Chapter 41

To Eliana, feeling jealous-whether over romance, friendship, or blood ties-was nothing more than petty and pointless.

If she had to work hard to obtain those things, it meant they were never truly meant for her.

Without paying Sean's uncomfortable look any mind, she busied herself with his phone, fingers gliding over the screen as she composed a message to Damon.

The text, phrased as though Sean had written it, assured Damon that Sean was perfectly safe.

The text claimed Sean had left town on personal business and hadn't been able to return home the night before.

The moment the message sent, the phone began to ring-Damon was calling.

A short message clearly wasn't enough to calm him.

Expecting this, Eliana slipped the phone into Sean's hand without hesitation.

He brought it to his ear, trying to sound as normal as he could while telling Damon he was all right.

Damon's voice came through sharp and annoyed, but after a few scolding words, the call came to an end.

A weary breath escaped Sean, and under the pull of the medication, he soon drifted into sleep.

With quiet steps, Eliana slipped out of the room.

Rocco had already left with Tristan, and that left Doran stationed outside, alert and ready to respond if anything came up.

Knowing she might be the very person Tristan had been searching for, Doran didn't dare drop his guard.

"How is Sean doing now?" he asked,his voice polite. "He's asleep and doing fine," replied Eliana.

"Good to hear. Would you care for a short walk? The villa grounds are entirely private, and the scenery's worth enjoying. It might help you relax," Doran suggested.

The doctor beside him added, "You should get some fresh air. It'll help clear the toxins out of your system."

She already understood the truth in that. Part of her wanted to see just how tightly guarded this villa really was. It wasn't often that Seth gave out explicit warnings about a location's security.

"Sure, I'd love to." She gave a small nod and added, "But I'd rather explore on my own."

There was a pause before Doran responded, "In that case, I'll take you to get your face scanned first."

"My face scanned?" she asked, lifting a brow.

"Yes," said Doran with a trace of pride. "This place is fitted with Pearson Group's most advanced surveillance tech."

As Doran explained, the system's design became clear to Eiana. Instead of relying on guards, every measure depended on an Al network. Anyone who hadn't been logged into the system would be flagged the moment they stepped past the perimeter. If the system judged it necessary, it could even deploy an anesthetic to drop the intruder on the spot.

That realization made Eliana feel unexpectedly relieved. It was a good thing she'd made that unplanned stop at the Fist Guild gym. Her original route would've taken her straight here. Had she walked in without knowing any of this, things could've taken an ugly turn fast. Chances were high she'd have been knocked flat before even making it to the front door.

Her face was scanned and uploaded in no time.

Doran said, "You're now officially cleared. You can go wherever you like inside or outside the grounds. And if something comes up, just call for me. The system will ping me, and I'll come find you."

Her answer was a simple nod of acknowledgment.

Stepping outside the villa, she caught sight of a lake shimmering under the light, framed by dense maple trees.

Since autumn hadn't arrived yet, the leaves were still holding onto their green. But once fall rolled in, this entire place would probably look like a painting.

As Eliana followed the path halfway around the lake's edge, her eyes caught a glimpse of a modest two-story cottage nestled in the distance. The maple forest concealed it so well that anyone standing at the main building would never know it existed.

Though modest in size, the cottage carried a quiet charm.

Eliana was just about to speculate on how long it had stood there when the door creaked open without warning.

A woman stepped out in a tight dress. The fabric clung to her frame, the high slit revealing a flash of thigh,while the low neckline framed delicate shoulders and a smooth collarbone. Sunlight caught in her golden hair,making her presence hard to ignore.

Could this be Tristan's girlfriend? But that wouldn't make sense. He was supposed to be engaged to her.How could he have another woman tucked away here and still act like nothing was wrong?

That thought brought a flicker of disgust to Eliana's face. Her brows drew together, her opinion of Tristan dropping even further.

While she looked the woman over, the stranger didn't hesitate to return the favor.

This was Anaya-the woman Tristan had taken from Moonlight Club and stashed away at the cottage.

From the moment she arrived, she had made several attempts to flee, only to be dragged back each time by Tristan's men.

Over time, she caught on. There weren't many guards around, but that didn't mean the place lacked surveillance. Hidden cameras could be anywhere. Behind a rock or inside a branch.

Eventually, she stopped trying. There was no way out.

Part of her began to think that maybe, if enough time passed, Tristan might come to feel something for her. Even if tat never happened, her position here gave her certain advantages. She imagined the possibility of sharing his bed and having his baby, perhaps after too much to drink.

If that happened, past grudges would lose their bite, and she'd no longer have to fear him using her history against her.

But just when she stepped outside to stretch her legs, she caught sight of Eliana standing at her door.

Despite the loose lounge clothes, Eliana had a naturally elegant shape that couldn't be hidden. Her bare face, untouched by makeup, was shockingly beautiful. There was no doubt-she had the kind of beauty that turned heads wherever she went.

With just one look, Anaya could tell she was trouble. The sort of woman who didn't even have to try to draw a man's attention away.

Tension tightened in her gaze as she strode over and stopped in front of Eliana. "Who exactly are you? And how did you end up here?"

The question came edged with the confidence of someone who considered herself the mistress of the place.

Now that they were face to face, she couldn't ignore the quiet intensity that clung to Eliana. It was more than just good looks-it was the kind of presence that made others shrink without trying.

Right away, Anaya knew she was dealing with someone dangerous.

Technically,Eliana was standing on Tristan's territory. And he had gone out of his way to help her.

That fact wasn't lost on her, so she pushed down her distaste and kept her tone civil. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Just stepped out to get some air. I'll be on my way."

"You're a guest?" Anaya gave her a slow once-over and said, "That's strange. I usually know about everyone who comes here."

"It might've been a last-minute visit. MMaybe Mr. Pearson didn't get the chance to fill you in," said Eliana,keeping her expression even. The reply told Anaya everything-this woman had completely misread her role in Tristan's life. Feeling a small thrill of victory, she leaned in and said, "I don't enjoy seeing Tristan entertain other women. If you've got nothing else to do, it's best you leave."

Eliana's voice came out cold and sharp. "Don't worry. I won't overstay. You'll have him all to yourself soon enough."

She didn't wait for a reply. She turned around and walked away without hesitation.

Anaya stood in place, eyes fixed on her fading figure. If she wanted to secure her place, she'd need to act quickly and have Tristan's baby. Opportunities like this didn't wait around forever.