Alena burst out of the restroom, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She leaned against the cool, paneled wall of the corridor, gasping for air, trying to will her trembling legs to hold her.
The confrontation had drained every last ounce of her strength. She knew Graves. She knew his obsessive nature. He wouldn't believe her. He wouldn't give up.
As if on cue, the heavy door swung open behind her. Graves's tall frame filled the doorway, his eyes, like a hawk's, immediately locking onto her.
Panic flared in her chest. A head-on fight was impossible. She needed a way out. Her hand dove into her clutch, her fingers closing around her phone. Her mind raced.
She scrolled through her contacts, her thumb hovering over a single name: Cole. A flicker of grim determination crossed her face.
Just as Graves started walking toward her, she hit the dial button, pressed the phone to her ear, and turned her body, shielding the screen from his view.
He stopped a few feet away, his brow furrowed as he watched her.
The call connected. Alena's entire demeanor shifted. Her voice, moments ago tight with panic, melted into a warm, liquid honey.
"Hey, honey. Are you done with your work?"
The word "honey" made Graves's face darken instantly. His hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into tight fists.
"Mmm, I'm still out. A client dinner," Alena continued, a hint of a playful pout in her voice. "I'm a little tired. When can you come pick me up?"
She spoke into the phone, but her eyes were watching him, a sliver of her vision catching his thunderous expression. A cold smile touched her lips.
On the other end of the line, Cole Wiley, the mayor of New York City, paused in his office, a stack of documents in front of him. He heard the forced, theatrical quality in her voice and understood immediately.
He played along without missing a beat. "Just finished a meeting," he said, his voice calm and reassuringly magnetic, even through the phone. "Send me the address. I'll be right there."
Alena's voice became even sweeter. "Okay, I'll be waiting. Drive safe. Love you."
She made sure to raise her voice on the last two words, ensuring they carried clearly across the corridor to where Graves stood.
She ended the call and turned, a blissful, happy smile plastered on her face, as if she hadn't just noticed the man in front of her looked ready to commit murder.
"Sorry, Mr. Hammond," she said breezily. "My husband is on his way to pick me up. I should go wait for him by the entrance."
Graves's eyes bored into her, trying to see past the performance. "Your husband? Who is he?"
Alena blinked, her expression a perfect picture of innocence. "I don't see how that's any of your business. We're in the past, remember?"
She sidestepped him and walked toward the restaurant's main entrance. This time, he didn't stop her. He just stood there, his eyes following her, a complex storm of emotions swirling within them.
The moment Alena stepped outside into the cool night air, she felt the sweat on her back. She quickly texted Cole the address.
Inside, Graves watched her go. He pulled out his own phone and dialed his assistant.
"Leo, I need you to find someone," he said, his voice as cold as ice.
"Run a full background check on Alena Griffith. Everything from her five years in London. And her current marital status. I want the most detailed report you can get."
He paused, recalling the name she had used. "And one more thing. Find out if there's a prominent person in New York named Cole who is close to her."
"Yes, Mr. Hammond," Leo's respectful voice replied from the other end.
Graves hung up and stared out at the glittering New York skyline. His eyes were hard, filled with a possessive fire. He didn't believe it. He wouldn't believe that Alena could forget him and marry someone else.
He would find out who this man was.
And he would take back what was his.
Across the street, Alena stared at the reply on her phone: On my way. A wave of conflicting emotions washed over her.
She knew she had just dragged her friend into a very messy, very dangerous situation. But for the sake of her revenge, for her own protection, she had no other choice.
