Chapter 7

Elena

I answered him almost without hesitation.

"Elias, I'm confident I can win this case for Ms. Megan."

I knew it probably sounded like the reckless bravado of a rookie who didn't know any better. But I wanted to try—not only for Ms. Megan, but for my own future and my own dignity.

And just like that, I accepted the assignment.

By the time the meeting ended, I felt as though I'd been pumped full of some stimulant; my legs actually went weak as I walked out of the room.

But I wasn't the only happy one. Emma and Noah had been given good placements too. Emma was assigned to Lila's office as her assistant, while Noah was moved over to Jack to work on the Vio family inheritance case.

Back at our workstations, the three of us celebrated in excited whispers. And naturally, our gratitude toward Elias was a big part of it.

"Elias is a genuinely great guy. A few words and he shattered the whole intern rulebook at Big Law. I hereby declare that from this day forward, Elias is my idol!" Noah said earnestly.

Beside him, Emma nodded along.

"I've heard Elias's character is flawless—even every one of his ex-girlfriends praised him as the perfect gentleman. And now that I've seen him in person, he's exactly like the rumors say. Thanks to his generosity, we never have to run coffee errands again."

But it was still working hours, and we couldn't let the other lawyers catch us getting carried away. Elias may have granted us special exemption from the usual intern duties, but whether we became real lawyers still depended entirely on our own effort. If anything, we now had to work even harder to repay him for the opportunity.

So I didn't leave my desk the entire afternoon. I read and annotated every file in Ms. Megan's case. I also arranged to meet with her the following afternoon—she was thrilled to learn I'd taken her case.

Once everything was in order, I leaned back in my chair and took a sip of coffee. My eyes drifted, almost on their own, toward Elias's office.

His door faced my workstation directly. All I had to do was look up and I could see his silhouette through the frosted glass. Right now he seemed to be on the phone, pacing back and forth with what looked like a trace of impatience. But no amount of frosted glass could dim that innate presence of his.

I thought back to that morning when he'd rescued me from Beckett. From that moment on, my life had been turned completely upside down. In return, I'd become his contract wife, helping him fend off the arranged marriage his family wanted. And as his wife, he hadn't just cleared my debts—he'd handed me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

As business arrangements went, I'd come out unbelievably ahead.

My gaze never left him, and the swell of gratitude in my chest set my heart pounding hard—until he suddenly stopped pacing.

At that very moment, my phone buzzed on the desk.

It was a message from Elias.

Elena, do you have time in a bit?

I thought for a second, then replied at once.

Yes. What is it?

His answer came quickly.

I might need you to come with me to see my mother.

I froze, and my heartbeat instantly went erratic.

Meet his mother? But I wasn't remotely prepared for that.

I hurriedly checked the little mirror on my desk. My makeup was a disaster, and my suit had gone wrinkled. Everyone knew Elias came from tremendous wealth. If I showed up like this out of nowhere, I might only cause him trouble. I needed to present a proper, polished image to his mother—but there was almost no time.

Elias, I'll need to go home and change first.

He didn't reply. Instead, he rose and walked out of his office, calling over to me.

"Elena, we need to go meet with a client. Let's go."

I frowned—I'd just arranged to see Ms. Megan tomorrow. But before I could think it through, I caught the charming, sly glint in his eyes behind his glasses. It was a perfectly reasonable excuse, and no one around us gave our departure a second thought.

I followed him out of the firm and got into his Maybach. Before I could say a word, Elias said with a smile,

"Sorry for tricking you out here. Time's tight—there's no chance to send you home to change, so we'll have to buy something on the spot if we want to make tonight's meeting."

I couldn't help the smile that rose inside me. My own supervisor was playing hooky and dragging me along—a first in my life.

But then his gaze turned intent, and he spoke gravely.

"My mother has never let go of the fact that I married without her approval. She's coming to verify that our marriage is real, so I need you to back me up and put her doubts to rest." He paused. "And if she says anything offensive to you, you don't owe her any deference."

I was stunned—I never expected Elias to say something like that. From the sound of it, his mother was coming with a vengeance, likely nursing a real grudge, blaming me for ruining her family's arranged match. The thought put me instantly on guard, and I turned serious.

In that moment, it felt as though we weren't husband and wife, nor colleagues, but comrades-in-arms.

I nodded solemnly and gave him my word.

"I'll handle it well, Elias!"

Satisfied, he faced forward again and drove us to a luxury boutique.

The sales associates were already waiting at the entrance. Impeccably made up, they broke into charming, deferential smiles the moment they saw Elias.

"Mr. Elias, it's a pleasure to serve you."

Elias gave a slight nod and got straight to the point.

"Please help this lady put together the newest gown of the season. We have an important event to attend shortly."

Their eyes shot to me, startled—then instantly shifted into professional mode. They ushered me attentively into the fitting room and expertly laid out the latest seasonal gowns before me.

But my eyes stayed fixed on the price tags, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

Three thousand nine hundred dollars?!

Good heavens. I'd never worn anything so expensive—I'd never even imagined it. My wardrobe came mostly from budget brands, and the few designer pieces I owned were secondhand finds from eBay. This was far too much for Elias to spend.

I glanced at him, uneasy. He was sitting on the sofa, dealing with something on his phone, paying me no attention at all.

So I resigned myself and picked out one of the cheaper options—a black gown—and slipped into the fitting room.

Expensive clothes really did flatter the figure. It was just a simple black slip dress, yet it instantly elevated my whole presence. The diamond necklace at my throat glittered, so that my pale neck no longer looked so plain. With their practiced skill, the associates repaired my ruined makeup in a matter of moments.

In under an hour, I was utterly transformed.

I stepped out of the fitting room, laboring in eight-centimeter heels. The moment Elias saw me, he stood up, and his gaze lingered on me a beat too long.

A little insecure, I asked, "Is there something wrong with the way I look?"

"No! It's perfect. You're beautiful."

His unstinting praise sent heat rushing to my cheeks. Smiling, he came to my side and gallantly offered his arm. He was close enough that I could catch the faint scent of cedarwood on him—fresh and refined.

I slipped my hand through his arm. "Then let's go. We're running out of time."

Just as we reached the door, Elias stopped and turned back to the associates.

"Tomorrow morning, send every piece from this season that fits my wife to my home."

At that, every associate lit up with delight. "Thank you for your patronage. We'll have them delivered right on time tomorrow."

I froze. Everything?

Good grief! Was he joking? It was outrageously extravagant.

I murmured to him, "Elias, first, I'm truly grateful for your generosity. But second, I really don't need clothes this expensive..."

He'd already given me so much. I couldn't push my luck any further.

But Elias turned to face me, and with his free hand he gently took hold of mine.

My whole body went still.

His palm was warm, his grip soft and natural, as if we'd done this a hundred times before.

"Elena." His voice was low, yet loud enough for everyone in the shop to hear. "I want you to stop thanking me from now on. We're husband and wife—this is simply what I should be doing."