Elara’s footsteps echoed in the empty lobby of her former firm, the polished marble floors gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. As she rode the elevator to the top floor, her heart pounded in her chest—a mix of trepidation and determination coursing through her veins. This was it—the moment she had both dreaded and anticipated. After weeks of careful planning and strategizing with Damian, the time had come to confront Charles Montgomery, the man she had once trusted with her very future. The same man who ruined her life. The elevator doors slid open, and she strode down the familiar hallway, her heels clicking with purpose. She paused briefly outside the ornate double doors of Charles’ office, taking a deep, steadying breath before pushing them open. Charles looked up from his d