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The untouchable heiress he regret losing - Chapter 39



Chapter 39



“Trust Me”

Zara’s POV

The door slammed shut behind Elora and Zane, the echo resounding in my office. The room fell into an uneasy silence, one that made swallowing saliva the loudest thing in that moment.

Leo stared at me, not saying a word since they left. He stood there, a few feet away, hands in pockets, and his expression unreadable.

“What was that?” He finally broke the silence, his voice low and sharp.

I looked up to meet his cold gaze. “It’s not what it looks like, Leo.”

He laughed dryly and stepped closer, his expensive shoes clicking against the marble floor. “Oh really? Because from where I stood, I was pretty sure I overheard Elora saying Zane wants to divorce her to be with you, and you didn’t exactly object to it.”

I swallowed. “It’s complicated, Leo.”

I couldn’t risk letting Leo in on my plans to deceive Zane into thinking I was going to take him back, just until he could divorce Elora. Until I have succeeded in ruining his marriage the same way he did mine. Not just ruining his marriage, but taking away the security and alliance he shoved in my face three years ago when he divorced me. If Leo knew, Zane might catch on. I needed Leo to believe it so Zane could see the necessary signs and think he was winning over Leo in my life.

“I’m good at complicated things. Try me,” he said and folded his arms.

“I know how this looks, but I need you to trust me. I know what I am doing.”

Leo’s jaw tightened. “What exactly is going on? You recently had a problem with me being taken aback by Selene and strictly warned me not to look at other women while our alliance lasted.”

“But here you are groveling all over your ex-husband, and you’re considering getting back with him?” he asked, his voice laced with disappointment.

He narrowed his eyes. “Are you?”

I was quiet for a few seconds as he scanned my face, curiously for answers.

My heart began to beat faster and louder. Why was it hard for me to lie to him? After a while, I cleared my throat and lifted my chin. “I’m doing what needs to be done.”

Leo’s hands dropped to the side as he took a few steps back. His face was unreadable, cold, and disappointed.

There was a sharp pang in my chest at the thought that I was betraying the one person who cared to save me from the hands of Zane over and over again. I couldn’t bear to look at him anymore, so I looked away, face down. I shifted my gaze to the city skyline outside the window in pretence that I didn’t care about how my words hurt him.

“So that’s it? You’re just going to take him back after he begs you one time? You’re going to forget everything he did to you just like that?”

I turned back to him slowly. “Leo, I just need you to trust me.”

He scoffed and ran a hand through his hair. His fingers raked through the strands roughly like he was trying to rewrite the situation of things and rip away the frustration welling in him. Then he stopped. “You didn’t think to let me know that you still loved your ex-husband? Or was it because you just saw me as only a fake fiancé you could use?”

I almost broke my act at that statement. I no longer saw Leo as just a means to an end, if I was being honest with myself. He had become someone who motivated me, someone I didn’t want to let down.

“If not that I still needed you for this show, I’d have dropped you here and now,” he continued, his voice sharp enough to cut deep into my already aching heart.

“Our alliance is still on, Leo. I’d still keep doing everything I need to as your fiancé till we both get what we want.”

“Really? Because it looks like you already got what you want.” His eyes locked onto mine, hard and furious.

“No, Leo, there’s more…”

“Oh…You mean till your ex-husband actually divorces his wife to marry you again?” He cut in.

I couldn’t continue answering him. If I did, I’d have to let him in on the plan. If this goes well, I’d be helping him too. He’d understand eventually and thank me.

“I just need you to trust that I’m still on your side and I’m willing to help you till the end.”

“You can’t be on my enemy’s side and also be on my side, Zara.”

“I didn’t plan for this to happen. I just saw a chance and I took it. Again, you have to trust me.” I said, in defence.

He scoffed and gave a dry laugh. “You saw a chance to get back with your ex-husband that we both agreed to bring down, and you just took it?”

He turned angrily to leave as I parted my lips to continue defending myself.

But he paused after a few steps and turned back to look at me. “You disgust me,” he said, and slammed the door behind him.






Chapter 40


Slipping Masks

Elora’s POV

I was silent all through the rest of the day at work and the ride home. I couldn’t possibly answer Lucas's question, so I waved it away with a joke. But I knew he was too smart to fall for that. We were the first to get home that night. I didn’t need anyone to inform me that Zane wasn’t home because I couldn’t see his car. Typical Zane. He has always had the attitude of running away and leaving everything behind when things didn’t go his way. He was probably drunk in some stinking bar. I couldn’t care less if the worst happened to him.

On entering the house, the aroma of one of the foods I hated more than death gripped my nostrils. Shit. There’s only one person who always made that food. Mrs Shane. My fake mum. She had access to our house even when Zane and I were out.

I shut my eyes and let out a deep sigh as a routine to get mentally prepared for a convincing round of pretence. Then I turned the door knob and entered. I made my way to where the aroma was coming from.

“My baby!” Mrs Shane screamed as she walked briskly towards me with wide-open arms.

I faked a smile because I wished I didn’t need to deal with so much in one day. I loved Mrs Shane, but I couldn’t be totally comfortable with her over the years for fear of being discovered, and that just really placed a distance between us. She may have noticed on some occasions, but would have probably thought it was the aftermath of the fire incident and plastic surgery. Only if she knew.

“Hey, Mum!” I returned the smile and the hug. She held me tightly, and I felt warmth for the first time in weeks since she last came. She had that motherly touch that was able to send negativity packing. I had often wished she were my real mother. But what’s done is done.

She looked above my head like she was expecting to see someone, then looked at me, but I avoided her eyes because I didn’t have the words to explain why Zane didn’t follow me home. She looked away and turned to Lucas, telling me that she understood and didn’t want to pry. I couldn’t have been more grateful.

“Lucas, baby!” she said in a tiny voice, imitating a baby’s own as she tickled him in his belly.

“Grandma, I missed you. Can you stay every day?” Lucas whispered. Lucas loved his grandma more than anything and always looked forward to the days we would go to spend with his grandparents. I, of course, pitied him because at some point, he might find out they were not his real grandparents all along. And that his real grandparents are poor scumbags.

“I cooked your favorite, Elora,” she said.

“Go wash up and come down for dinner while I take care of this little lad.”

“Okay, Mum. Thank you,” I said, a smile tugging at my lips. My favorite food definitely wasn’t Cioppino, a hearty seafood stew that the rich here in San Francisco eat. It was the real Elora Shane’s favorite, but like many other things I had to change about myself and get used to, it had to become my favorite food too.

When I got down, Zane was back home and was exchanging pleasantries with Mrs Shane. I rolled my eyes at him and went to take a seat at the table, already filled with the disgusting dish.

I drew out a chair and sat on it as she dished me a little quantity of food and placed it in front of me. I received it with a smile. “Thank you, Mum.”

“How was your trip from Singapore, Mum?” Zane asked her.

I was still turning the Cioppino in my plate when I remembered it was the lie I told Zane days ago. Shit. I thought it was a random thing he would forget and move on from. Why the hell did he have to bring that up? She looked at Zane and me, confused.

“Singapore?” Zane glanced at me, too, expecting clarity.

I let out an awkward laugh to salvage the situation. “He’s confused, Mum. He was probably remembering your trip to Singapore last year,” I said as I stepped hard on his feet underneath the table to prevent him from saying anything further.

“Oh,” she laughed softly.

“I haven’t gone on any trip this year. I and Elora’s Dad have been buried in work, trying to save the company, you know?”

“Ohh, is that so…?” Zane asked, turning to me. I could feel his burning gaze, but I ignored it and shoved some food into my mouth.

Just then, I received a phone call from someone who swore to call me only with a burner phone. Shit. It was one of Zane’s step-siblings. Ryan Wesley. His name had shown on the screen, and I could only wish Zane did not see it too. He forbade me from ever communicating with his step-siblings after cutting ties with them three years ago due to his accident.

“Ryan?” He asked.

Damn! He saw it. My hands and face instantly became sweaty as I dropped my phone.

“Elora, why is Ryan calling you?!” He thundered.

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