Chapter 10 – The Other Woman
For a moment, everything was quiet.
The scandal had rocked Monroe's empire. Stocks continued to drop. VossTech was hailed for its resilience. Elara had finally started to breathe again—finally stepped out from under the shadow of being someone else's victim.
But peace never lasted long in Damian's world.
Especially when Juliette Langford walked back into it.
Elara was in Damian's office when Simone knocked twice and entered with a strange expression.
"There's someone here to see Mr. Voss. She insisted she was… family."
Damian looked up from his laptop, already tense.
"Who is it?"
Simone hesitated. "Juliette Langford."
Elara stiffened.
The name was unfamiliar—but Damian's reaction was not.
His expression darkened. "Tell her I'm unavailable."
Simone glanced at Elara. "She said she has information. About Monroe."
That changed everything.
Damian swore under his breath. "Send her in."
Juliette Langford was stunning in a sharp, white designer suit and diamond earrings that sparkled like they belonged in a royal vault. Tall, cool, poised—she walked into the room like she owned it.
"Elara, this is Juliette," Damian said tightly. "My ex-fiancée."
Juliette smiled with perfect red lips. "Former fiancée, but yes. Pleasure to meet you."
Elara forced a polite nod. "Likewise."
Juliette's eyes flicked over her like she was measuring a threat. Or laughing at it.
"I wasn't sure if I'd ever step foot in this place again," Juliette said, settling into a leather chair like she hadn't just detonated a grenade. "But… things change."
Damian crossed his arms. "Why are you here?"
She leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Because Garrett Monroe is planning his retaliation. And I know how he thinks—because he used to think I was part of his team."
Elara's stomach twisted.
"You were working with Monroe?" she asked.
Juliette gave a small shrug. "Not exactly. He wanted to recruit me after Damian and I broke off our engagement. Said we had a 'common enemy.' I declined. But I learned a few things before I walked away."
Damian narrowed his gaze. "And now you want to help?"
Juliette smiled. "Let's just say I like poetic justice. And I'd rather see you two win than watch Monroe take you down."
"Why?" Elara asked, suspicious.
"Because Monroe only wants to win. You want to build something. I used to think that was Damian's flaw—this obsession with building legacies. But now… I think it might be his strength."
She glanced at Elara. "And you, sweetheart? You're either his anchor… or his weakness. Time will tell."
Elara didn't blink. "I guess it will."
Juliette left behind a USB drive.
Damian slid it into his encrypted system and opened the files. Inside were plans—Monroe's communications with hackers, contracts with shell companies, even a blueprint for sabotaging VossTech's next major tech launch.
"He was going to crash the stock and leak the prototype to foreign investors," Damian muttered. "He wanted to kill the company from the inside out."
Elara sat beside him, reading the files over his shoulder. "You believe her?"
"I believe in self-interest," he said. "Juliette doesn't move unless she gets something out of it."
Elara's voice was calm. "Did you love her?"
Damian paused.
"Yes," he said honestly. "Once."
"Do you still?"
He turned to face her.
"No."
Elara nodded, processing that. "Did she leave you?"
"Yes. Right after I refused to sell my company to Monroe."
"She chose power over loyalty," Elara whispered.
"She chose to survive," Damian said. "Something I understand better now."
That night, Elara stood alone in the penthouse bathroom, wiping away her makeup, staring at her reflection.
Juliette Langford was beautiful. Dangerous. Polished.
But Elara didn't envy her.
She understood her.
It terrified her how easy it was to lose yourself in this world—to fall into cold calculations, to forget why you started fighting in the first place.
Damian appeared behind her in the mirror, freshly showered, hair damp, towel slung low on his hips. His eyes met hers in the glass.
"You're quiet tonight," he said.
"She shook me," Elara admitted.
"Juliette does that."
"She reminded me I'm not the first woman you let in."
"No," Damian said, stepping closer. "But you're the only one who stayed after seeing all of me."
He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.
"She had strategy," Elara whispered. "But no heart. I have too much heart."
"No," he said into her neck. "You have balance. That's what makes you dangerous."
She turned in his arms.
"I don't want to be just another chapter in your story, Damian."
"You're not," he said.
He kissed her slowly, deeply—without urgency, without dominance.
For once, they didn't burn.
They fused.
The next morning, Elara received a call from a blocked number.
She picked up cautiously.
"Elara Vale?" said a female voice.
"Yes."
"This is a courtesy warning," the voice said. "Your husband's past is bloodier than you think. If you continue standing by him, you won't make it out clean."
The call ended.
No name. No location.
But the threat was real.