“It doesn’t bother me,” Elliana replied. “Spaghetti with red sauce, the kind your dad’s been making forever. I want that comfort food magic. Let’s go.”
Despite her reservations, Hailee gave in, and the two flagged down a cab and set off.
Elliana genuinely craved a taste of the local specialty-but that wasn’t the whole story. She wanted a chance to meet Hailee’s family, perhaps even a glimpse of her elusive boyfriend. She would assess his condition firsthand and then decide whether to reveal her discreet identity as Milena to treat him. Even though her…
Although her feelings toward Hailee were sincere, she needed the full picture before deciding how far to involve herself.
Back at the street corner, after the cab vanished, the figure reemerged and quietly tapped out a message to Myles.
In the CEO’s office of the Evans Group, Myles’s phone buzzed. He glanced down and immediately turned to Cole. “Mr. Evans, your wife just left with Hailee. They’re heading to a diner on Willow Lane.”
Cole gave a cold laugh, lips curling with disdain. “She walks off with a billion of my money, and now she’s dining in some rundown joint? Has she no sense of class? What a disgrace.”
Myles, unfazed by the rant-he’d long grown used to Cole’s whiplash moods-responded with an easy grin and a hint of mischief in his tone. “Willow Lane might be a little rough around the edges, sure, but the vibe’s unbeatable. The food’s great-real comfort stuff. I’ve eaten there myself. Best red sauce in the city.”
Cole lifted an eyebrow skeptically. “You went to a dump like that?”
“Absolutely!” Myles responded, lying as smoothly as he breathed. “It’s worth the trip. Their red sauce hits like nostalgia. That kind of flavor? You don’t get it in those overpriced five-star restaurants. And I’m not the only one-Aron and Hugh are hooked too.”
Cole’s gaze shifted to Aron and Hugh, cold and unreadable. “Is that so? You like that place too?”
“We’ve never be-“
“Ow!” Hugh yelped as Aron jabbed a sharp pinch into his ribs, cutting him off before he could blurt out the truth.
Aron, unfazed, mustered a wide, sheepish grin. “We’re huge fans, actually. Myles got it exactly right-the food’s incredible. We were just saying we might swing by after work tonight.”
Cole had clearly caught the pinch but didn’t comment. He simply let it slide.
Myles shot Hugh a pointed glare, silencing him, then turned smoothly back to Cole. “Mr. Evans, you’ve been cooped up in your ivory tower too long. You should really get a taste of the streets-feel the pulse, try some local cuisine, and reconnect with the city.”
“That’s right!” Aron chimed in, jumping into the conversation. “You’ve been working nonstop. Come kick back with us at Willow Lane, grab a bite, maybe relax a little.”
“No!” Cole refused flatly with a sharp shake of his head. “You said she’s there, didn’t you? I’m not going anywhere near that woman.”
“You won’t see her,” Myles pressed on, his voice dripping with false assurance. “The place is bigger than you…
“Think-dozens of tables and an endless stream of people. The chance of running into her is next to nothing.”
Cole didn’t respond and just pressed his lips into a thin line.
Sensing the hesitation, Aron seized the moment. He clapped a hand on Cole’s arm, his voice warm with insistence. “Come on. The weather’s perfect. Don’t waste the night sulking in here.”
Before Cole could object, Aron hauled him to his feet and steered him out the door.
Still bewildered, Hugh mumbled, “Why are you and Aron feeding him that lie?”
Myles gave him a swift kick without thinking twice. “If you’re too dumb to help, then shut up!” He shot Hugh one last scathing glare before jogging to catch up.
Grumbling under his breath, Hugh chased after them, his face a storm of annoyance and confusion
Rather than heading straight to Willow Lane, Elliana took a sharp detour, guiding Hailee toward a nearby hotel instead.
“Wait-why are we pulling into a hotel?” Hailee asked, squinting in confusion.
Elliana shoved her fingers through the tangled mess of her wig and let out a sigh. “I need to pull myself together. If your dad catches me like this, he’s bound to think you’re hanging around with the wrong crowd.”
A grin tugged at Hailee’s lips. “Sure, my dad’s got outdated ideas, but come on-you’ve got that ‘cool but dangerous’ thing going. He’ll love you once he sees past the mascara.”
Despite Hailee’s reassurance, Elliana wasn’t taking chances-she needed to dial it down. Now that her discreet identity as Rosa was out, walking around like a neon sign wasn’t smart. And dragging Hailee into unwanted attention? That was off the table.
While Elliana disappeared into the bathroom for a fast rinse, Hailee made herself at home on the couch, scrolling idly and waiting. Thirty minutes later, the bathroom door creaked open, and Elliana emerged like a different woman.
Hailee nearly fell off the couch. She jumped up, eyes wide. “Girl, you look unreal!”
Elliana hadn’t changed her outfit-a simple black tracksuit still hugged her frame-but the transformation was in the details. Her tangled mop had been tamed into sleek waves, and with the heavy makeup gone, her skin glowed with a soft, natural shine.
Wanting to keep things low-key, Elliana added a quirky touch-a pair of oversized gold-rimmed glasses with no lenses, just enough to veil her face and give her that subtle mystery.
The transformation was striking. The girl who used to stick out like a sore thumb now looked effortlessly cool-poised, polished, and magnetic.
“You’re a total babe! Why would you ever cover that up? Ditch the disastrous makeup forever!” Hailee exclaimed, half-laughing at the end. Twenty was the age to flaunt one’s youth, not bury it beneath layers of eccentricity. But Elliana had her reasons-her sudden marriage to Cole had flipped her world and forced her into hiding. Without that curveball, the disguise would’ve been ancient history.
Of course, none of that made it to Hailee’s ears. Elliana simply gave a nonchalant shrug. “Habit I never quite dropped,” she said with a casual smile.
Hailee gave Elliana a playful look, puffing out her cheeks in disbelief. While most girls would die for even a fraction of Elliana’s looks-some even chasing it with surgery-here Elliana was, hiding it under quirky camouflage.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.