Chapter 4

Elenora Quinn POV:

"When did Isla Whitehead come back?" Kailey asked, her voice laced with a venom I rarely heard. Her eyes hardened, a dangerous glint in their depths.

Isla. The name tasted like bile. But even thinking about her, a strange emptiness settled in my chest. The kind of numb exhaustion that comes from being hurt too many times.

I managed a faint, almost imperceptible smile. "She returned on May 15th, eight years ago. The day it all started to unravel."

May 15th. Our anniversary. The day we were supposed to celebrate our love, the day I eagerly awaited his return. Instead, I had waited alone, a bottle of champagne chilling, a special dinner prepared.

My phone had buzzed, pulling me from my anticipation. His name flashed on the screen. My heart had fluttered, a nervous bird in my ribs.

"Elenora," his voice had been strained, hurried. "I need your help. It's Isla. She's in trouble. Big trouble."

Isla. His childhood friend. The political prodigy, always poised for greatness. I knew he was fiercely protective of her. He always had been. Their bond was deep, complicated, almost primal. I felt a pang of sympathy for her, even then. She was always under pressure, always scrutinized.

"What kind of trouble?" I had asked, my concern genuine.

"I can't explain now," he'd rushed. "But I need your personal photos. Your selfies. As many as you can send. Quickly, Elenora. It's urgent."

I hadn't hesitated. My trust in him was absolute. He was my husband, my protector. He would never ask for anything that wasn't for my good. I had pulled up my photo gallery, sending him dozens of pictures: candid shots, playful poses, even a few intimate ones I thought only he would ever see. Each one a piece of my trust, my vulnerability.

The next morning, the city exploded. My face, my body, superimposed onto explicit, degrading images, plastered across every screen, every tabloid. It was a grotesque parody of my life. And some of those images, I recognized them. They were my selfies. The ones I had sent him, just hours before. The ones he had twisted and perverted.

The scandal was immediate, brutal. Elenora Quinn, the ballerina darling, the tech heiress, was now a public spectacle, a whore, a disgrace. The city, my city, the city where my family's name was synonymous with innovation and integrity, was buzzing with my shame.

The photos spread like wildfire. Faster than any virus. I huddled in my bed, the world outside a raging inferno. My phone, usually a lifeline, became a symbol of terror. It buzzed non-stop, but not with messages of support. Only condemnation, disgust, and cruel mockery.

I called Greyson. Again and again. My fingers, numb with fear, dialed his number until they ached. No answer. Each unanswered ring was a fresh stab in my gut. He always picked up. Always. Instantly. What was happening? Where was he?

The silence from his end of the line was deafening. It screamed betrayal louder than any accusation.