Chapter 56: Chapter 56 Little Wingman
Elara
My heart jumped when a man pushed into the elevator right as the doors were closing.
The metallic clang echoed in the small space. I quickly pulled Orion behind me. My protective instincts kicked in immediately.
My eyes went cold as I stared at him.
Zack .
Of all the elevators in all the buildings, he had to get into mine.
His cologne hit me first. That same expensive scent he always wore. It made my stomach turn.
"Elara, we need to talk," Zack said quietly. His voice had that demanding tone I remembered too well.
I crossed my arms and lifted my chin defiantly. I gave Zack an icy look. "We have nothing to talk about."
The silence stretched between us. I could feel the tension building.
Zack frowned. His eyes moved to Orion hiding behind me. He studied Orion like he was trying to solve a puzzle.
I watched Zack’s face carefully. Looking for any sign that he’d figured it out.
Zack wouldn’t find anything anyway. When you’re connected to powerful people, you can protect your family’s privacy.
"The kid doesn’t need to hear this," Zack said, his voice getting sharper."Do you really need to talk in front of the kid?
I rolled my eyes. "Zack, do you always bother married women? Maybe you should focus on your own relationship problems. Why don’t you worry about Selina cheating on you instead? I’m sure she’s already thinking about it. Maybe then you’ll have something real to talk about."
Zack’s face flushed red. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. His jaw went tight.
I could see he was getting angry.
[Good. Let him get mad.]
I felt a small hand slip into mine. Orion stepped forward.
Orion stepped out from behind me, his chin jutting out stubbornly.
"Leave my auntie alone!"
"Hey!" Orion’s voice was high but fierce.
"Listen, mister," Orion puffed out his little chest. His small hands went to his hips like a tiny superhero. "You should just give up! You’re nothing compared to my uncle. He’s way better looking than you. Way cooler too! He has way more money. And he treats Auntie Elara so much better. My uncle could beat you up with his eyes closed! You’re not even close!"
Zack’s mouth fell open. He looked like a fish gasping for air.
I had to bite my lip to keep from smiling. This kid was absolutely savage.
The floor numbers ticked by slowly. B3... B2...
The elevator reached B1. The doors opened with a soft ding. I grabbed Orion’s hand quickly. "Come on, sweetie."
I shot Zack one last withering look.
"Don’t talk to jerks. It might rub off on you."
I could feel Zack’s eyes burning into my back as we walked away.
I rushed away with Orion.
"Auntie Elara, was I good?" Orion whispered as we walked.
"You were perfect, honey," I whispered back.
When we saw Dominic’s car, I almost ran to it. Relief flooded through me.
I pulled the door open and got in fast.
Dominic took one look at my face and his expression changed.
Dominic looked surprised. "What’s the rush? You see a ghost or something?"
Orion practically bounced out of his seat. "Uncle Dominic! I just scared off your competition!"
His little chest puffed out with pride.
"Wasn’t I great?" The little boy smiled proudly.
Dominic’s eyebrows shot up. His lips curved into an amused smile.
"Oh?" Dominic grinned teasingly. "My competition? Which competition?"
He turned in his seat to face me fully. He looked straight at me when he said the last part.
I felt heat creep up my neck. Why did he have to look at me like that?
I pressed my lips together. Then I answered. "We ran into Zack in the elevator."
Dominic’s whole expression shifted. His smile disappeared. His eyes went dark and dangerous.
He made a dismissive sound. His voice was casual but full of scorn. "Him? Please."
He kept staring at me. "Elara, is he really my competition?"
The question hung in the air.
I could feel both their eyes on me. Orion watching curiously. Dominic watching intensely.
My mouth went dry under his stare.
Dominic stared at me hard until I finally whispered, "No, he’s not."
Dominic’s whole body relaxed. The tension left his shoulders.Only then did he smile happily.
"Good. Let’s go home. And Orion," he turned to ruffle the boy’s hair, "nice work back there, but don’t use big words you learned from TV shows."
Orion giggled. "Can we get ice cream on the way home?"
"We’ll see," Dominic said, starting the car. But I could see him smiling in the rearview mirror.
--
After we dropped Orion off at home, the car felt different with just the two of us.
The air was thick with unspoken tension.
Neither of us said anything for a while. The silence stretched on.
Then Dominic suddenly asked, "Are you free this weekend?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I’m free. Why?"
"Good." His lips curved into a slight smile. "Remember that cruise voucher you gave me? We should use it before it expires."
"Cruise?" I blinked at him.
Dominic’s smile got wider. "We can take a little trip and get our mating ceremony photos done at the same time. Kill two birds with one stone."
I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was serious. "...Okay, I guess."
With Dominic, I never knew what was real and what was just part of his game.
