“Elena, actually…”
“We’re already over, right? So one last hug shouldn’t be a big deal.”
She opened her arms with a faint smile.
Zayden didn’t refuse. He leaned forward and hugged her.
From outside the attic, Sarah-fresh from the bathroom-froze in her tracks the moment she spotted them.
Her expression darkened instantly.
“Zayden!”
Startled by her voice, Zayden released Elena and turned. “Sarah?”
Sarah stepped into the attic, immediately clinging to Zayden’s arm with a bright, unaffected smile. “What are you two doing up here? Dinner’s ready-we should head down.”
Elena just shrugged. “I was giving Zayden something, that’s all.”
“What was it? Can I see?”
“No.”
Zayden cut her off without hesitation.
Sarah’s smile faltered for a split second.
Elena said nothing-but this was all part of her plan.
Zayden didn’t know that the attic faced the upstairs bathroom. Sarah would’ve seen them the second she stepped out.
In her past life, something just like this had happened too. Years after she married Zayden, Sarah had returned from abroad, pulled the exact same move in the same setting.
Now, Elena was simply returning the favor.
…
Downstairs, Nathan and Evelyn were chatting enthusiastically with Grace.
The families had always gotten along, but now-since Zayden and Sarah were to be engaged-they were closer than ever.
“I always said it-Zayden and Sarah are perfect for each other,” Evelyn gushed, completely ignoring the fact that Elena sat right there.
Elena didn’t react. She kept her head down and quietly ate her food, letting Evelyn’s words wash over her like meaningless noise.
Let them laugh now.
Next year, when the Holt family goes bankrupt, we’ll see who’s laughing.
The clinking of Elena’s utensils drew glances her way.
To smooth things over, Grace offered, “Why don’t we do candles first? It’s Sarah’s birthday, after all.”
Everyone gathered around the cake.
Sarah, surrounded and adored, looked every bit the birthday princess.
Elena stood across from them, completely out of place.
“Can you take a picture for us?” Sarah handed her the phone, smile bright and sweet.
Grace added warmly, “Yes, Elena-help us take a photo.”
Elena took the phone and fiddled with it for a moment. Then she looked up at Zayden.
“Zayden, I’m not sure how to work this. Can you help?”
Without hesitation, Zayden walked over to stand beside her.
The two of them exchanged comments back and forth while figuring out the phone together.
Sarah’s face stiffened.
Her fiancé and his ex-fiancée huddled close, and no one seemed to think it was a problem.
Nathan and Evelyn began to frown as well.
Elena caught their reactions but pretended not to see.
After all, back when she was the one engaged to Zayden, Sarah had done far worse-and no one had said a word.
Evelyn snapped, “Elena, it’s just a phone. Can’t you figure it out yourself? Why bother Zayden?”
“Sorry, Mom. Sarah’s phone is so nice-I’ve never used one like it.”
The sarcasm was obvious.
Growing up, she’d only ever had Sarah’s hand-me-downs. Sarah, on the other hand, always got the latest models.
Evelyn’s expression darkened at the veiled jab.
Nathan added with disapproval, “Elena, you should be more aware. Zayden’s Sarah’s fiancé now. Don’t rely on him for every little thing.”
“Oh? Sorry, Sarah. I just figured you wouldn’t mind. After all, when I was engaged to Zayden, you two were always holding hands like it was nothing.”
Sarah’s face flushed red.
Back then, she had deliberately gotten close to Zayden, knowing exactly what she was doing. The adults might’ve acted clueless, but it was clear what she was after.
Evelyn said nothing-partly out of embarrassment, partly out of bias.
Nathan looked uneasy, and Grace… she saw right through Sarah’s act.
Once Elena figured out the phone, Zayden realized how awkward it was for her to be the only one taking the photo.
He suggested, “Didn’t your house have a tripod? We could all take one together.”
That made Sarah even more uncomfortable. “That old tripod… might not work anymore.”
“It’s fine. We’ll just set a timer and use it to take the picture.”
“But…”
Sarah had invited Elena back to humiliate her.
Now, it was all backfiring.
Sarah hadn’t expected Zayden to speak up for Elena.
But Elena didn’t think much of it. Zayden had always been the type to neither refuse nor commit. If he’d known how to draw proper boundaries, Sarah never would’ve gotten so close in the first place.
“You wanted my blessing, didn’t you? What’s wrong with taking a family photo together?”
Elena turned to Zayden with a smile. “Right, Zayden?”
“Mm.”
The moment he agreed, Sarah felt a knot twist in her chest.
Before she could voice any protest, Elena had already moved to stand next to Zayden. “Sarah, could you scoot over a bit? I can’t see the camera.”
She deliberately placed herself in the center-right beside Zayden-and even took his arm.
Sarah’s face turned green with fury, but with both sets of parents present, she had to keep smiling. “Sure…”
Zayden didn’t comment. Elena played it off casually. Their parents kept silent, while Grace just watched the scene unfold like a spectator at the theater.
When the photo was finally taken, Sarah had been squeezed into the far corner of the frame-while Elena and Zayden looked like the leading couple.
Dinner ended in awkward silence.
Outside, as Elena left the Holt house, Zayden offered, “School’s a long way off. Let me drive you back.”
Elena glanced at Grace in the car. “No need. I’ll head back on my own.”
“It’s not safe at night. I should-“
“Zayden! Your mother has things to do. Get in the car!” Grace’s voice cut him off.
Before Zayden could say anything, Elena had already brushed past him and disappeared into the dark.
…
The night was quiet.
Elena walked alone down the street. She wouldn’t have bothered coming back to this house if it weren’t to give Sarah a taste of her own medicine.
But as she walked, she began to sense someone following her.
Her pace quickened.
And the footsteps behind her sped up too.
Just as she was about to turn onto a busier street, a large hand suddenly pulled her into an embrace.
“Mmph-!”
Elena’s expression changed instantly.
A hoarse, low voice murmured by her ear. “It’s me.”
More Kickass Romance Reads
Dive into irresistible romance stories packed with possessive heroes, forbidden passion, billionaire obsession, mafia intrigue, and heart-stopping twists. One chapter is never enough—your next addiction starts here.