Heir Of Shadows

ELARA

Long hours. Crazy deadlines. A grumpy boss. A sassy father-in-law. I had the most exhausting day at the office, and nothing could have prepared me for the tons of documents staring at me in the morning when I arrived. At long last, I was done, and no, it wasn't closing hours yet. I just needed to be out of here as soon as possible.

Mason, my hot, charming, and irresistible boyfriend, was coming back from his one-month work trip. I have made reservations for us at Le Bernadin, a top-class restaurant just outside of Brooklyn, for a spa date and a whole night of binge-watching our favorite romantic shows. It was going to be the most beautiful night, and

I couldn't wait to see the expression on his face when he realized I planned this huge surprise.

I neatly arranged my bags while patiently waiting for the beeping sound of my phone's alarm.

The sound came, and I dashed out of my office, desperate to escape this torturous corporate life.

I knew that my lovely best friend, Avery, was waiting in the car with my favorite pizza.

"Miss Bennett," I heard the familiar voice of my annoying boss about to dampen my spirits. I clenched my fists in anger as I pretentiously turned towards his direction. At the same time, he barked orders at me for the umpteenth time.

"Yes, Clark." I forced a smile, trying my hardest to hide the irritation in my voice.

"What do you think you are doing, Elara? Leaving before official closing hours?" He reminded me.

"Who even gave the rule? Why should there always be an official closing time? Why couldn't I leave when I finish my official duties?" I thought aloud.

I had envisaged Clark would sabotage my plans to leave early today, so I prepared a backup plan. My father-in-law couldn't know I was skipping work when he threw me a lifeline.

"Errr...Mason...is..." I stuttered, losing track of the lie I had prepared all day. Luckily, Clark knew all my theatrics and decided to let this one go.

"Last time, Elara. Last time, you are screwing the owner's son doesn't give you a pass to act high and mighty." He warned me and flashed the most sarcastic smirk I had ever seen in my direction.

"I promise, I must get home before Mason returns from his trip. I haven't seen him in so..." I had barely completed my statement when Clark walked away. Could I blame him? No? I was just a girl in love.

I hurriedly ran down the stairs into the quiet car park, where an impatient best friend of mine was fuming.

"Where the hell have you been?" She screamed, ignoring my request for a hug.

"Ermm, talking to my boss. You realize it's barely closing hours, and well, I'm skipping work to

surprise my boyfriend." I said, wrapping my arms around her nevertheless.

"Grumpy Clark caught you sneaking out!" I loved it when we both mocked my colleagues.

"Yes, girl, Clark did, and you know what? I have a huge feeling he can't change."

The scent of freshly baked pizza wafted through my nostrils, and I could feel my hunger pangs fighting for a taste instantly. I unwrapped the vox, grabbing the first bite before kicking my car back to life. This was our usual ritual-Avery would join me at the office and snack on our favorite food before heading home.

I was tempted to take another bite when Avery smacked me on the head, reminding me what I had planned for the day.

"Dinner reservations?" She brought out a tiny paper and a pen and scribbled the words on them, ensuring we didn't leave anything behind.

"Check. I already called them at the office and warned them not to give out our slot; I could be a little scared when angry." She laughed, ticking off the item.

"Yes, sure you do, girl, Spa date. Have you also done..."

"Yes, Avery. I called to reconfirm if our slot was still available," I said. We pulled to a stop sign, which gave me ample time to bite my pizza further before we continued driving.

"And is it?" She didn't seem convinced.

"Yes, what else? I've paid for the Netflix subscription and picked up my man's suit," I continued.

"Make-up, dress, hair?" She scribbled some more notes while I screeched the car to a halt. How in God's name did I forget the most essential part of this dinner? My dress!

I turned towards Avery, a horrified look written all over my face.

"Let me take a quick guess: You were so focused on making this the best night ever that you forgot to get something for yourself." From the tone of her voice, I could tell she already had it figured out, but I was ready to play that long game with her.

My phone beeped, interrupting us for a second. I had thought it was Mason, but it was the other

way around. I sighed in relief.

"Yeah, a dress and the weekend getaway I had planned in Miami. Did you book the flight ticket?" One perk of having an event planner as your best friend is that you get fast access to everything, even though it's last minute.

"Yes, I did book the ticket. The cabin in Miami is halfway ready, and your dress is in the trunk of your car," Those words felt like music to my ears. I planned a surprise for my fiancé but didn't need to lift a finger because my girl pulled all the strings for me.

"What would I do without you, Avery?" We were almost approaching her house, which was a few stops away.

"I don't know; maybe you could plan this same surprise for me someday, or who knows something better." She teased as we both burst into laughter.

She slipped her fingers into mine, gently caressing my face with her other hand. "Have fun tonight, babe, and take tons of pictures for me."

"What if it doesn't go as planned? What if.." My intrusive thoughts had started seeping in again.

"What if it does? This is your fiancé we are talking about," She reminded me. I dropped Lily off at her apartment, waving goodbye as she stepped inside. In a few months, I would be married to Mason Rylan.

When I got home, Mason's car was parked in the driveway, which made me feel giddy. I had ignored his calls all day, and now all I wanted to do was kick off my heels and collapse into bed with him.

My little comfort zone was only a few minutes away, and as I pulled into the driveway, everything felt... normal. Too normal.

I unlocked the door and stepped inside, tossing my keys on the table. The lights were off, but a faint glow spilled out from underneath the bedroom door. It was strange. I paused, my hand hovering over the doorknob. I clasped my hands in anticipation as a chill went down my spine.

"Mason," I called softly, hoping he would tell me the mystery. Maybe he had fallen asleep with the lamp on or was watching TV.

I twisted the knob and pushed the door open.

Time slowed.

There he was-Mason, my fiancé-the man I had loved for three years. He was in "our" bed. And he wasn't alone.

I froze, staring at the tangled mess of sheets and limbs.

The man-" his secretary" of all people-sat up, clutching the blanket to her chest. Her eyes widened, filled with panic. Mason scrambled to his feet, grabbing a pillow to cover himself. I watched in horror as hot tears streamed down my cheeks. This was the worst betrayal ever. My man was shoving his throat down the ass of another! My breath caught in my throat as I gasped for air.

"Sophia, wait! I can explain!" he stammered, his voice cracking with desperation.

"Explain?" My voice was barely a whisper, but its venom made him flinch. "Explain what? That this is some... mistake?" He grabbed my hands to prevent me from leaving, but I could barely stay in the same spot he was.

"How could you, Mason! Your secretary! How could you!" My face glistened with tears as I raised a slap across his face.

"Elara, babe....please..."

His mouth opened, but I didn't wait to hear the excuses. I couldn't. The walls felt like they were closing in, suffocating me. My vision blurred as hot tears spilled down my cheeks.

I turned and bolted out the door, slamming it behind me. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat screaming a truth I could no longer ignore: the life I thought I had was a lie.