Reborn at Eighteen The Billionaire's Second Chance novel Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Elara

I didn’t respond him. Instead, I watched the city pass. The sun glinted

off glass towers. People walked their dogs. Bought coffee. Lived

ordinary lives that had nothing to do with broken watches or family

politics.

Atlas’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror. Back to the road. Back to

the mirror. He was watching us.

Julian finally spoke again. “The hotel’s internal investigation is

complete.” He reached into the briefcase beside him. Withdrew a

leather folder. Set it on the seat between us. His movements were

deliberate. Careful. “Read it.”

I opened the folder. Crisp white paper. Embossed letterhead: “The

Ritz–Carlton Boston“.

The report was thorough. Detailed. A temporary kitchen worker had

allegedly added benzodiazepines to the sobering soup. The employee

had been terminated. Had signed an NDA. The hotel offered the Vane

family “symbolic compensation.”

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There was even a photo. A grainy employee ID. A signature I’d never

seen before.

Perfect. Too perfect.

I closed the folder slowly. A bitter smile touched my lips. My throat

felt tight.

“It’s exactly what I thought.”

The words came out barely audible. I hadn’t meant to say them out

loud.

Julian’s head turned. “What did you say?”

I looked at him directly. Met his eyes. They were dark blue. Tired.

There were lines at the corners I hadn’t noticed before.

“I said, it’s very thorough. Thank you for going to such lengths to

clear Ms. Kennedy’s name, Mr. Vane.”

The formal address landed between us. I watched his face. Saw the

way his jaw tightened. The muscle that jumped near his ear.

“You think I’m protecting her?” His voice was low. Dangerous. “Elara,

the evidence is right there-”

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“I’m not interested in arguing, Mr. Vane.” I turned back to the window.

My reflection stared back at me. Pale. Composed. Nothing like the girl

who used to beg him to believe her. “You’ve already decided what you

want to believe. My opinion doesn’t matter.”

I felt him looking at me. The weight of his gaze on the side of my

face. I kept my eyes on the window.

In the rearview mirror, Atlas’s eyebrows rose slightly. He looked

surprised. Maybe everyone was surprised when I stopped playing the

role they’d assigned me.

The car turned. I recognized the street. Tree–lined. Expensive.

Tribeca.

My stomach dropped.

The building appeared. Sleek glass and steel. Twenty–four stories

overlooking the Hudson River. Julian’s private residence.

I knew this place. In my previous life, he’d kept me here for months.

Hidden away. Because he didn’t want his grandfather to see me

pregnant. Because I was something to be ashamed of.

My hands tightened on my bag.

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Chapter 29

“I need to go back to Blackwood Estate,” I said. My voice came out

steady. Calm. I was proud of that.

Julian’s mouth curved. Not quite a smile. Something colder. “I said

you need to cool down. Victoria is still furious, and I’m not sending

you back until things settle.”

“Mr. Vane-”

“Get out.”

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