Page 147 of The Protégé

“I don’t know what your relationship with Kate was like. But I know her death affected you deeply, and you haven’t healed from it yet. You might not notice the little things you do or say, but I have. You’re still hung up on her. Maybe all of this is just my imagination. Like I said, time will tell.”

He embraced me and kissed the top of my head.

I didn’t know why I felt so sad and tired. This conversation sounded like a farewell. But it felt right to express my honest feelings. What was the point of a relationship if I couldn’t express them genuinely?

“Take all the time you need,” he said.

I knew what he meant, but I wished he’d said a little more.

Why didn’t he try to explain some more? Why didn’t he ask the reason for my insecurity? I wanted him to ask me.

You’re being ridiculous, Elena.

A woman’s mind was structured like a mudstacle course. There were so many things to overcome that sometimes the individual falls into her own traps. I knew I’d created my own internal mud race. But I had to get through it to the end. I had to know that Orion loved me more than anything.Anyone.

Why? Because I love him more than anything, anyone.

I deserved the same in return. No more settling for less.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

ORION

Inside my office,I stared out at the city’s nightscape. Elena’s comments rang in my ears.

I understood her concern, but it confused me. Hadn’t I shown her how much I loved her? What else did she want? What else did she need? Why the sudden insecurity?

I raked a hand through my hair, trying to figure out where I had gone wrong. Women confused me. Maybe all she needed was just time to think about things. She had been through a lot lately, and I didn’t blame her for feeling emotionally unstable.

Hell, I admired her strength dealing with the news about her father, people sabotaging her career, the financial stress she’d been coping with, and the trauma Jasper had inflicted on her.

I replayed the video of Jasper harassing Elena and zoomed in on the third person hiding in the shadows. It was too pixelated. So I uploaded the video to my advanced software and zoomed in.

Rage boiled in me.

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

ELENA

For the next week,Orion only texted me three times. Each time, the conversation was brief. He hadn’t stopped by to see me, and I hadn’t been into the office to see him. I’d been working from home.

Sadness overwhelmed me, and I made more paper stars for him. I’d started this project a while ago. I wrote little sayings on small strips of paper to make me feel better. Then I rolled the paper strip into a three-dimensional star. I had filled up half of a glass jar already.The making of the tiny paper stars soothed me more than I realized. It was like being in the garden, plucking dandelions to dry. The process made me feel free and happy.

Every time I looked at the stars, I thought of him.

Why did it seem like our relationship was ending? Why did it seem like there was a huge wedgebetween us now? Was it my doing? Was I wrong to request time and space?

The girls had called me asking about Jasper’s assault on the island. Orion had mentioned it to his boys, and they had told their women. I told them I was fine, and I was more worriedabout my relationship with Orion. After my conversation with the girls, I felt better.

My article regarding the bank scams had released two days ago, making Musepaper the most talked-about online newspaper. I hadn’t expected so much exposure, but Orion did. All the other news outlets had reached out to me, which I deferred to the PR team Orion had hired. So many sponsor negotiations were underway. I was thrilled Musepaper was getting the exposure it deserved.

I still had a lot to do, and the marketing campaign for Musepaper was only beginning. From that bank scam article, a series of events occurred, which Orion had to deal with. I saw him addressing the press regarding the Reimann Corporation, which owned the Reimann Sienna Bank and several other institutions. He’d looked handsome and powerful, but also tired. I wanted to hug him.

His father’s condition had improved, and he’d fired many people within the corporation. Some were even arrested because of newly released harassment recordings that led to people’s suicides. I knew Orion had found those recordings.

Now the lawsuits would come. I was worried about him. Was this ordeal affecting his family’s company?

I called Ralph.

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