ELENA'S POINT OF VIEW
I woke up with a sharp inhale, like I had been running in my sleep. For a moment, I didn't even know where I was. The room was silent, still. Too still.
Then it hit me.
Alex wasn't in the room.
I blinked slowly, letting my eyes adjust to the soft morning light sliding through the curtains. The side of the bed where he had slept last night was empty… cold… like he hadn't been there at all.
"Good," I whispered to myself.
I didn't have the strength to deal with Alexander Reyes first thing in the morning. Not after last night… not after everything he said and the way he looked at me, as if i were both a responsibility and a mistake.
I let out a long breath and pushed myself up. My body felt heavy, like my emotions had weight. I dragged myself into the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face, hoping it would rinse away the tension, the memories, the weird flutter in my chest.
It didn't.
When I stepped back into the room after bathing, the silence was broken by a sudden… ding.
Then another.
Then three more.
Then ten.
My head snapped toward my phone on the table. The screen kept lighting up nonstop, buzzing with notifications like it was about to explode.
"What now…" I muttered, walking over.
The moment I unlocked it, my breath caught.
Instagram.
Thousands of notifications.
Thousands.
My finger hovered for a second before I tapped it open.
My eyes widened.
53,004 followers.
My jaw dropped. "No… that can't be right…"
I refreshed the page.
Same number.
My hands shook as I scrolled. Comment after comment. DM after DM. People I didn't know were sending heart emojis, questions, insults, compliments… everything mixed together like a storm.
My voice came out weak. "I had fifty-three followers yesterday… fifty-three."
Now it is fifty-three thousand.
Pictures from last night were everywhere on the explore page. Me. Alex. The engagement. The crowd. The hall. Everything.
People were analyzing my dress, my smile, my expression… even how close or far I stood from Alex.
A wave of nausea rolled through me.
"This is insane…"
I backed out of Instagram and opened Twitter.
Or X.
And the number hit me like a punch.
17 million followers.
I almost dropped the phone. "What… in the world…"
My entire name was trending. People were arguing about whether I was lucky, pretty, fake, a gold digger, a saint, a nobody, a miracle.
Some defended me.
Some dragged me.
Some compared me to past women Alex had been rumored to have been with.
It felt like a spotlight was burning into my skin.
I sat down slowly on the bed, placing a hand on my forehead.
Thank God I never posted my business. If I had… people would have twisted it, used it to insult him, used it to drag me further.
My page only had one old picture. Nothing for them to tear apart.
I let out a slow breath and locked my phone.
"Enough… that's enough for today."
I put my phone down gently, like it might explode, and walked to the closet. I changed into something simple and comfortable, then stepped out of the room.
The sound of voices floated up from downstairs.
Soft chatter.
Clinks of cups.
Nathan's unmistakable laugh cut through the quiet. I froze.
What the hell is he doing here this early in the morning?
Mr. Reyes spoke gently.
And Alex's low, cold presence threading through everything.
I descended the stairs slowly.
When I reached the bottom, the first person who noticed me was Nathan.
He flashed me a bright, easy smile. "Morning, Elena."
I smiled back before I could stop myself. "Good morning, Nathan."
He lifted two fingers in a playful salute. "You look different today. Calm."
I huffed a small laugh.
My eyes drifted, unintentionally, toward Alex.
He was sitting stiffly, arms folded, jaw tight. His eyes flicked to me for half a second… then away again. Not a greeting. Not a nod. Not even a fake polite smile.
Just cold silence.
Well. Good morning to you too, sir.
Before the air could grow awkward, a warm voice called out—
"Elena sweetheart… come here, darling."
Alexander's mother.
She was on the patio, surrounded by plants. Her hands were gently shaping a peace lily, sunlight softening her features.
I walked to her quickly. "Good morning… Mom."
Her face lit up instantly. "Oh, my dear… You said Mom. That makes me so happy."
She cupped my cheek, her touch warm and comforting. "Come help me with these, hm? It's a simple morning routine."
"I'd love to," I said softly.
I knelt beside her, the smell of fresh soil calming me a little. She handed me a small pot. "Just take out the dry leaves, sweetheart. Yes, like that."
I nodded and followed her instructions. "It's relaxing," I said.
She smiled. "Gardening always is."
Behind us, the men continued whatever they were doing. Nathan's laugh echoed again. Mr. Reyes spoke with the patient calmly. And Alex… was silent. Like he was holding something in, or holding himself back.
I didn't look at him.
I didn't want to.
Not today.
Mrs. Reyes leaned closer. "You're doing wonderfully. You have gentle hands. Plants like that."
I looked down, smiling faintly. "Thank you."
She brushed some soil off my wrist. "You'll get used to mornings here. They can be loud… or quiet… depending on my son's mood."
My cheeks warmed, but I stayed quiet.
For a moment, everything felt peaceful. Almost normal. Like maybe this morning could stay soft… gentle… safe.
But peace never lasts long with this family.
A sharp, loud voice suddenly cut through the room.
"So nobody thought of telling me about my brother's engagement…?"
Everyone froze.
Mrs. Reyes' hand paused in midair.
Nathan stopped laughing.
Mr. Reyes looked up sharply.
Alex's head snapped toward the entrance.
Curiosity kicked in. Slowly, I turned toward the voice at the doorway…
My breath caught the moment I looked at her. Who is that? I asked myself, staring at the beauty that had just walked in.