Chapter 2 The Ruin You Chose

"Elira?"

Jason's voice broke the silence like a bullet through glass.

He stood there, shirtless, hair tousled, lips swollen from kisses that weren't hers. His pupils dilated-not with guilt, but shock. Not even shame.

Behind him, Talia Grant leaned against the bedroom doorframe in nothing but a satin sheet, her blonde hair cascading over her bare shoulder like she'd just stepped out of a perfume ad. And on her face? A smile.

A smug, slow, superior smile.

The kind that said I won, without saying a word.

Elira didn't move for a second. She stared at them both, her eyes flickering between the betrayal in flesh and the betrayal in silk.

Then-

SLAP.

Jason's head jerked sideways as her palm connected with his cheek.

"You bastard!" she screamed, chest heaving as she reached for the nearest thing-the gift bag-and hurled it at him. The Cartier box hit his shoulder, and the glass bottle of cologne shattered against the hardwood floor.

"Six years, Jason! Six goddamn years!"

"Elira, wait-"

She grabbed the bracelet box next. "This-" she hurled it at his chest, "-was engraved. I hand-wrote your letter. I loved you like a fool!"

Jason staggered backward, arms up. "Elira, listen-"

"Don't you dare say my name!"

"I didn't mean for you to find out like this-" he started.

"Oh, so you were cheating?! For how long?"

He exhaled sharply, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "Elira, I'm a man! I have needs, too! You wanted to wait for marriage, and that was cute at first, but-let's be real-that stuff is old-fashioned. No one our age does that anymore!"

SLAP.

Again.

The sound cracked through the hall like thunder.

Talia gasped behind him, clutching the sheet closer with faux innocence painted all over her face. "Please stop! Don't hit him anymore! If you need to vent your anger, hit me! You don't have to hit him again."

Elira's eyes slowly turned toward her best friend, "You sly wench!"

Talia stepped forward, barefoot, her nails painted in the same shade Elira had worn two weeks ago-a color Elira had chosen for their "girls' day out."

"I didn't mean for you to find out like this," she said with a pout that could win Oscars. "But... I've always liked Jason. I- I just never said anything because, well... you were dating him."

Elira blinked, stunned by the audacity.

"I mean, don't take this the wrong way," Talia continued, twirling a piece of her hair. "I tried to fight it, really. But we just have a connection, you know? You and Jason were always kinda... tense. I didn't want to hurt you."

Elira stared at her, a soft breath leaving her lips-quiet, calm, chilling.

Then she took two steps forward-

And slapped her.

Talia staggered sideways, mouth open, the sheet slipping slightly down her shoulder.

"You planned this," Elira whispered, trembling. "You're not even sorry."

"I-I am! I-"

"Save it."

She turned her back to both of them, her heels clicking against the marble as she stormed down the staircase. The broken pieces of her love lay behind her, shattered and stinking of sex and lies.

She bent to gather the bags that hadn't been thrown upstairs, every item she bought with love now weighing her down like bricks. Then, without another glance, she pushed open the door and left.

As she stepped into the quiet night, Sabrina's voice returned like a ghost:

"He flirts with every woman! He's just like his father!"

Elira's jaw clenched. She shoved the bags into her car and slid into the driver's seat.

Bitter silence.

The steering wheel blurred through the tears that she refused to let fall.

Inside the penthouse, Jason stood in silence. He expected to feel... free. Like a chain had been cut.

But instead, he felt nothing but an uncomfortable weight in his chest. His throat was dry. The echo of her voice still bounced off the walls.

"Talia," he muttered, looking at the lipstick stain on the sheet draped over her chest. "You said she wouldn't find out yet."

Talia shrugged. "Oops. My bad."

He turned away.

--

Meanwhile, Elira didn't stop driving until the city lights blurred like stars.

She couldn't go home. Not yet. Not with Sabrina waiting to tell her "I told you so." She needed to be numb.

She needed oblivion.

She needed to forget.

And so she drove across the city, turning off at a neon-lit corner that pulsed like a heartbeat. The sign overhead read:

"Eclipse Room – Cocktails, Smoke, No Questions."

She parked recklessly and stepped out of the car, her heels clicking against the pavement. The bouncer looked her over but didn't stop her-she had that look. The look of a woman who came here not to dance, not to flirt-but to disappear.

Inside, the bar was dim and pulsing with low music. Gold light glinted off mirrored walls and half-empty glasses. Elira made a beeline for the bar, her breath shaky.

"Whiskey," she said. "Neat. And keep them coming."

The bartender raised a brow but obeyed.

She didn't speak. She didn't smile. Drink after drink, she swallowed down memories until they drowned in amber.

Then someone approached.

"Hey there, gorgeous."

A man. Early thirties. Clean suit, cheap cologne. A pick-up line waiting to happen.

"Not interested," Elira said without looking at him.

"Aw, c'mon. One drink-"

She turned to him with slow, icy precision. Her eyes, bloodshot from tears and fury, glared into him like daggers.

"Walk. Away."

He opened his mouth, then shut it, "arrogant bitch." He muttered under his breath as he left.

She went back to drinking.

The world spun. Her limbs loosened. Her heart was still clenched, but her mind floated far above it. A laugh escaped her lips-but it was hollow. Dead.

She stood up, stumbling slightly. Her legs felt heavy. Her head pounded.

She turned-

And crashed directly into a broad chest.

Hands gripped her waist to steady her.

"Whoa. Careful."

Elira looked up-and met the eyes of a stranger.

Tall. Imposing. Dressed in a black shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, exposing strong forearms and a watch that probably cost more than her car. His jaw was sharp, his presence magnetic-and his eyes?

Cold. Calculating.

He wasn't drunk.

He wasn't lost.

He was watching her.

"Are you alright, young lady?" he asked softly, lips curving into something unreadable. "You shouldn't be drinking here, alone."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"I- you- who are you?," she whispered, eyes narrowing.

But he smiled.

"How could you have forgotten me so soon hmm? Niece in-law..." the man drawled.

Elira who had been drunk gasped, "You're a pretty escort!"