"Ivan!"

A woman's delighted voice shattered Elodie's thoughts. She brushed past Elodie and threw herself straight into Ivan's arms. Ivan instinctively caught her, letting her cling to him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.-

"Do you know how long I've waited for you?" she exclaimed, her voice full of giddy affection. "If you hadn't come out soon, I swear my dad would've dragged me off to marry someone else!"

Ivan's gaze lingered on her face as she pressed a kiss to his lips. He smirked. "That desperate, huh? Well, tell your driver to wait outside later—I'll send your father a little thank-you note myself."

She giggled and clung to him, refusing to let go. "You're terrible! My dad wants you to come over, says he's dying to meet you, and wants to throw you a welcome dinner..."

Elodie was rooted to the spot, staring at the scene in a daze.

A slow, creeping embarrassment and helplessness washed over her.

The Ivan who'd once been gentle and attentive, who used to make her the center of his world-had he ever really existed, or was it all just a decade-long dream?

A dull ache started to throb in her stomach.

It felt as if a knife had sliced through time and stabbed her all over again.

"Elodie, I don't want to be registered as a Harcourt. I don't want to be your brother."

"When you're an adult... will you marry me?"

in her mind,

"Watch out!"

jolted her back. Elodie turned just in time to

the woman back,

on her own, stumbling as she covered her face. Her ankle twisted

her, his eyes dark and searching, a flicker of worry and uncertainty

away before tears could fall. She ran

watched her go, curiosity sparking. "Who

a kiss as he

he used to

growing up with. Someone he'd

the steering wheel, pressing a hand to her aching stomach. Cold sweat broke out across her skin. She couldn't tell what hurt more-the bitterness in her chest or the

shrill ringtone snapped her out

at her

Silverstein Group Headquarters.

frowned as he flipped through the

of stunt was she trying to

wasn't allowed near the executive floor, did she really think

Childish.

straight for

he was told Elodie hadn't shown up to

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