I Deleted You Traitor Even My Blade Forgot Your Name novel Chapter 23

Chapter 8

He wouldn’t have to carry this crushing guilt anymore. Wouldn’t have to face those eyes–the ones that used to be full of love, then only sadness and accusation.

He could be with Serena openly. Start fresh. No baggage. No weight.

he thought terrified him. Disgusted him. But it coiled around him like a snake, silent and persistent

fter the search turned up nothing–after the world had basically accepted that Elara Carter was dead–Grayson went quiet for a while.

hen, amid all the whispers and speculation, he made it official with Serena.

t first, it felt… liberating.

erena moved into the home he’d shared with Elara. She was eager to erase every trace of the previous Mrs. Morgan. Had the place redecorated in her preferred

odern luxury style.

rayson indulged her. Bought her expensive jewelry, limited–edition bags. Took her to all the high–end places. Gave he

ted

nd Serena was exactly what had drawn him in at first–lively, passionate, a little spoiled. She brought excitement into his dull, morporate life.

or a while, they were inseparable. Like they were in the honeymoon phase.

ut the hotter the flame, the faster it burns out.

he novelty was like a thin sugar coating. Once it wore off, what was underneath started to grate on him.

erena’s “independence” turned out to be calculated. Strategic.

ne relied on him way more than Elara ever had. And it was the demanding kind of dependence.

he loved flaunting the title of Mrs. Morgan. Started meddling in company affairs. Planted her people in key positions. Fought over every little benefit like in

as life or death.

ie wasn’t the innocent girl he thought he needed to protect. Her eyes were full of greed–for wealth, for status.

ne day, Serena threw another tantrum over something trivial. Smashed things. Complained he didn’t spend enough time with her.

rayson stared at her face–young, beautiful, but twisted with anger–and felt a wave of exhaustion. And something else.

rangeness.

e thought of Flara.

ack when he was building the company, she never complained. Just quietly handled everything at home. Left a light an when he came back late. Kept coup

warm.

ven after the affair–when she was at her most hysterical–she just looked at him with red eyes and asked why

he didn’t storm into his office like Serena did. Didn’t sabotage deals in front of his partners

ecause of Serena’s tantrums, the company had already lost 30% of its client base

le started losing sleep. Late at night, he’d wander into the study the only room in the house that still held traces of the past Satena Bali reading Kaylycame

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He’d run his fingers over the books Llara used to read. Brush his hand across the desk, as if he could still feel the warmth of het working there.

mptiness swallowed him whole.

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Chapter 8

He realized that the thrill and novelty of being with Serena couldn’t fill the void that had settled deep in his bones.

Lerena was like a cheap, strong drink. A sharp burn at first. Then just a headache and emptiness.

But Elara? She was water. Air Plain. Unremarkable.

le’d taken her for granted–until the was gone. Then he realized he couldn’t live without her.

fe started thinking about her constantly.

he way her lips curved when she smiled. The way she pressed them together when she was upset. The home cooked meals she made–not fancy, but he’d exten hem for ten years. Even the way she looked at him at the end. Cold. Hopeless.

wilt. Regret, Longing

all tangled together, driving him to the edge.

le removed Serena’s people from the company. Threw all his energy back into finding Elara–even if it was just a slim hope

as a body.

le became more obsessive than before. More withdrawn.

is business tactics grew ruthless. But in private, he’d stare at an old photo on his phone–Elara, smiling with her eyes crinkling at the corners.

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