Chapter 35

The news didn't catch Elana off guard.

A man with Sawyer's track record didn't just go from an investment prodigy to two straight years of failure without someone pulling strings against him.

That meant trouble was being planted deliberately-and repeatedly.

"Who's behind it?" she asked.

Seth flipped through the report his team had compiled."The most recent collapse happened when a major incident broke out right before the project wrapped.Before that, a partner was suddenly accused of design plagiarism, and the whole thing shut down. And earlier still, a food venture he backed got hit with safety violations-everything was pulled from the shelves."

Eliana's eyes narrowed. "Different culprits every time,then."

"Exactly," Seth answered.

"And this time?" Eliana asked.

"This time it's a big amusement park. No scandal-just an investor suddenly backing out," Seth explained. "In that case," Eliana said, her tone measured, "have two people approach him, show interest, and talk investment."

"Yes, understood," Seth replied.

"And keep digging," she added. "Different faces or not, there's one mind orchestrating this."

"Got it. I've already told our team to keep digging, and I'll update you the moment something comes up,"Seth said.

When the call ended, a dull throb began to pulse at Eliana's temples, the ache spreading just enough to make her wince.

The lingering effects of the drug Janessa had slipped her back in the countryside still hadn't fully faded.

She reached for her medical kit, selecting a few silver needles and carefully sterilizing them.

One by one, she applied them with practiced precision.Within minutes,the pressure in her head eased, and she could feel the remaining toxins dispersing.

Once finished, she slipped into her pajamas and stretched out on the bed. The soft pink sheets seemed to cradle her, coaxing her toward sleep. Dreams soon took her. She found herself in the familiar warmth of a hot spring, sinking into the water -until a sudden wave of heat surged through her body. From the mist, a man staggered forward,pinning her down.

"No..." Her voice shook as she fought to push him away, but her strength bled out of her limbs like water."Let me go..."

She strained to see his face, but the heavy steam curling in the air kept him shrouded from view.

When his hands ripped through her drenched clothes,the steam parted just enough for her to see his face -it was Tristan.

A sharp knock shattered the image.

Her eyes flew open to the delicate crystal chandelier overhead. She was back in her pink bed, the whole thing nothing more than a dream.

Pushing herself upright, she drew in a shaky breath.

A strange unease lingered. Why would her mind conjure something like that? It had felt vivid, almost tangible, as if it had truly happened.

Stranger still-it was Tristan in her dream. A man she'd crossed paths with only twice.

Was she really so shallow that a handsome face was enough to invade her sleep?

The thought made her let out a soft, self-mocking laugh.

Another knock followed, this time with Carl's voice filtering through the door. "Lia, are you awake?"

Eliana steadied herself before answering in an even tone, "I'm up."

From the hallway, Carl's voice came through."Ashley's in the kitchen making breakfast. We weren't sure what you'd want, so I figured I'd check... or do you want to grab a little more sleep?"

A glance at her phone told her it was already nine.

Normally, she woke on her own around six, but this morning had stretched on far longer than usual.Maybe it was the bed-too soft, too warm,too tempting to leave.

She swung her legs over the side and opened the door. "I'm not picky. Anything's fine."

"How about trying my sandwiches?" Carl offered.

"I thought Ashley was cooking," she said, brows lifting slightly. "Sawyer made you a special candy yesterday, so 1figured I'd show off a little too," Carl replied with a faint grin.

The memory of her reaction to Sawyer's gift still tugged at him, a quiet flicker of jealousy pushing him to make something of his own for her.

Eliana's lips curved. "Alright, I'll try them."

"Good. I'll head down. Come when you're ready," Carl said before turning away.

"Okay." She gave a small nod, watching him disappear down the hall before slipping into the bathroom to splash her face with cold water.

She had chosen jeans for the day,paired with a fitted light-blue top and a timeless Chanel jacket-an effortless blend of freshness and quiet elegance.

By the time she made her way downstairs, Carl's sandwiches were already plated.

The table wasn't just about sandwiches,though-it held a spread of dishes in all sorts of flavors and styles.

Damon had finished his meal and was now entertaining himself by chatting to the parrot in its cage. When his eyes caught sight of her, they brightened instantly. "Eliana, you look amazing today."

A faint warmth crept into her cheeks as she returned his smile. "Thanks... Where's Mom?"

"She ate earlier and went upstairs to rest," Damon said.

Eliana gave a small nod.

Stella's health had always been fragile, her condition delicate enough to demand gentle, carefully paced treatment.Recovery for someone like her couldn't be rushed-it had to be gradual.

Just then, Carl stepped out of the kitchen, carrying a bowl of liquid medicine-the exact formula Eliana had suggested for Stella the day before.

"Enjoy your breakfast, Eliana. Once it cools,it won't taste the same," Carl said, balancing the bowl of herbal medicine in his hands. "I'll take this up to Mom."

"Alright." Eliana slid into a chair and reached for her breakfast. The sound of approaching footsteps drew her attention toward the doorway.

Sawyer stepped in, the fatigue of a sleepless night still lingering on his face-but it couldn't dim the spark of joy in his eyes. "Something good happen?" Eliana asked, already guessing the answer.

"You're my lucky star, Lia," Sawyer said with an infectious grin. "Yesterday, my project was in shambles after an investor backed out. I was up all night trying to figure out what to do. But this morning,out of nowhere, someone stepped in with funding Not just a little-enough to keep everything moving and get me out of trouble."

A warm smile touched Eliana's lips. "That's great news.Congratulations."

"Still want some candy art? I'll make something for you right after breakfast. Just say the word-animals,flowers, anything you want," Sawyer suggested,clearly riding the high of his good fortune.

She chuckled softly. "No rush. Take care of work first.We'll have plenty of time for candies."

"Deal. And once I've made enough, I'm buying you a whole house just to display them," Sawyer said,grinning from ear to ear.

"Alright," Eliana said with a small nod.

Damon leaned forward eagerly. "So this means the project's guaranteed to succeed now?" Sawyer's eyes shimmered, his answer coming with absolute certainty. "Yes."

"That's amazing-congratulations!" Damon grinned.sharing in the excitement.

"It's all because of Lia," Sawyer said, his gaze warm as it lingered on her. "The past two years have been nothing but setbacks for me, but ever since she came back, my luck's changed completely."

"True," Damon responded. "Since she's been home.Mom's energy has improved so much. She even slept soundly last night, which hasn't happened in ages."

Their conversation was cut short when Carl came rushing down the stairs, his voice tinged with concern."Damon,you were up first-did you see Sean at all this morning?"

Damon gave a small shake of his head. "No. He's usually the last one up-I'm guessing he's still asleep in his room."

"He's not there," Carl said sharply. "The bed's perfectly made, and it looks like he never came home at all last night."

That made Damon's brows knit together. "That's strange. He always comes back to sleep, no matter how late it is. And if he doesn't, he lets us know first."