Chapter 3
Elowen's POV
Finishing my cold fries, I figured out my next move. I needed my passport.
I hailed a taxi back to the Voss estate. But the moment I pushed open the front doors, I flinched.
The austere, modern minimalist decor Jasper used to insist upon had been gutted.
The living room was now drowning in blush pinks and cream whites.
Sitting front and center on the coffee table was a framed photograph of Jasper and Lenora, arms wrapped around each other at a tropical destination wedding at a Hawaiian coastal resort.
A bitter taste flooded my mouth.
Two years ago, I had tried to hang a custom sea-glass chandelier in the foyer just to add a touch of warmth. Jasper had ordered his staff to rip it down before I even finished installing it.
"My investors and corporate partners occasionally visit the estate," he had reprimanded me sharply.
"Keep the decor professional and grounded. We aren't running a beach house."
Now, even the heavy blackout drapes that usually shielded the living room were pulled wide open, showing off a team of landscapers planting Lenora's favorite red roses.
The sudden influx of harsh sunlight made my eyes throb uncontrollably. Living in a dingy, windowless basement apartment during the first grueling years of his tech startup had left me permanently prone to severe ocular migraines.
Squinting against the glare, I hurried toward the staircase.
I barely placed a foot on the first step before a shrill electronic alarm blared through the foyer. Within seconds, Jasper's private security detail surged forward, blocking my path.
"I'm just going to the master suite to pack my things," I snapped. "What the hell is this?"
A dead-eyed guard wordlessly pulled out a wand, scanning my body for hidden weapons before stepping back.
The estate manager rushed over, handing me a digitized floor plan on a tablet.
"My apologies. Mr. Voss's strict orders."
Looking at the screen, I realized Jasper had drawn a hard, geographical line through the house to protect his mistress.
The entire upper level was now a restricted zone. Lenora had the master suite. If I even attempted to go upstairs, the new whole-house security surveillance system would trip the alarms.
"Your belongings have already been relocated downstairs," the manager added.
I walked into the designated ground-floor guest room.
Looking up, I spotted a brand-new CCTV camera mounted in the corner, its red light blinking steadily as it recorded my every move.
The manager lingered in the doorway, tensely watching my face, clearly braced for me to throw one of my legendary screaming fits.
I didn't say a single word. I just shut the door in his face.
It didn't take long to shove my displaced clothes into a suitcase. But as I zipped the luggage shut, I realized something was missing.
My passport wasn't in the bedside drawer.
Taking a deep breath, I marched back to the stairs. The moment I crossed the threshold, the security system shrieked again.
Almost instantly, Lenora's artificially panicked voice pierced through the alarm from the second floor.
"Jasper! Is she coming up here? Did she grab a kitchen knife? Oh my god, don't let her near me!"
The master bedroom door clicked open. After clearly murmuring something to soothe Lenora, Jasper stepped out onto the landing and shut the door behind him.
He was wearing a bathrobe, his damp hair dripping water down the bridge of his aristocratic nose. I
n all our years together, Jasper had always maintained a rigid, unapproachable perfection. I had never seen him look this unguarded, this casually domestic, for anyone.
His brows pulled together in deep annoyance.
Before he could accuse me of throwing a tantrum, I cut him off.
"I came up here for my passport."
Jasper paused, leaning against the balcony railing.
"What do you need your passport for?"
The word felt foreign on my tongue, but I forced it past my lips.
"I'm leaving the country."
Before he could respond, the master bedroom door cracked open. Lenora peeked out, clutching the silk sheets to her chest.
"Jasper, honey?" she whined softly. "The soaking tub is getting cold."
"Give me a minute, I'll handle this," Jasper murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before turning away to fetch my documents.
The security guards immediately formed a human wall on the stairs, keeping a strict barrier between me and the opened door.
Knowing exactly what she was doing, Lenora intentionally shifted her weight, pushing the door open just a few more inches so I had a clear, unobstructed view of the bedroom wall behind her.
My breath caught in my throat.
Hanging on the once-blank wall above the bed was a massive, elaborately framed bridal portrait. In it, Lenora was wearing a breathtaking designer wedding gown, smiling shyly as Jasper held her close.
A phantom pain twisted in my chest.
When Jasper and I had "married," there was no ceremony.
Looking at other brides in their gorgeous white gowns, of course, I had been desperately envious.
But Jasper was always too busy. He was busy surviving the seed rounds, busy coordinating hostile takeovers, busy pushing North Voss Enterprises toward its billion-dollar IPO.
I used to foolishly tell myself that once the company went public, we would have our grand celebration. I waited years for him to mention a wedding.
Instead, I only waited long enough to watch him plan one with someone else.
