Chapter 258
Aria's POV
In the end, I decided to go downstairs to see Eleanor. The black Cadillac Escalade sat outside Harper Group's entrance like a predator waiting to strike. Two bodyguards flanked the rear door, their earpieces glinting in the afternoon sun, their expressions carved from stone.
I paused on the building's steps, my hand instinctively moving to my stomach before I caught myself. Not here. Not where anyone can see.
The rear window lowered with mechanical precision. Eleanor Kane sat inside, perfectly composed in a tailored Chanel suit, an emerald bracelet catching the light at her wrist. Her smile was the kind that never reached the eyes.
"Miss Harper." She beckoned with one manicured finger. "We need to talk. About your future. And your father's company."
My throat tightened. This wasn't a request—it was a summons. If I refused, she could apply immediate pressure to Harper Group. William's bail, his pending trial, the company's precarious position... Eleanor held too many cards.
I smoothed my skirt, buying myself three seconds to think. My fingers trembled slightly, and I curled them into fists.
"Of course, Mrs. Kane." I descended the steps, keeping my spine straight, my expression neutral.
The bodyguard opened the door. The leather interior smelled of expensive perfume and power. I slid onto the seat furthest from Eleanor, creating as much distance as the confined space allowed.
"Drive," Eleanor instructed. The Escalade pulled away from the curb with barely a whisper.
I watched Manhattan blur past the tinted windows, my heart hammering against my ribs. Where was she taking me? What did she want?
Eleanor's eyes studied me with clinical precision. "You're wondering why I insisted on this meeting."
"The thought crossed my mind."
"My son has... developed an attachment to you. One that's proving remarkably difficult to sever."
I kept my face blank, but my pulse spiked. Attachment. Not affection. Not care. Attachment—like Devon was addicted to a drug he needed to quit.
"Devon and I have a business arrangement," I said carefully. "One that benefits both parties."
"Does it?" Her smile sharpened. "Because from where I sit, you're the only one benefiting. My son barely sleeps, he's neglecting family obligations, and he's making enemies of important allies—all for you."
The car turned into an exclusive residential area I didn't recognize. Gated properties sprawled behind high walls, each more opulent than the last.
"I didn't ask Devon for anything he wasn't willing to give."
"No, you're far too clever for that." Eleanor's tone dripped with contempt. "You let him think it was his idea. Very skilled manipulation, Miss Harper. I almost admire it."
The Escalade stopped in front of a stunning modern villa, all glass and white stone. But Eleanor didn't move to exit. Instead, she gestured to the property across the street.
"You only need to wait here. Very soon, you'll understand exactly why I wanted to see you."
Ice flooded my veins. "What—"
"Patience."
Ten minutes crawled by. I counted my breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. My hand kept drifting to my stomach, and each time I forced it back down.
Then the door to the facing villa opened.
Devon emerged first, his dark hair slightly disheveled, wearing casual clothes I'd never seen him in—jeans and a simple black henley that hugged his frame. He looked... relaxed. Unguarded in a way I'd rarely witnessed.
But it was the woman beside him who made my breath catch.
Evelyn Smith. The mysterious woman from the elevator, from the boutique. She wore a pale blue sundress, her black hair loose around her shoulders. She was walking—slowly, carefully, but walking without the wheelchair.
"She's recovering nicely," Eleanor commented. "Devon visits her every day. Sometimes twice."
I couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. I watched Devon's hand hover near Evelyn's elbow, protective but not quite touching, as they moved down the garden path.
Then Evelyn stumbled.
Devon caught her instantly, scooping her into his arms with practiced ease. She laughed—a bright, genuine sound that carried across the distance—and looped her arms around his neck. Her cheek pressed against his chest.
And Devon smiled.
Not the cold, calculated smile he gave business associates. Not the predatory smirk he wore when he wanted something. This was... soft. Real. The smile of a man who'd dropped every defense.
My fingernails dug into my palms hard enough to leave marks.
Evelyn rose on her toes—still in his arms—and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Devon didn't pull away. Instead, his hand came up to pat her back in a gesture so tender it felt like watching something intimate, something private.
Something that wasn't mine to see.
"Beautiful, aren't they?" Eleanor's voice cut through my paralysis. "Evelyn's known him since they were children. She's the only person who truly understands him—who's seen him at his worst and loves him anyway."
The word "love" landed like a physical blow.
"I don't—" My voice came out strangled. I cleared my throat, forced steel into my spine. "This has nothing to do with me."
"Doesn't it?" Eleanor turned those sharp eyes on me. "You really think you're special, Miss Harper? That you've captured my son's heart?"
No. The answer rose unbidden. I've never thought that.
But seeing him with Evelyn, seeing that unguarded smile... it confirmed every fear I'd buried. I was convenient. Useful. A warm body that helped him sleep.
Nothing more.
"Let me be frank," Eleanor continued. "On pedigree, you can't compete with Boston's Hayes family. On history and connection, you'll never match what Devon has with Evelyn. You're a novelty, Miss Harper. New. Fresh. But novelty wears off."
She leaned closer, her perfume cloying. "When it does—and it will—you'll have nothing. No contract, no relationship, no leverage. And my son will move on without a backward glance."
I swallowed hard. "Then why this conversation? If I'm so insignificant, why bother?"
"Because I'm not interested in waiting for Devon to tire of you naturally. Your father's trial, Harper Group's instability, the media scrutiny... it's all creating a distraction Devon can't afford right now."
Her smile turned predatory. "So here's my offer. End the arrangement. Walk away cleanly. I'll ensure Harper Group's partnerships remain intact, that your father's legal defense has the best resources available. All you have to do is disappear from my son's life."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I'll make sure every one of Harper Group's collaborators knows the risk of doing business with a family embroiled in murder charges and financial scandal. Your father was just released on bail. How long do you think his freedom will last if I apply the right pressure?"
The threat hung in the air between us. I thought of William in that cell, of the company's precarious position, of the employees whose livelihoods depended on Harper Group's survival.
Of the secret growing inside me that Eleanor must never, ever discover.
"I understand," I said quietly. "I know what I need to do."
Eleanor's eyes narrowed, as if she'd expected more fight. "Good. I'm glad you're being reasonable."
I looked back at the villa one more time. Devon and Evelyn sat in matching wicker chairs on a sun-drenched patio, tea service between them. Afternoon light gilded them both, turning the scene into something from a magazine spread.
Perfect. Untouchable. Complete without me.
"Can I go now?" My voice didn't shake. Small victory.
"Of course." Eleanor signaled to the driver. "Remember, Miss Harper—Devon deserves someone who can stand beside him in his world. You're merely visiting."
The Escalade dropped me back at Harper Group. I climbed the stairs to my office on autopilot, my mind replaying that smile, that gentle pat on Evelyn's back, the way Devon had looked... happy.
I'd never seen him look happy with me.
Anna appeared in my doorway. "Miss Harper? Are you all right? You look—"
"I'm fine." I moved past her to my desk, pulling up my laptop with shaking hands. "Just... get me the latest reports on the Chicago project."
"The Chicago project?" Anna's confusion was evident. "But we haven't—"
"That's because I'm going." I cut her off, already scanning flight options. "Someone needs to be on-site to coordinate with Reed Group's team. Book me on tonight's earliest flight."
"Miss Harper, you usually avoid travel—"
"This time is different. This project is crucial for the company." And I need to leave this city. I need to leave Devon. I need to leave before I break completely.
Anna hesitated, then nodded. "I'll arrange everything."
"The 8 PM flight to O'Hare. And Anna?" I met her eyes. "Don't mention this to anyone. Not my father, not... anyone."