Elliana descended the grand spiral staircase, her heels clicking softly against the marble steps.
Jovita was already seated at the massive dining table, sipping orange juice. When she saw Elliana, Jovita gave her a subtle, encouraging wink.
Elliana ignored her. She looked at the head of the table. The chair was empty. The silver cutlery was untouched. Damon was already gone.
A pang of genuine sadness hit her chest. In her past life, Damon had left early the morning after their wedding, too. He had known she hated him, and he had given her space, burying himself in his work rather than facing her hostility.
"See?" Jovita said, her voice dripping with fake pity. "He doesn't value you at all. Ellie, you can't put up with this."
Elliana didn't look at her stepsister. She turned her gaze to the woman standing rigidly near the kitchen entrance.
"Marge," Elliana said, her voice calm and clear. "What time did Mr. Stirling leave?"
Marge Kowalski, the head housekeeper in her stiff black uniform, stepped forward. Her face was a mask of professional indifference. "The mister left an hour ago, Mrs. Stirling." Marge's tone was entirely devoid of warmth, the title dropping from her lips with a subtle, dismissive edge that felt more like a chore than a sign of actual respect.
Elliana's eyes narrowed slightly. The mister. And the cold, forced 'Mrs. Stirling'.
In her past life, she hadn't cared. She had hated the Stirling name. But now, the blatant disrespect in the housekeeper's attitude grated against her nerves. It was a glaring symbol of how little genuine authority she held in this house, despite her legal title.
"You go ahead and eat," Elliana said to Jovita, her tone dismissive. "I don't have much of an appetite."
Jovita panicked. She jumped up and grabbed Elliana's wrist. "You're going to go find him on an empty stomach? How are you going to have the energy to fight with him if you don't eat?"
Elliana looked down at Jovita's hand clutching her wrist. She yanked her arm back with a sharp, violent motion.
"Who told you I was going to fight with him?" Elliana's voice was like cracked ice.
Jovita froze. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out. She stared at Elliana, a flicker of genuine fear crossing her wide eyes. This wasn't the impulsive, easily manipulated girl she knew.
Elliana turned back to the housekeeper. "Marge, prepare a breakfast to go. Pack it well. And have the driver bring the car around. I'm going to the Stirling Group."
Jovita's jaw dropped. The script in her head was entirely ruined. "Ellie, are you crazy? You're not going to demand a divorce? You're bringing him breakfast?"
Elliana stopped walking. She slowly turned around and locked eyes with her stepsister. A mocking smile curled the corners of her lips.
"Jovita," Elliana said softly, the threat in her voice unmistakable. "This is between my husband and me. Since when is it your place to tell me how to handle my marriage?"
Jovita's face drained of all color. She took a step back, physically intimidated by the sheer, crushing weight of Elliana's aura.
Without waiting for a response, Elliana walked straight into the kitchen. She bypassed Marge and stood over the prep counter, pointing at the ingredients.
"No pastries," Elliana instructed the stunned kitchen staff. "Make a simple club sandwich. And black coffee. No sugar, no cream."
She remembered exactly how Damon liked his breakfast.
Jovita stood paralyzed in the dining room. Her heart hammered with anxiety. Something was horribly wrong. Elliana was acting like a completely different person. Jovita quickly pulled her phone from her purse and typed a frantic text to her mother: Mom, the plan is messed up. Elliana is acting weird.
Ten minutes later, Marge walked out of the kitchen carrying an insulated paper bag. She handed it to Elliana, her expression still guarded.
Elliana took the bag by the handles. She didn't walk away immediately. She stood perfectly still, forcing Marge to maintain eye contact.
"From today onward, while you are inside this estate," Elliana said, her voice dropping an octave, "you will address me with the genuine respect due to Damon's wife, not as some temporary guest you can look down upon. Do you understand?"
Marge blinked, startled. She looked at the young woman standing before her. The rebellious teenager was gone, replaced by a woman radiating absolute authority.
Marge swallowed hard and bowed her head, the previous indifference completely wiped from her demeanor. "Yes, ma'am. I understand, Mrs. Stirling."
"Good." Elliana turned on her heel and walked toward the front doors.
Jovita, desperate to regain control, scrambled after her. "Sister, let me go with you! What if he treats you badly? I can protect you..."
Elliana stopped at the threshold. She didn't even look back.
"No need," Elliana said coldly. "Didn't you say Mom was worried about me? You should stay here. Give her a full report on exactly what I'm doing."
She hit the word report heavily.
Jovita gasped, her feet rooting to the marble floor. She didn't dare take another step.
Elliana walked out into the crisp morning air and slid into the back of the waiting town car. As the vehicle pulled away from the estate, she watched the scenery blur past the tinted windows. "Traffic is a bit heavy today, Mrs. Stirling," the driver remarked casually, glancing at the rearview mirror. "There's been a lot of chaos over by the East District intersections lately. Several major accidents just this week involving delivery trucks running red lights. We'll take the slightly longer route to be safe."
"That's fine," Elliana murmured, her mind entirely focused on her destination. Her chest felt tight, her pulse thrumming in her ears.
She was going to see him. And this time, she was going to do it right.
