Elera's POV
The hum of conversation mixed with the soft, sultry notes of jazz that filtered through the speakers, casting a smooth yet intimate aura over the dimly lit bar. The place wasn't crowded, only a few patrons scattered around, deep in their own exchanges. My group had claimed a cozy corner, a round table littered with half-drunk cocktails and soft laughter.
Mila, ever the lively one, waved me over with a mischievous smile. "Elera, come on! Stop being so stiff. Have a drink with us. It'll help you unwind."
I shook my head, a tight smile stretching across my face. "No thanks, Mila. I'm good." My attention remained glued to the dartboard hanging across the room, or more specifically, the image of Soren I had pinned above it. His face, full of arrogance and betrayal, stared back at me, a constant reminder of the destruction he had brought into my life. A slow, cold rage unfurled within me, its icy fingers digging into my chest.
With a steady hand, I grasped another dart and took aim. As the dart left my fingers, the image of that fateful evening surged in my mind like an endless reel of agony. I had gone to Leona Blake's apartment, unsuspectingly, only to walk in on the cruelest betrayal imaginable. Soren, the man I loved, entwined in passion with her. It shattered me in ways I couldn't describe. The intensity of the pain was sharp and unrelenting.
In my desperate need to escape the suffocating weight of that scene, I had run out blindly, not seeing the car that plowed into me. The accident had stolen everything, my peace, my health, and worst of all, my unborn child.
Three months of hope. Three months of quietly nurturing a joy I had kept hidden from everyone, even from Soren. I never told him. He didn't deserve to know. The thought of that child, that life that could have been, ate at me like acid.
Another dart flew from my hand, my grip trembling as I threw it with more force than necessary. If I had kept the baby... If only the world hadn't been so cruel. My mind drifted to what could have been a small, perfect child to hold and care for, someone who would have loved me unconditionally. The sorrow of that loss weighed heavily in my chest. The image of a life with my baby now felt so far away, distant and impossible.
Tears pricked at the back of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I would not let the weakness take hold of me. Not here, not now. I blinked hard, trying to pull myself together.
"Elera, are you sure you're okay?" Mila's voice, softer this time, broke through my inner storm. There was concern in her tone, something gentle and real.
I nodded slowly, though my throat felt tight. "I'm fine," I murmured, my gaze still fixed on the darts embedded in Soren's face. I didn't trust my voice enough to say more, so I let the silence speak for me instead.
Mila stepped closer, her voice lowered to a whisper. "It's okay to let it out, you know. You don't have to bottle it all up. Not with me."
Her words almost cracked the fragile control I had left. Turning to her, I found my breath catching in my throat. My eyes were red, the weight of everything I had been holding in for so long was too much to bear at that moment. "I lost my baby, Mila," I whispered, the words barely escaping my lips. "I was three months pregnant when it happened. Soren never knew."
Mila's expression softened, her eyes filling with a deep sympathy I hadn't expected. "Elera... I'm so sorry. I had no idea."
The tears I had been holding back for so long broke free. I hadn't allowed myself to mourn, not truly. I'd shoved the grief into the deepest corner of my heart, locking it away where no one could see it. But now, with Mila's kind words, it spilled over, unstoppable.
"I keep thinking about how different things would have been," I continued, my voice cracking. "If I hadn't lost the baby... I would have had someone. A little one to love, to protect. Someone who would have loved me back."
Mila wrapped her arms around me in a tight, comforting hug. For a long moment, I let myself surrender to the warmth of her embrace, allowing the tears to flow freely. I had held so much inside, for so long, and now, in this safe space, it felt like a release.
When the tears began to subside, I pulled back, wiping my face with the back of my hand. "Thank you, Mila," I said, my voice rough. "I needed that."
Mila smiled, her eyes filled with understanding. "Anytime, Elera. We're in this together."
I nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude for her, something I hadn't realized I needed until now. But I also knew that I couldn't let myself drown in the past. Soren and everything he had taken from me couldn't control my future. I had to move forward, for myself and for the memory of the child I had lost.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me out of my thoughts. The sharp vibration was like a jolt of reality. I pulled it out, my heart sinking when I saw the unknown number on the screen. I hesitated for just a moment before answering.
"Are you the so-called powerful woman who took out Leona Blake and her bodyguards?" The voice on the other end was deep, dangerous.
It sent a shiver down my spine. I knew that voice. Alexander Kane. I had heard the stories, the whispered legends of a man whose name struck fear into the hearts of those who dared cross him. He was a figure of menace, someone who wielded power with an iron fist.
"Yes," I said, my voice steady despite the unease crawling through my veins.
"Then you should be at the location I'll send you," he said, his tone oozing with a menacing promise. "If you truly want to settle this."
The line went dead before I could respond.
I slid my phone back into my pocket, my stomach churning. Mila was watching me closely, worry etched on her face. "Who was that?" she asked, her voice tight with concern.
"Someone you don't need to worry about," I said, brushing past her with more force than necessary.
Mila's eyes followed me, a mixture of hesitation and determination on her face. "Elera, please. That didn't sound like a friendly call. You're not thinking of going alone, are you? Whoever this Alexander Kane is... he's not someone to be underestimated."
I smirked at her, trying to hide the anxiety that flared inside me. "Mila, don't worry. I can handle it."
Her eyes searched mine for any sign of uncertainty, but I gave her none. After a brief, reluctant pause, she nodded, clearly sensing that once my mind was made up, nothing would stop me.
The message arrived almost immediately, the address a desolate warehouse on the city's edge. The area was quiet, suffocatingly so, the kind of place where shadows crept through every corner. Perfect for a meeting with someone like Alexander Kane.
I parked Ethan's car in the empty lot, the echo of my footsteps ringing out as I got out. As soon as I did, a group of men surrounded me with large, imposing figures whose eyes were cold as steel. They were like wolves circling their prey, but I didn't flinch. I was done being scared.
The metal door of the warehouse creaked open, and there he was. Alexander Kane. Over six feet tall, broad-shouldered, his presence a dark cloud that filled the space. His sharp gaze ran over me, disbelief crossing his features for a moment. "So, you're the woman who handled Leona Blake's men?" he asked, his voice as dangerous as his reputation.
I didn't flinch. "Yes," I replied, my tone firm.
He scoffed, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "I thought you'd be... bigger. A powerhouse, maybe. But you?" He studied me like I was a puzzle he couldn't solve. "You look like a little thing."
His men chuckled around him, the sound filled with mockery. But it didn't bother me. Not anymore.
Alexander took a step closer, his grin twisted with amusement. Then, without warning, he reached out and smacked my rear, an insulting gesture that made my blood boil. The anger surged up like a tidal wave, and before he could react, I kicked him hard one foot to his chest, the other to his jaw. The impact sent him sprawling backward, and his men's laughter immediately died.
As he struggled to regain his footing, I stood there, calm, unwavering. "If you wanted to see what power looks like, Alexander," I said, my voice cold, "you've found it."