Chapter 233: Little Angel in My Sight

ELIAS MONROE

I sat in the back of my black Maybach, parked across the street from the sleek studio building, the engine idling low like a predator waiting. The tinted windows gave me perfect cover as I watched the entrance, fingers drumming slowly on my knee.

There she was again.

Leitana Ashbourne.

The one Ravial had been hiding behind that pathetic twin switch all this time.

I had watched the press conference live a few days ago. Ravial standing there like a king on his throne, blindfold in place, calmly announcing that the woman the world thought was Avery Hale was actually her twin sister Leitana, the one he had married.

I smiled coldly, swirling the whiskey in my glass.

So I was right.

All my suspicions, all the late-night digging, all the money I’d thrown at private investigators, it had all been true. Ravial Ashbourne hadn’t married the polished, ambitious Avery. He had chosen the soft, innocent, wide-eyed girl from nowhere. The one who spoke with that gentle island accent. The one who looked like she belonged in a church choir, not on the arm of one of the most dangerous men in the world.

My obsession with her had started the first night I saw her at that charity gala. She had been standing next to him in that simple but elegant golden dress, looking completely out of place among the sharks. But there was something about her, that pure, untouched light in her eyes, and the shy way she smiled at him like he hung the moon.

I wanted that.

I wanted to ruin it. To take it. To make that light mine.

I took another sip of whiskey, eyes narrowing as I watched the studio doors.

My investigator had been tailing her for weeks now. Juilliard extension, hospital visits, even her little night trip with her friends concerning some dogs. But Ravial guarded her like she was made of fucking glass. Everywhere she went, at least two, sometimes four, highly trained men followed. They never let her out of arm’s reach. It was infuriating.

I had tried twice to approach her “accidentally” once outside her piano class, once near a café she liked. Both times his men had stepped in smoothly, blocking my path with polite but iron-cold professionalism.

“Mrs. Ashbourne is not available for conversation.”l

The memory made my jaw clench.

I wasn’t some random creep. I was Elias Monroe, CEO of Monroe Holdings, one of the few men in this city who could actually stand toe-to-toe with Ravial Ashbourne in the business world. And yet I couldn’t get close to his wife.

It only made me want her more.

The obsession had grown teeth. I found myself thinking about her at the worst times, during board meetings, while fucking other women, even in my sleep. The way she moved and the way she looked at Ravial like he was her entire world.

I wanted her to look at me like that.

And then I wanted to break her of it.

The studio doors opened. My driver straightened in his seat.

Leitana stepped out, laughing softly and she looked radiant, long curly hair loose and glowing, wearing a soft cream dress that flowed around her pregnant belly. Those long legs flashed through the slit as she walked, and I felt my cock twitch painfully in my slacks.

Ravial was right behind her, one possessive hand on her lower back, guiding her toward their waiting car like she was the most precious thing on earth.

I hated him.

I hated how he touched her. How he looked at her. How he had claimed her so completely.

One day soon, I told myself, I would take her from him. Not just her body, I wanted her heart. Her loyalty. Her everything. I wanted to watch Ravial Ashbourne burn while his perfect little wife screamed my name instead of his.

I finished the whiskey in one swallow and set the glass down.

“Follow them,” I told my driver, voice calm. “But keep your distance. I don’t want to spook them yet.”

The Maybach pulled smoothly into traffic, trailing far behind Ravial’s convoy.

I leaned back, eyes locked on the car carrying Leitana.

Soon, little angel.

A few days later

The rivalry between Monroe Holdings and Ashbourne Global had always been fierce, but never petty. We were both titans, Ashbourne Global being the undisputed king of the state in finance, real estate, and tech infrastructure, while my company had carved out dominance in energy, logistics, and international trade.

This time, we had no choice but to work together.

The State Governor’s office had pushed for a massive public-private partnership, a $4.2 billion smart city development project on the outskirts of New York. Ashbourne Global held the prime contracts and land rights, while Monroe Holdings controlled the energy grid and sustainable tech required for the project. Neither of us could move forward without the other.

So, despite the bad blood, a formal dinner had been arranged.

At Ravial Ashbourne’s private villa.

I adjusted my cufflinks as my Maybach rolled through the imposing gates. The estate was breathtaking, sprawling, luxurious, and heavily secured. Exactly what I expected from a man like him.

My driver stopped in the grand circular driveway. I stepped out, smoothing my navy Tom Ford suit. Inside, I felt a dark thrill I hadn’t felt in weeks.

Leitana would be here.

I had accepted the invitation immediately when my team told me Ravial himself had approved the guest list. Of course he had. The man was arrogant enough to host his biggest rival in his own home, confident that nothing could touch him.

But I wasn’t coming for the deal.

I was coming for her.

A staff member led me through the grand entrance into the elegantly decorated ballroom where the dinner was being held. Soft lighting, crystal chandeliers, and a long table set with the finest china. Several other important guests were already mingling, politicians, bankers, and industry leaders.

And then I saw her.

Leitana Ashbourne stood near the grand piano, wearing a soft champagne-colored maternity gown that flowed gracefully over her growing belly. Her long curly hair was styled in loose waves, and she looked radiant, glowing in that quiet, innocent way that haunted my dreams. She was speaking softly to an older woman (her mother, I assumed), one hand resting protectively on her bump.

My chest tightened.

Fuck, she’s even more beautiful up close.

Ravial stood beside her like a shadow, one possessive hand on her lower back, blindfold in place as always. Like the devil himself, guarding his little angel.

I took a champagne flute from a passing waiter and approached slowly, keeping my expression neutral and professional.

“Mr. Ashbourne,” I greeted smoothly, extending my hand. “Thank you for hosting. This project will be historic if we can align our interests.”

Ravial shook my hand with a firm grip, his blindfolded face unreadable. “Monroe. Let’s keep business civil tonight. My wife doesn’t need to be bothered with the details.”

My wife.

The words grated against me, but I smiled politely and turned my gaze to Leitana.

“Mrs. Ashbourne,” I said, voice warm and respectful. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you again. I saw you at the press conference. You handled it with remarkable grace.”

Leitana blinked up at me, offering a small, polite smile. “Thank you, Mr. Monroe. It’s nice to meet you again too.”

Her voice, that soft, sweet island accent hit me harder than I expected. Up close, she was even more dangerous to my sanity. Those big, trusting eyes and the way she instinctively leaned into Ravial’s side for safety.

I wanted to rip her away from him.

Instead, I kept my tone charming. “I hope the pregnancy is treating you well. You look absolutely radiant.”

She blushed faintly. “Thank you. Mi trying my best.”

Ravial’s hand tightened slightly on her waist, a silent warning. I caught it and smiled inwardly.

The dinner proceeded with surface-level pleasantries. I sat across from them, stealing glances at Leitana whenever I could. Every time she laughed softly at something her mother said, every time she touched her belly, every time she looked at Ravial with that adoring expression… it fueled the fire in my chest.

I wanted that look directed at me.

Later in the evening, as guests mingled, I managed to get a moment closer to her while Ravial was pulled aside by the Governor.

“You must be very strong,” I said quietly, standing near her. “Carrying a child while dealing with everything that’s happened with your family. Not many women could handle it with such grace.”

Leitana looked up at me. “Mi just trying to be a good wife and mother. That’s all.”

Good wife.

The words tasted bitter.

I smiled gently. “You already are. If you ever need anything, advice, support, or just someone to talk to outside of… all this, my door is always open.”

Before she could respond, Ravial returned, his presence like a cold shadow falling over us. He placed his hand on Leitana’s lower back again, pulling her subtly closer to him.

“Monroe,” he said, voice low and dangerous. “I believe we have business to discuss in the study.”

I met his blindfolded gaze evenly, a faint smile on my lips.

“Of course.”

As I walked away with him, I glanced back once.

Leitana was watching me with quiet curiosity.

Soon, little angel.

I thought to myself.