Elara stood in front of the glass doors of Draeven Nexus, her ID badge clipped neatly to her blouse, her fingers curled around the strap of her bag.
She still couldn’t believe it.
Transferred? From Caelure?
When Riven told her the news, she’d blinked in disbelief.
She’d worked at Caelure for nearly a year—quiet, steady, unnoticed. She never once thought to ask who owned it. Never cared, really. All that mattered back then was that the job was stable. That the pay was enough to survive.
She hadn’t known it was part of the Draeven portfolio.
Hadn’t known Lucas’s family owned it.
Hadn’t known she’d been working under their umbrella all along.
Now she was here.
Same position—administrative assistant.
New building.
New world.
The office was sleek, modern, humming with quiet energy. Draeven Nexus specialized in media platforms, influencer analytics, and entertainment-based AI tools. It was the kind of place she’d never imagined herself in.
But here she was.
Riven had escorted her from the airport straight to her new apartment.
It was clean, secure, tucked into a quiet complex just a few blocks from Draeven Nexus.
She’d tried to protest.
“I can pay the rent,” she’d said.
Lucas had barely looked at her.
“Don’t go to unsafe places,” he’d replied. “Your clan might see you.”
That was the end of it.
She’d called her grandparents the night she arrived.
They’d moved again—this time to a quiet province where Aunt Amelia lived.
They were healthy. Safe. Still together.
She missed them.
Terribly.
But she didn’t have the money to travel back and forth.
What she had was just enough to survive.
And the situation was still dangerous.
Lucas wouldn’t approve a visit.
Not now.
Not when the Velmira name still lingered like a shadow.
So Elara unpacked her things.
Hung her clothes.
Placed her books on the shelf.
And the next morning, she walked into Draeven Nexus like she belonged.
She didn’t know what this chapter would bring.
Didn’t know how long she’d be safe.
Didn’t know what Lucas really planned.
But for now, she had a desk.
A job.
A place to breathe.
And maybe…
That was enough.
The mornings in Draeven City were cooler than she expected.
Elara pulled her cardigan tighter as she walked the short distance from her apartment to the Draeven Nexus building. The streets were clean, quiet, and lined with trees that swayed gently in the breeze. It felt surreal—like she’d stepped into someone else’s life.
Her own felt paused.
Or maybe rerouted.
She reached the glass doors, scanned her ID, and stepped inside.
The lobby was sleek and minimalist—soft lighting, polished floors, and a quiet hum of productivity. Employees moved with purpose, heads down, voices low. It wasn’t cold, exactly. Just… efficient.
Her desk was tucked near the administrative wing, beside a large window overlooking the courtyard. She had her own drawer, her own login, and a small pot of succulents someone had left behind.
“You’re Elara, right?” a voice asked.
She turned to see a woman about her age, short hair, bright eyes, holding a stack of folders.
“I’m Mina. I handle internal scheduling. We’re desk neighbors now.”
Elara smiled, grateful.
“Nice to meet you.”
Mina leaned in slightly.
“You’re new, but don’t worry. Everyone here’s nice. Just… don’t ask about the present of the company.”
Elara blinked.
“Why?”
Mina shrugged, lowering her voice.
“Company policy. Strict confidentiality. No one’s allowed to talk about him. Not even mention his name outside work. It’s serious.”
Elara nodded slowly.
So that’s why no one knows where Aurelien Vale went.
She hadn’t seen Lucas since they landed.
No calls.
No updates.
Not even a message.
She wasn’t complaining.
Not really.
But she’d thought the seal meant something.
That it would change things.
Instead, it felt like nothing had changed at all.
She was safe.
She had a job.
She could send money to her grandparents for their allowance.
And maybe that was enough.
Maybe being sealed didn’t mean being close.
Maybe it just meant being protected—from a distance.
Still, as she typed in her login and opened the day’s schedule, she couldn’t help but glance toward the elevator.
Just once.
Just in case.