had also tried to get the mothers at the orphanage to tell me. All I had found out was that Mother Annabelle had been really rude and called her names. But that couldn’t have been what was causing her to be like this, could it?It is a day before her birthday, and I have been restless the whole time, pacing my office because I am still trying t
Elara’s POV“Mr. Russo,” Mother Esther calls out, her face breaking into a wide smile. “It is an honor to see you today, sir. Why didn’t you tell us you were going to come by? We would have prepared something special to welcome you.”Lorenzo smiles back at her. “There is no need for that, Mother. Elara and I won’t be staying long.”“Nonsense, sir. I insist that you join us for dinner at the orphanage,” Mother Annabelle urges.I beam at the thought of meeting the little children, but my heart is torn at the thought of being in the presence of these mothers. I still remember what they said to me last time.Lorenzo turns to face me. “I will do whatever Elara chooses to do.”All their eyes turn to me, and I lower my gaze to the ground. After thinking for a few seconds, I decide it’s best we stay for a while. “We can spend an hour with the children if it’s okay with you, Lorenzo,” I speak out, emphasizing the word children to make the mothers know that I am not staying here for them.Mothe
Elara's POVIn front of me is the entrance to the Eastside community. My childhood home. But it’s almost unrecognizable. Wasn’t I just here a few weeks ago? How is this possible? My stomach turns as I face Lorenzo, my eyes wide with disbelief."W-what? H-how is this possible?""It’s not impossible, Elara. This is what we actually had in mind for the Eastside," Lorenzo explains calmly, staring straight ahead.I keep staring at him, closing my mouth and opening it a couple of times. I’m at a loss for words. The Eastside has been completely renovated. Well, not all of it—there are still a lot of uncompleted buildings—but everything looks different, fancier, and much bigger. Like civilization just took a new turn in the community."But I thought you had plans for something like a mall, industry, maybe some businesses, hotels, or restaurants. Why are you...?"Lorenzo laughs, the sound echoing in the quiet night. "Are you kidding me? Why would we do that? I just wanted to give these people
Elara's POV"Lorenzo, you know you’re being too rude, right?" I huff. "When I said 2 hours 30 minutes, I didn’t mean you should come exactly at that time to get me."He raises an eyebrow. "Of course, I’m a man of my word, Elara. You really think I’d leave you for longer than that? Hell no. You said 2 hours 30 minutes, and I came at 2 hours 30 minutes. Now shh.""But you didn’t even let me say a proper goodbye to Victoria. Is that fair? How would she feel?""Elara," Lorenzo says, his tone firm, "I don’t care how Victoria feels. Okay? Let’s go.""And where exactly are we going?" I ask, crossing my arms."I don’t know," he says with a small smirk. "I told you it’s a surprise, didn’t I? But do prepare—it’s going to be a long, long journey.""Long?" I ask, my eyebrows knitting together. "What do you mean by long?""You’ll find out," he replies, his face unreadable.I frown. "Okay, give me a hint.""You can try to decode it yourself," he answers casually, walking one step ahead of me.I hur