Chapter 5
Present day
Elena
“Thank you so much for doing this, Elena,” Ivy said with a bright smile, pulling her into a big hug.
The bridal shower that Elena and Maya had planned for Ivy had turned out perfectly.
The guests wouldn't stop complimenting everything from the decorations to the food, and Ivy looked genuinely happy the entire afternoon.
Elena had actually enjoyed herself, too.
It felt nice to host a party just because she wanted to, not because it was expected of her.
The theme was all about florals, and Elena’s new apartment looked stunning.
Soft pink and white flowers were arranged across the tables, draped around the windows, and scattered through the living room in delicate glass vases.
The sweet, clean scent of gardenias and vanilla filled the room as candles flickered in every corner, making the whole place feel warm and dreamy.
The second the last guest left, the three of them finally collapsed onto the couch in total exhaustion.
“I still can’t believe you are marrying Aaron Archibald,” Elena said, happily eating the last bite of pineapple cake from her plate.
“I know, right?” Maya chuckled, nudging Ivy. “You two were ridiculously sneaky.”
It was true. In all the years they had studied at Aurelia together, Aaron and Ivy had never actually dated.
At least, not that Elena knew of. Most of the time, they had practically ignored each other, despite sharing the exact same friend group.
Still, Elena had always noticed the quiet glances they stole when they thought nobody was looking.
And every single time one of them started seeing someone else, the other would mysteriously end up in a terrible mood for weeks.
“Speaking of the big day,” Elena said, leaning back comfortably. “The designers called. Your dress is ready, so you need to stop by the Waldorf office tomorrow for the final fitting.”
Ivy let out a high-pitched, excited squeal. “An actual Waldorf bridal gown! Oh my god, this is really happening. I’m getting married in a week.”
“It is honestly perfect that your fiancé owns those hotels by Lake Tahoe,” Maya said. “That place is gorgeous for a wedding. Your photos are going to look insane.”
Ivy grinned and hugged a throw pillow to her chest, looking every bit the happy bride-to-be, while Maya started gathering the empty plates from the coffee table to help clean up.
A little while later, the heavy exhaustion of the day finally caught up to them.
They stood near the open doorway, murmuring sleepy, affectionate goodbyes after the long evening.
Elena closed the door with a soft click, a lingering smile on her face as she looked around her quiet, candlelit apartment.
***
“Thanks, Marta,” Elena said softly as Marta headed for the door.
It was already evening by the time the last of the bridal shower decorations had been cleared away.
Marta had stayed behind to help clean everything.
The older woman had worked for Elena's soon to be ex-husband, Kyle, for years, yet the moment she learned Elena was leaving him, she had agreed to come work for her instead.
Elena hadn't even needed to convince her.
Once the door closed, Elena locked it with a satisfying click before walking back toward the living room. She dropped onto the sofa with a tired sigh, pulling her legs underneath her.
Today really was fun.
It had been twenty-two days since she walked out of the apartment she had shared with her soon-to-be ex-husband and moved into her own place. And looking around her quiet, candlelit living room, she realized it was the first time in a long time that she felt completely at peace.
William, her childhood best friend and—conveniently—her lawyer, had been the one to help her find it.
It lacked the massive, echoing square footage of Kyle’s penthouse, but Elena wouldn't have traded it for the world. Nestled in one of Manhattan’s nicer neighborhoods, the space featured beautiful, tall windows that framed tree-lined streets and the steady glow of city lights.
It felt like a sanctuary. Every morning she woke up feeling a little lighter, a little more like herself.
She had been channeling all her extra energy into Waldorf Design just to keep busy.
The new investor had immediately swept in an entirely new management team, keeping their own identity completely under wraps.
But in less than three weeks, the corporate atmosphere had completely shifted.
Morale was higher, meetings didn't feel like a waste of time, and the incoming strategies were actually brilliant.
For the first time in a long time, everything seemed to be falling into place.
There was absolutely no way she was going to sit around crying over that bastard. Kyle didn't deserve a single tear from her, period.
Her life finally felt peaceful, quiet, and beautifully drama-free.
Kyle was still away on his endless business trip, or whatever "networking" he was doing with God-knows-who.
Elena knew the second he returned to find a half-vacated apartment and a freshly signed divorce petition, he would completely blow a fuse.
Not because he missed her, of course. And definitely not because his heart was broken.
No, Kyle's fragile ego would just never recover from the humiliation of Elena beating him to the punch.
He would utterly despise losing control of the narrative, and he'd hate how it looked to his friends even more.
Elena physically shuddered at the thought of dealing with his inevitable tantrum later, but for now? She was going to enjoy the quiet.
The sudden ring of the doorbell made her jump, her heart instantly slamming against her ribs.
Was it Kyle? Had he found her already?
No, that was impossible. He didn't even know where she lived… right? Elena slowly stood up from the sofa and walked toward the door with careful, tentative steps. She hesitated, her hand lingering on the brass handle for a tense second.
A massive wave of relief flooded through her the moment she took a peek through the peephole.
“Hey, Elena,” William greeted easily as she swung the door open. His tall, familiar frame completely occupied the doorway. “I came to drop off some paperwork since Julia wasn’t in the office.”
Right. Aunt Julia was currently living it up on her summer vacation in Switzerland, leaving Elena in temporary charge of everything until she got back.
He bent down to give her a quick hug, pulling back to peer at her face. “What happened? You look like you're about to faint.”
William walked into the living room, exuding that effortless, high-end charm. With his messy blonde hair and his sharp charcoal suit, he looked like a rockstar who had accidentally wandered into a law firm. He set his briefcase down and dropped a massive stack of paperwork onto the table.
“I’m fine,” Elena said, trailing behind him. “I just… I thought it was Kyle at the door.”
William’s eyes darkened, his jaw setting into a hard line. “It’s okay,” he said, his voice reassuringly steady. “I’m handling the divorce, Elena. I’ll deal with him. You don't have to face him if you don't want to.”
The sheer relief of his words washed over her. Will had always been her protector, acting more like a protective brother than a childhood friend.
“Thanks, Will,” Elena said with a soft smile, sitting down beside him. “Did I ever tell you how happy I am to have you in my life?”
He stared at her, genuinely caught off guard, before a low chuckle escaped him.
“No, actually. You’ve never said that before.”
He loosened his tie slightly. “But obviously you need me. You wouldn’t survive a day without me.
Remember freshman year when you wanted to prove you were an independent woman who could navigate the subway alone, because kids like us always took town cars?
You took the wrong line in the exact opposite direction, ended up at the end of the line in Queens, and called me crying because you didn't recognize the street signs. Seriously, Elena, who gets lost in their own hometown?”
Elena burst out laughing, throwing a couch pillow straight at his chest.
“In my defense, the transit map is completely misleading! Plus it's New York!” she protested, her cheeks flushing a faint pink at the memory. “And I was not crying. I was merely…stressed.”
William caught the pillow easily, a wide, triumphant grin breaking across his face. “You were sniffing, Elena. I had to talk you down like a hostage negotiator until you found a landmark.”
“So,” Elena said, leaning back against the cushions. “Are you bringing a date to Ivy and Aaron’s wedding?”
“You know I don’t do dates for weddings,” he replied smoothly. “It gives women the wrong idea—like I’m suddenly in the market for a committed relationship.”
Elena smiled. She genuinely could not imagine William in a serious relationship. In all the years she had known him, he had never stayed with anyone for very long.
He glanced over at her, his expression turning curious. “What about you? You’re officially a free agent now.”
That made Elena snort softly. “Nah.”
“Why not? You wouldn’t exactly struggle to find a date.”
“Maybe,” Elena admitted, twisting a strand of hair around her finger. “Maya already tried giving me the numbers of some male model friends she knows. But a four-day destination wedding feels like a lot of pressure for getting back into the game.”
“Yeah,” William said, nodding. “That actually sounds horrifying for a first date.”
“Exactly.”
He tilted his head slightly, studying her for a beat. “Maybe we should just go together.”
Elena’s eyes lit up immediately. “Yes! Perfect. Then I can avoid all the pathetic pity stares from the aunts. And if anyone asks, they can just assume we’re together. People already assume that about us anyway.”
William smiled faintly. “They really do, don’t they? Do we actually seem that couple-y?”