Chapter 98: I’ll make you hate him.

The next day, at Aurevia...

Theron sat behind his desk, his attention fixed on the woman working in the adjoining office.

A one-way glass partition separated his office from Elowen’s. From her side, it looked like an ordinary wall of glass. But from where he sat, he had a clear view of everything happening inside her office.

Whenever someone knocked on his door, he pressed a button on the remote, and the heavy curtains slid shut, concealing the glass partition.

No one knew about this arrangement except Antony. Theron had made sure of that.

He liked watching Elowen. The way she concentrated on her designs, the way she tucked loose strands of hair behind her ear, and even the little frown that appeared between her eyebrows whenever something didn’t go as planned.

He found himself observing the smallest details. It gave him a strange sense of satisfaction to have her so close, within his sight throughout the day.

When lunchtime approached, he called the canteen and instructed them to prepare a special meal for her.

He had personally selected the dishes, making sure they were nutritious and suited her preferences. He even reminded them to prepare everything fresh.

He wanted to take care of her. And knowing that she was under his supervision gave him a quiet sense of happiness.

A little later, he noticed someone from the canteen entering Elowen’s office with the food.

Theron’s gaze followed the person until the door closed. He expected Elowen to put aside her work and start eating.

But she didn’t. She glanced at the food and then returned to the documents on her desk.

A crease appeared between Theron’s eyebrows.

A few minutes passed. She was still working.

His patience began to wear thin.

’Why isn’t she eating?’ he wondered.

He wanted to walk into her office, place the food in front of her, and tell her to stop working until she finished her meal. But he restrained himself.

He didn’t want her to feel that he was constantly keeping an eye on her. He had to be careful. If he became too obvious, she might start avoiding him.

Just as he was contemplating whether to call her, a man entered her office. He was carrying a lunchbox and placed it on Elowen’s desk.

Theron stiffened. His eyes narrowed as he studied the stranger.

The man’s formal attire and polished appearance made him look more like a butler from an affluent household than an ordinary office employee.

Then something clicked.

Could he be the butler from Soren’s household?

Theron’s fingers curled into fists against the desk. His gaze shifted back to Elowen. To his growing irritation, she immediately put aside her work and opened the lunchbox.

She hadn’t even touched the food he had arranged for her. But now, she was happily accepting a meal delivered from the Vale estate.

Something unpleasant twisted inside his chest.

He had personally instructed the canteen to prepare her food. He had thought about what she might like, made sure everything was healthy, and waited for her to eat. Yet she had ignored it.

And now she was eating something that Soren had sent for her.

A dark expression settled over his face.

Why did everything have to come from that man? Why was Soren still the person she turned to?

Theron stared through the glass, his resentment growing with every passing second. He wanted to walk into her office and ask her why she hadn’t touched the food he had sent. He wanted to know whether she preferred eating whatever Soren arranged for her.

More than that, he wanted to make her understand that someone else could take care of her too.

He had always wanted to take care of her. He would never neglect her as Soren did. But he remained seated, his fingers digging into the armrest.

Unaware of the gaze fixed on her from the other side of the glass, Elowen smiled as she opened the lunchbox.

Inside were two boiled eggs, mushroom risotto, steamed broccoli, roasted carrots, and a small bowl of fresh fruit. There was also a little container of homemade yogurt.

Everything was perfectly suited to her taste.

Her smile widened.

Soren had clearly remembered what she liked.

She picked up her spoon and began eating. Just then, her phone rang.

The moment she noticed Soren’s name on the screen, her smile grew even brighter.

She quickly answered.

"Hello?"

"Did you get the lunch?"

Her smile turned bashful. "Yes."

"Do you like it?"

Elowen gave a small nod as if he would see it. "I do. Thank you."

"You don’t have to thank me." His voice turned softer. "This is what I should do. I’m not perfect, Elowen. I’m not a good husband. But I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe and happy."

Elowen pursed her lips. His words stirred something deep inside her.

When someone was so determined to make amends, it became difficult to keep holding on to every painful memory. She hadn’t forgotten what he had put her through, but she could see how hard he was trying.

"I know." Her voice was just above a whisper.

"Then you should also know how important you are to me." His voice grew more earnest.

"If anything happens to you or our baby, I’ll lose my mind. You have no idea how worried I am. Staying away from you is becoming increasingly difficult, especially after everything that has happened over the past couple of days."

Elowen’s expression softened. "The past two days were unexpected. I didn’t expect things to spiral out like that. But I’ll be careful."

"Being careful isn’t enough," Soren interjected. "I want to keep you by my side. I want to see you every moment and make sure you’re alright. I’m not satisfied with just hearing your voice and listening to you say you’re fine. I want to see it with my own eyes."

Elowen shrugged helplessly. She knew exactly where the conversation was heading.

"Soren, you are doing this again. I told you several times. I’m not resigning."

"I know." He let out a slow, helpless groan. "And that makes me worry constantly."

There was a brief pause.

"I wish I could keep you right on my lap all the time."

Elowen’s cheeks warmed.

The mere thought of sitting on his lap sent a wave of heat through her body. Such intimate moments had never been part of their marriage before. Even imagining herself sitting there, surrounded by his arms, made her heart beat faster.

"I’m still at work. And you are teasing me like that?"

Soren’s voice dropped to a husky murmur. "I wasn’t teasing you. I was telling you what I wanted. But it seems you’ve already visualized the scene."

A hint of mischief crept into his voice.

"Since that’s the case, I’ll make sure the scene comes to life."

Elowen hitched, her face turning crimson. "You... I’m hanging up now."

"Don’t dare," he growled. "Or I’ll come to your office."

"Soren!"

"No, Elowen. You won’t hang up until I say so."

She shook her head, a helpless smile spreading across her face. She didn’t end the call. Instead, she continued talking to him.

Across the glass partition, Theron’s expression was anything but calm. He couldn’t hear a single word of their conversation. The soundproofing between the offices was excellent.

But he didn’t need to hear them to know who was speaking.

Soren.

His gaze remained fixed on Elowen.

It wasn’t the phone call itself that disturbed him. It was the way she smiled, the way her face changed color, and the way her eyelashes fluttered while talking on the phone.

Theron had been trying to earn that smile for days, yet Soren could bring it to her face with nothing more than a phone call. It felt as though someone had driven a blade into his chest and was slowly twisting it.

It was clear she still loved Soren.

Theron’s fingers tightened around the armrest. He couldn’t understand it.

How could Elowen still have feelings for a man who had tormented her for years? A man who had ignored her, humiliated her, and treated her as though she meant nothing?

He had seen enough of her past to know how much she had suffered. He could imagine the loneliness, the neglect, and the tears she had swallowed without anyone noticing.

Yet, she was smiling at that same man now.

How could she? What had Soren done to deserve her affection?

Theron’s jaw tightened.

He had returned believing that time and distance were the only things standing between him and Elowen. He had imagined that once he was close to her again, she would gradually recognize the feelings he had carried for so long.

But he hadn’t expected this. He hadn’t expected her to grow closer to Soren. He hadn’t expected to see such tenderness for Soren in her eyes.

His gaze darkened.

He had waited patiently for so long. He had lost her in his previous life because of Soren. Yet, when he got a second chance, he was determined he would never lose her again, that he would replace Soren.

But he just learned that Elowen was still holding onto that very man who had hurt her.

It was unbearable.

Why did Soren always have to stand between them? Why couldn’t he simply disappear from her life?

He hated that man. He hated the fact that Soren could make her smile just by one phone call. Most of all, he hated that Elowen still seemed to belong to him emotionally.

A dark, possessive thought took root in his mind.

’Elowen,’ he muttered in his mind. ’You can only be mine. You can’t keep loving another man. I won’t allow it.’

His lips pressed into a thin line.

He had watched from a distance for long enough, kept his feelings buried, and convinced himself patience would eventually bring her to him.

But he was growing tired of waiting.

’You don’t understand, do you? That man doesn’t deserve you. He never did.’

The realization that Soren was making himself indispensable in her life made his blood boil.

’I’ll make you see him for what he really is. I’ll make you remember every hurt he caused you. I’ll make you hate him so much that you’ll never want to return to him.’

A faint, unsettling smile touched his lips.

’And when you finally turn away from him, I’ll be the only one standing beside you.’

He wasn’t going to lose her to Soren, not after getting a second chance.