My Boss's Hidden Heir (Elara and Marcus) novel Chapter 111

Elara’s POV

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They sat there in the Target parking lot for some more minutes, debating on whether Elara should inform Marcus about the incident or just let it die. Mimi was firmly in the camp of telling him, arguing that this was about safety, not pride. Elara was less convinced, afraid that calling him again would just make her look weak and paranoid.

“What if it was nothing?” Elara asked for the third time.

“What if I’m just being dramatic and it was some random person who happened to be going the same direction?”

“For ten minutes? Through four different turns? Including one into a random side street?” Mimi shook her head. “That wasn’t a coincidence, babe be for real. Someone was following you.”

“But I lost them. They drove away. Maybe that’s the end of it.”

Mimi gave her a look that said she thought Elara was being ridiculous, but she didn’t push it further.

After a few more minutes of sitting there watching the parking lot entrance, Mimi unbuckled her seatbelt and opened her door.

“Come on. Switch with me. I’m driving you to my place like we originally planned.”

“You don’t have to do that. I can drive myself.”

“Elara, you’re shaking. And you keep checking the mirrors every five seconds. I’m driving.”

Elara wanted to argue, but Mimi was right. Her hands were still trembling slightly on the steering wheel, and her heart hadn’t fully stopped racing. She nodded and climbed out of the car.

They switched places, Mimi adjusting the driver’s seat while Elara settled into the passenger side. It felt strange being on this side of the car after a week of driving herself everywhere, but also oddly comforting to let someone else take control for a bit.

Elara fastened her seatbelt and Mimi pulled out of the parking lot, heading toward her apartment in Brooklyn.

The drive was quiet, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Elara kept checking the side mirror, looking for any sign of that same black SUV, but the road behind them stayed clear.

When they finally pulled up to Mimi’s building about twenty minutes later, Elara felt some of the tension ease from her shoulders. At least they’d made it here without any incident.

But as they approached the gate to Mimi’s apartment complex, they both noticed a car parked on the street just outside. A sleek black sedan that looked expensive and very familiar.

“Is that Dante’s car?” Elara asked, squinting at it.

“I think so? But he didn’t tell me he was coming. Why would he be here?”

15:06 Mon, May 11

Chapter III

Mimi pulled up to the gate and put the car in park. She climbed out to get a better look at the sedan, and almost immediately the driver’s door opened.

Dante stepped out, looking as put-together as always in a suit despite it being barely noon.

Elara couldn’t hear what they were saying from inside the car, but she watched as Mimi walked over to him and they exchanged what looked like a brief conversation.

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Then Dante pulled Mimi into a hug, holding her for a moment before releasing her and getting back into his car.

The gate buzzed and slid open. Dante drove through first, followed by Mimi who’d climbed back into the Mercedes. They both parked in the visitor section and climbed out.

“Oh, hi Elara,” Dante said when he spotted her getting out of the passenger side. “How are you doing?”

“Erhm, fine,” Elara replied, but her shoulders dropped slightly as she said it. The word felt hollow coming out of her mouth.

Dante noticed immediately. His expression shifted from casual friendliness to concern. “What’s wrong?”

Before Elara could answer, Mimi cut in. “Let’s go inside and talk. Not out here.”

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