Chapter 109

No.1

Elisa pushed through the heavy glass doors of the gallery.

A violent blast of freezing wind hit her instantly. The temperature in Manhattan had plummeted. Thick,heavy snowflakes were falling from the black sky swirling aggressively in the streetlights.

She wore only her thin navy suit jacket, but she couldn't feel the cold. The humiliation and rage burning inside her chest were a physical furnace.She stood at the top of the concrete stairs, her boots planted firmly, her eyes locked onto the circular driveway.

Ten minutes later, the gallery doors opened behind her.

August walked out, his arm wrapped tightly around Allena. Allena was draped in a massive, luxurious white mink coat, laughing at something August had said.

At the bottom of the stairs, Simon stood holding the rear door of August's signature black Rolls-Royce Phantom open. The massive engine idled with a low,powerful hum.

Elisa took a deep breath. The freezing air burned her lungs. She marched down the concrete stairs,her heels clicking sharply against the ice, and stepped directly into the path of the Rolls-Royce door.

No.2

Two of August's massive bodyguards instantly lunged forward to intercept her.

August raised a single, gloved hand. The bodyguards froze and stepped back. August looked at Elisa standing in the snow, her suit jacket whipping in the wind. A dark, twisted amusement danced in his eyes. He wanted to see how far she would bend.

Elisa ignored Allena's disgusted glare. She locked her eyes onto August. Her voice shook, betraying the raw, desperate emotion she was trying to suppress.

"That necklace," Elisa said, her voice tight. "It was my grandmother's dowry. It is my mother's only remaining artifact. Name your price, August. How much money do you want for it?"

It was the first time in seven years August had seen genuine, unfiltered pleading in her eyes.

A strange, sharp pain twitched in the center of August's chest. For a microsecond, the image of

her standing in the snow, begging for her mother's memory,pierced his armor.

No.3

But then his mind flashed back to the dark hallway.He remembered the nerve strike on his arm.He remembered her standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Alastair, mocking him. The sadistic need to punish her violently overrode his momentary hesitation.

August let out a cold, breathy laugh. He reached into his overcoat pocket and pulled out the black velvet box.

August stopped. He turned his head and looked at Allena. He extended his open palm toward her, his voice carrying an unquestionable, dark authority."Give it to me."

Allena blinked, momentarily confused, but she obediently unclasped the heavy sapphire locket and dropped it into his hand. She watched with a sick, rising thrill, knowing exactly what he was about to do.

August dropped the locket into the black velvet box and casually tossed the five-million-dollar box a few inches into the air and caught it, mocking its value.

"Name my price?" August sneered, his voice

dripping with absolute arrogance. "You can't even swipe a debit card to buy a cup of coffee right now.What exactly are you going to pay me with, Elisa?"

No.4

Elisa swallowed the bile in her throat. "I will sign over my equity options in Aethel Intelligence to you.I will give you everything. Just give me the locket."

The mention of Aethel-of the company owned by the man who had humiliated him-caused August's face to harden into a mask of pure cruelty.

He stopped tossing the box. He turned and handed it directly to Allena.

"It is no longer my property to sell," August said, his eyes locked onto Elisa's pale face. "It belongs to Allena."

August leaned in slightly, delivering the final, lethal blow. "If you really want it, you can get on your knees and beg her for it. Maybe if she is feeling charitable, she will throw it to you."

The words acted like a physical knife plunging directly into Elisa's heart.

Beg the woman who had stolen her husband? Beg the daughter of the man who had abandoned her dying mother?

No.5

Allena let out a high, triumphant giggle. She

stroked the velvet box lovingly. "Oh, I could never give this away," Allena taunted. "It's a symbol of August's love for me. It's far too precious to give to an outsider."

Elisa stared at the two of them. The snow fell heavily around her, landing on her dark hair and melting against her freezing cheeks.

The last, desperate thread of hope snapped. The pleading vanished from her eyes, replaced by a terrifying,bottomnless void.

She took one step backward. Her spine straightened.

"You will pay for everything you have done today,August," Elisa whispered. Her voice was softer than the falling snow, but it carried a lethal, absolute certainty. "I will make sure of it."⑥

August scoffed, completely dismissing the threat.He placed a hand on Allena's back, guiding her into the warm, luxurious interior of the Rolls-Royce.He climbed in after her.

No.6

The heavy door slammed shut with a solid,expensive thud.

The Rolls-Royce's engine revved. The massive tires spun slightly on the wet pavement before gripping

the asphalt. As the car pulled away, the tires splashed a wave of freezing, dirty slush onto the hem of Elisa's navy trousers.

Elisa stood perfectly still in the snow. She watched the red taillights disappear into the Manhattan blizzard. A single tear escaped her eye, sliding down her cheek before the freezing wind turned it to ice.

The heavy gallery doors opened behind her.Alastair jogged down the stairs. He strippedoff his heavy, cashmere overcoat and draped it over Elisa's trembling shoulders, pulling the Japels tight to shield her from the wind.

Elisa did not turn around. She stared at the empty street.

"Alastair," Elisa said, her voice completely devoid of emotion. "Book me a flight to Aspen."

No.7

Alastair froze. He looked at the side of her face in shock. "Aspen? Elisa, that is Chambers territory. It's an absolute trap. Why would you walk into the lion's den?"

Elisa slowly turned her head. The fire of pure,unadulterated vengeance burned in her black eyes.

"Because," Elisa whispered, "I am going to wait

until they are at the absolute peak of their arrogance. And then, I am going to push them off the mountain."⑤