Chapter 126: Chapter 126 Whispers in the Rain
Elara
After visiting Grandma at the hospital, I headed straight back to Park Group.
Walking into my office, I stopped when I saw an unfamiliar face. A man was organizing files on my desk.
Then I remembered my assistant had quit recently.
"You must be Sam," I said, keeping my voice professional.
The young man straightened up immediately. "Yes, Elara. Nice to finally meet you."
I wasn’t used to having a male assistant, but Tyler had checked him out personally and promised he was qualified.
Sam had graduated from a top university and had three years of experience. His last job ended when he took six months off to care for his sick mother.
His background looked solid. Good character, great education, impressive skills.
"I see you’re cleaning up," I said. "From now on, please leave tasks like that to the cleaning crew."
My territorial instincts had been going crazy lately. Except for Dominic, I kept strict boundaries with all men. Even my assistant.
"Of course, Elara. Got it," he said, quickly gathering his things. "I’ll step out now."
At least he could take a hint. The three-month trial period would show whether we could work together.
I’d already told Tyler I wouldn’t hesitate to ask for someone else if things didn’t work out.
--
The next day, Dominic called to invite me to shop for outfits for Zack’s wedding.
"We don’t need to go all out, do we?" I asked, genuinely confused by the suggestion.
Dominic’s eyes lit up with mischief through the video call. "You said you’ll be traveling for business tomorrow and coming back Friday. The wedding is Saturday, and I have business stuff tomorrow evening. Today is our only chance to find something perfect."
I rolled my eyes. He’d missed my point completely. I wasn’t worried about timing. I just didn’t see why we needed new outfits just for Zack’s wedding.
But Dominic seemed dead set on this. "How many chances do we get to watch him squirm? We should look absolutely stunning, don’t you think?"
A smirk tugged at my lips. "Fine, you’ve sold me."
That afternoon, I went with Dominic to an upscale boutique.
After trying several options, I picked a simple but elegant white satin off-shoulder dress. Standing on the platform, I noticed Dominic staring at my bare neck.
"There’s an auction tonight with some amazing jewelry," he said casually. "We should go together."
I checked my watch and frowned. "I have a video meeting this evening. I need to get back to the office."
"I understand," he said, not pushing it. "I’ll see if I can find something that suits you. Should I have my driver take you back?"
"Don’t worry about it," I replied, grabbing my purse. "I drove here myself. I’ll be fine."
After parking in the underground garage of our building, I decided to grab coffee from the café across the street.
Just as the barista handed me my drink, the sky opened up in a sudden, violent downpour.
The coffee shop was about two blocks from my building’s entrance. If I tried to make a run for it now, I’d be soaked. I scrolled through my contacts, wondering who I could ask to bring me an umbrella, when a smooth voice spoke just behind me.
"Elara, caught in the rain without an umbrella?"
I turned to find Sam standing there, his pale fingers wrapped around the handle of a large black umbrella. His expression was polite, maybe even happy at running into me.
"I brought one with me," he offered. "If you don’t mind, we could head back together?"
There wasn’t much to think about. My meeting was starting soon, and I needed to get back. Keeping things professional, I nodded. "Thank you, that would be helpful."
Sam turned out to be a real gentleman, tilting most of the umbrella toward me. I noticed his shoulder getting wet fast from the rain.
"You don’t need to give me all the coverage," I told him. "The umbrella’s big enough. Move closer so you don’t get soaked."
Sam’s eyes flashed briefly before he nodded. "Good point. Thanks."
Even with the heavy downpour, we covered the two blocks in about five minutes.
The moment we stepped into the lobby, I immediately put some distance between us. "Thanks for the umbrella, Sam," I said, already heading for the elevators. "I need to get upstairs now."
He was still shaking water off the umbrella. "Of course, Elara. Have a good afternoon."
--
The whole umbrella thing completely left Elara’s mind.
She had way more important stuff to worry about. Like the upcoming business trip and the wedding that would finally put Zack in her rearview mirror for good.
But across town, a man sitting in an auction house got a message on his phone.
Alpha Dominic casually opened the notification, only for his relaxed face to turn ice cold instantly.
The image showed two shadowy figures through the rain.
One was definitely Elara. Next to her stood a tall young man, staring at her like she was the only woman in the world.
At first glance, the two people sharing an umbrella could have been a couple.
Alpha Dominic stared at the message from the unknown number, his wolf growling with protective rage.
Someone was messing with him. The question was: who? And what did they want?
His fingers tightened around his phone as a dangerous smile played at his lips.
