Chapter 7
Elena
Elena threw her phone into her purse with enough irritation that William glanced nervously in her direction.
The device had been ringing nonstop ever since they landed.
Now the black SUV was winding through the mountain roads toward Lake Tahoe while Elena sat by the window trying very hard not to lose her mind before the wedding weekend had even officially started.
Ten ignored calls.
Twenty unread texts.
All from Kyle.
So apparently her husband was finally back from his month-long “business trip.”
Elena opened one of the messages only to immediately regret it.
What the hell is this behavior, Elena?
You are overreacting. Stop being so dramatic.
This is all a misunderstanding. Don’t be hasty.
And finally—
I love you, Elena. I miss you, baby. Come back so we can talk.
Her eye twitched slightly.
The audacity of men truly needed to be studied professionally.
She had already left him a voicemail.
Do not contact me again.
Whatever you need to say can go through my lawyer.
Elena had absolutely no intention of listening to Kyle stumble through pathetic excuses while pretending she was somehow irrational for divorcing a man who collected mistresses like Pokémons.
Yet somehow he kept calling relentlessly.
Like a telemarketer who refused to accept rejection.
The phone started vibrating again inside her purse.
Elena inhaled sharply, already prepared to switch it off entirely, before she noticed the caller ID.
Aunt Julia.
Wonderful.
She answered with immediate regret.
“Elena, what is this I’m hearing about you divorcing Kyle?” her aunt demanded in the exact tone people used when discussing tax fraud or public indecency.
“Oh. Hi, Aunt Julie,” Elena replied dryly.
“Good afternoon to you too.”
“Be reasonable, Elena. At least give him a chance to explain himself.”
Elena stared out the window at the passing pine trees.
Interesting.
Not Are you okay?
Not What happened?
Apparently Kyle had already begun his little damage-control tour.
Honestly, Elena was too exhausted to untangle whatever manipulative nonsense he’d told people to make himself look innocent.
And more importantly—
she finally felt free.
There was no way she was letting herself get dragged back into his chaos.
“It’s between me and Kyle, Aunt Julia,” Elena replied firmly. “Please stay out of it.”
Her aunt sighed dramatically. “I just think marriage deserves more effort than this.”
Elena almost laughed.
Right. Because apparently fidelity was optional now, but divorce was crossing the line.
Thankfully the driver spoke before Elena could say something truly unforgivable.
“We’re here, ma’am.”
****
The SUV finally pulled up the long curved driveway of the resort overlooking Lake Tahoe.
Elena stepped out of the car and paused for a moment despite herself.
The place was stunning.
The massive stone-and-timber hotel sat against the mountains like something out of a romantic holiday movie. Pine trees surrounded the property while the lake shimmered brilliantly behind it beneath the afternoon sunlight.
Aaron Archibald really had gone all out for his wedding.
Not surprising.
The Archibald family practically owned half the luxury real estate on the East Coast. And ever since his father passed away, Aaron had taken over most of the business himself.
William climbed out after her and grabbed one of her suitcases before the valet could.
“I’m still mad at you, by the way,” Elena informed him immediately as they walked toward the entrance.
“I know,” William sighed. “Come on, Elena. There was no other way.”
“Hm-hm,” she replied mockingly.
“There was no other way to save Waldorf Fashion House,” he continued carefully. “And you wouldn’t have accepted the investment if you knew it came from… Carter.”
Elena slowed for half a second at the name. It was a reflex action. Then kept walking.
For the last five days, Elena had been carefully pretending Carter’s return meant nothing to her.
Her life had finally started settling into something she could control again after Kyle, and the last thing she needed was the man she once loved quietly stepping back into it like no time had passed at all.
Thankfully, after that awful dinner, he hadn't shown up.
“Whatever,” Elena said lightly as they walked through the resort entrance. “If tolerating one insufferable businessman saves my father’s company, I think I’ll survive. I was married to Kyle for three years. My resilience is exceptional at this point.”
William laughed a little at that. He looked relaxed for the first time since the Carter Fiasco.
“Good.”
“Elena slowed slightly beside him. “Um… is he—”
“Going to be here?” William finished for her immediately.
Elena refused to look at him, pretending sudden interest in the flower arrangements near the entrance.
“Yeah, he is one of the groomsmen.” William replied anyway, clearly seeing straight through her act.
Elena let out a low groan.
Unfortunately, their conversation five days ago still lingered in her mind far more than she wanted it to. She hated that she’d gotten emotional in front of him. Hated that after four years apart, Carter still had this irritating ability to get under her skin within minutes.
Ugh.
No.
Absolutely not.
She was over him.
Completely.
Totally.
Probably.
She had done nothing wrong.
He was the one who left.
There was absolutely no reason for her to feel nervous about seeing him again.
This weekend she would be calm, composed, and entirely unaffected.
Simple.
Before Elena could spiral any further, excited voices interrupted her thoughts.
“Will! Elena!”
Aaron and Ivy walked toward them across the garden path.
Aaron looked effortlessly handsome in a cream linen shirt with rolled-up sleeves and tan trousers, looking exactly like a wealthy yacht owner in a Ralph Lauren campaign—which, as a matter of fact, he actually was.
Beside him, Ivy looked soft and beautiful in a yellow floral sundress that moved gently in the lake breeze. Her dark hair fell loose around her shoulders while a pair of pearl earrings caught the afternoon sunlight.
Behind them, the resort had fully come alive.
Guests wandered through the gardens with drinks in hand while staff carried luggage toward the private lakeside cabins. Somewhere nearby, soft jazz floated through hidden speakers beneath the sound of conversation and laughter.
The entire place overlooked Lake Tahoe, all towering pines, stone pathways, glowing terraces, and water so perfectly aquamarine that it barely looked real.
“There she is,” Elena said excitedly, pulling Ivy into a hug. “Our prettiest bride-to-be.”
“Hey, I clean up pretty well too, you know,” Aaron commented, gesturing to his Ralph Lauren attire.
Ivy smirked, leaning into him. “Don't fish for compliments, Aaron. It's my weekend.”
William shook Aaron’s hand. “This place is insane, by the way. You two really outdid yourselves.”
Aaron smiled. “Thank my mother. I wanted something simple. She took that as a challenge.”
“She absolutely did,” Ivy confirmed while grinning.
“Elena glanced around. “Where’s Maya?”
“Oh, she’s running late,” Ivy replied. “Her flight got delayed. She’ll be here before the welcome dinner tonight.” Ivy continued, “And before you ask—yes. Maya and you are staying with me at the cabin. I need my bridesmaids with me.”
“Pack your bags, because I am moving in and never leaving,” Elena laughed. “I’m ready for midnight wedding gossip.”
“Please do,” Aaron chimed in with a relieved chuckle. “If you two are there to distract her, it means she won't spend the night alphabetizing the seating charts again.”
Before Elena could respond, several familiar faces from Aurelia spotted them and wandered over. The next few minutes blurred into easy greetings and catching up. Old classmates asking about work, gossiping about mutual friends, and reminiscing about university disasters.
Elena smiled through it, delighted to catch up after she missed the reunion.
But every now and then, her eyes drifted toward the entrance without meaning to.
“Hey, Aaron. Ivy.”
Elena’s entire body stiffened before she even turned around. Speak of the devil.
Carter Evans walked toward them, adjusting his sunglasses with his sleeves rolled neatly to his forearms. The crisp black shirt somehow made his tan look deeper beneath the afternoon sun, and irritatingly enough, he looked even better than he had five days ago.
“Carter!” William called out, his face lighting up with a grin.
Of course he was happy to see him. Traitor, Elena thought, boring holes into the side of William’s head while the two guys exchanged a quick, brotherly hug.
Pulling back, Carter removed his sunglasses, his attention finally landing on her. His gaze drifted slowly down, taking her in from head to toe, before returning to her face with a familiar, devastating smirk.
“Miss Waldorf.”
Elena absolutely hated how a single look from him could instantly set off a ridiculous swarm of butterflies in her stomach. Around them, the casual chatter of the crowd seemed to quiet down just a fraction, everyone suddenly watching the two of them with blatant curiosity.
Lifting her chin high, Elena matched his tone perfectly. “Mr. Evans.”
And without giving him another second to speak, she spun on her heel and walked away. Behind her, she heard the low, quiet chuckle that meant he knew exactly what he’d done to her.
Yeah. These four days were going to test every single ounce of her sanity.