The rest of the morning passed in a haze of whispers and distracted glances. No one was really working. Everyone was watching.
Talking.
Judging.
But I didn't care anymore.
I was leaving.
Before lunch, I drafted my letter severing ties and sent it through the proper channels.
With nothing left tying me here, I stood up and walked to the back room.
I needed something warm. Something simple.
I made myself a cup of honey grapefruit tea, watching the steam rise slowly, the scent soft and calming. Sweet. Light. Nothing like the bitterness I had just left behind.
I had barely taken two sips when the door opened again.
Adriana walked in like she owned the place.
Confident. Unhurried.
She made herself a coffee, then walked over and sat down right beside me, crossing her legs elegantly as if she were settling into a throne that had always been hers.
Her presence filled the room.
Her voice, when she spoke, was smooth and sweet, but underneath it, there was something sharp.
"Elena," she said, her lips curving slightly, "I know you've been Salvatore's little secret for five years."
She tilted her head, studying me.
"But I'm his public donna now."
There was a pause.