Chapter 9 Auntie Elira !

"You think I'm dumb?!" Elira's voice cracked the silence like thunder.

She gaped at Jason like he'd suddenly grown horns and cloven hooves. Her hands trembled as she clutched the documents she had risked walking into this hellhole to retrieve. Her heart hammered in her chest, pumping a lethal mix of rage and betrayal through her veins.

Jason stood frozen in front of her, his brows furrowed in guilt, eyes darting between her face and the documents in the bag.

"Elira, please," he started, voice low and cautious, like he was speaking to a ticking time bomb. "It wasn't-It's not what you think."

Elira's brows shot up. She let out a bitter laugh.

"Oh? So me walking in on you-on our bed-with my best friend, legs wide and you halfway inside her... is what? A hallucination? Or was it a trick of daylight?"

"No- I- I was..." Jason opened his mouth to respond, but she didn't give him the chance.

"What? You were horny?" she snapped, stepping closer, her voice rising. "Your alpha hormones hijacked your manhood and shoved it into another woman's body?!"

Jason flinched, jaw clenched tight.

Elira blinked rapidly, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. "You were the one man I trusted, Jason. Out of everyone in this cutthroat world-you were the one I gave everything to."

She bit her trembling lip and looked away, but her next words came out in a broken whisper. "Even if... even if I somehow stretched my soul thin enough to consider your cheating as a minor misunderstanding, what about you trying to take my company? You colliding with Talia to steal my brain child?"

Jason's silence was louder than any answer.

Elira scoffed, her voice shivering. "That silence says everything."

He opened his mouth.

"I said everything, Jason."

She took a shaky breath. "The betrayal of the body? I could've maybe, maybe forgiven that. But you betraying my dream? My blood? The thing I built from scratch? That... hurts more than I can even describe."

She turned to leave, but his voice cracked behind her.

"Please don't go."

CRASH!

The sound of glass shattering echoed as Jason threw his tumbler to the floor. He moved quickly and wrapped his arms around her from behind, pressing his forehead against the back of her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, okay?! I'm sorry! I was stupid. I messed up. I broke your heart, your trust-but please, Elira. Don't walk away. Not like this."

Elira struggled. "Get off me-Jason-get off!"

"I'll fix it," he begged. "I'll get rid of Talia. I won't touch the company. I'll give you back every damn share in my name-just please..."

She broke free with a hard push and turned to face him, panting.

"I don't care about you or Talia anymore," she snapped. "And as for me not leaving you?"

A slow, venomous smirk curled her lips.

"You're already too late. Soon enough, you'll be calling me Auntie Elira."

She spun on her heels and walked out, leaving Jason stunned.

"Auntie?" he echoed, confused. "What the hell does that mean-?"

Outside the Apartment

As Elira stepped into the fresh air, her heart still pounding, she collided with a body.

"Damn it-!"

Her bag dropped, scattering papers and personal items across the concrete path.

"Oh my!" came a sickly sweet voice laced with mockery. "Elira? I didn't see you there."

Talia.

Elira exhaled sharply and knelt to gather her things, ignoring the woman entirely.

Talia's smile faltered at the dismissal. Her eyes followed the fluttering papers, and then she did the unthinkable-she stepped on one.

"Oh no," she said with a smirk. "Oops! That was an accident."

Elira's jaw clenched. Her hands trembled as she slowly stood up, facing the woman who had destroyed her relationship and tried to destroy her livelihood.

Talia walked around her like a shark circling prey. "You know, the expression on your face yesterday? That moment you saw us in bed? That-that was something I'd dreamed of for years."

Elira didn't say a word.

Talia smirked. "You always had it all, Elira. The looks. The business. The man. But now? Now I have it."

Elira finally spoke, her voice low and chilling.

"It's good you got what you wanted then."

Talia blinked, confused.

"Because if I was still with Jason," Elira continued, eyes narrowing, "I wouldn't have gotten the chance to meet someone far better than him."

From the corner of her eye, Talia saw Jason step out onto the patio, watching them from a distance. The smirk melted off her face.

"Y-you've been cheating on Jason?!" she gasped, scandalized.

Elira scoffed. "Please. Not everyone's as filthy as you. I didn't cheat. I simply upgraded." She laughed internally at her own boldness, "I haven't even had a proper conversation with Kieran yet." She thought lazily.

Talia stepped forward, fuming. "You-!"

Elira shoved past her, picked up the last document, and dusted it clean.

"You said-" Talia started.

"I said what I said," Elira cut in coldly. "And I'll say this too: it's in your best interest to avoid me. Just because I've been lenient doesn't mean your betrayal goes unpunished."

Then Elira leaned in and whispered, voice dripping with venom:

"By the time I'm done, no one will remember you were ever relevant. You'd be long gone in depravity."

Talia's rage exploded as she raised her hand to hit Elira.

But Elira was faster.

SMACK!

SMACK!

Two crisp slaps-one on each cheek.

Talia stumbled back in shock, holding her face.

Jason watched from a distance, frozen between fear, shame, and confusion. For once, he didn't interfere.

Elira dusted her hands and turned away with a scoff. "I'm done with both of you. You want my company? Try harder. Because the game has just begun."

BZZZ!

Her phone buzzed.

She glanced down-and a wicked smile curled her lips.

But before she could read it twice-

SNATCH!

Talia grabbed the phone.

"What's making you smile like a fool, huh?!"

"Give it back!" Elira shouted.

But the damage was done.

Talia's eyes widened in horror. The blood drained from her face as she read the message aloud:

"Looking forward to our first dinner. Wear red. I want to see how good sin looks on you. – Kieran Vale."

Talia's voice cracked.

"You're... you're hooking up with Kieran??!!"

Elira crossed her arms with a smirk.

Jason stepped forward now, finally.

"You're what?"