Chapter 38: She is here with another man.

Elowen stood in a secluded corner of the hall, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. She was visibly shaken. Her face lost some color, and she struggled to steady her breathing.

’I shouldn’t have lied to him. I should have told him the truth.’

Regret gnawed at her gut.

She felt trapped. She wanted to leave as quickly as possible before Soren could see her.

"Elowen."

Theron’s voice from behind jolted her back to the present.

She turned.

Theron walked over to her. He smiled, trying to ease the tension. "Why are you standing here alone? Is everything alright?" he asked, scanning her slightly flushed face.

Elowen decided not to pretend everything was fine. "If you have finished talking to Alex, I’d like to leave."

Theron had no plan of letting her leave so soon. "Why? Are you not feeling well?"

"No, it’s not like that..."

"The party has just started," he cut her off. "We can’t leave yet."

He picked up a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. "Have a drink."

He held the glass out toward her.

Elowen looked at the glass but made no move to take it. "No, thanks. I’m fine."

Theron studied her for a moment. He could tell she was uncomfortable. Instead of pressing her further, he gave a casual nod.

"Alright. If you don’t want this, I’ll get you something else."

Before Elowen could stop him, he already walked away.

A few moments later, he returned with a plate of pastries. "This is for you."

Elowen couldn’t turn him down this time. She accepted it. "Thank you."

He gave her a small nod as he took a sip of his drink.

For a while, neither of them spoke. Elowen looked down at the pastry, gathering the courage to ask something that had been troubling her.

"How do you know Alex?"

Theron kept his voice calm as he replied, "We have been friends for ages. We went to the same school."

Elowen snapped her head up, her astonishment impossible to conceal.

"You went to the same school as him?" she blurted. "Then..." She paused, uncertain whether she should ask. "Do you know my husband too?"

Theron didn’t dodge her question. He stared at her for a moment before saying, "You mean Soren Vale?" He quirked his lips slightly. "Yes, we know each other."

Elowen’s chest tightened at the revelation. She had never imagined that Soren and Theron might have known each other long before their recent encounter.

"But we are not close," he added.

"Not close?" She blinked. Confusion and curiosity warred within her for dominance. "You mean you didn’t recognize him that night at the restaurant?"

Theron swirled the drink in his glass. Her innocent question almost made him laugh.

’I’ll tell you everything. But it’s not the right time.’

He took a slow sip of his champagne and drawled, "I recognized him. But I didn’t know he was your husband until that night."

A gentle look settled over his face. "Look, I won’t take it out on you because he hit me that night. I know how to separate personal matters from professional ones. I value talent, and I respect the people who are good in what they do."

He held her gaze, refusing to look away. "And you, Elowen... You are precious."

Her fingers stilled around the plate.

’He thinks I am precious?’ Her heart gave an unexpected jolt.

No one had ever said something like this to her. No one had ever made her feel so valued.

For seven years, she had lived in Soren’s shadow, desperately hoping he would notice her, appreciate her efforts, and acknowledge her as someone who mattered.

Most of the time, her attempts had gone unnoticed. Even now, when Soren had finally started paying attention to her, she couldn’t forget all those years of neglect.

Yet, here was now. Theron, a man she had only recently met, was making her feel important with a few simple words.

Something unfamiliar stirred inside her chest. She lowered her gaze, unsure how to respond.

"Tonight’s party is important to me," he said, drawing her attention back to him. "I’ve only recently returned and started building my business here. I need to establish connections and meet potential partners. But if you are not feeling well, we can leave."

Those words tugged at her heart. For all his determination to stay, he was offering her a choice now.

"No, I am fine. You should go and meet with whoever you want. I don’t want to interfere with your work."

Theron smiled. "You are not interfering with anything." He nodded at the plate in her hand. "Finish that first. And then we’ll meet some of the important guests."

Elowen managed a small smile, though the worry in the back of her mind refused to disappear. She could only hope Soren would remain busy with the guests to notice her.

Unfortunately, someone had already noticed her.

Across the hall, Tahlia watched Elowen and Theron standing together. A sly light crept into her eyes.

She lifted her phone and clicked several photographs of them.

"Elowen, you’ve made my evening." Her lips curled into a cold, vindictive smile. "Now I am curious how Soren will react after seeing you with Theron."

She strode away, her steps bouncing with excitement. She spotted Soren among a group of guests, discussing business.

’This is going to be interesting.’ Her lips stretched wider as she approached him.

"Soren," she called him softly, slipping her hands around his arm.

This was something she usually did.

Soren had never objected when she clung to him like this. He used to look at her and smile. Treating her with affection was something natural for him.

But tonight was different.

He pulled his arm free and shot her a warning look.

Tahlia recoiled, startled by his reaction. Embarrassment flashed across her face. But she quickly hid it and recovered her composure.

Leaning in closer, she whispered close to his ear, "Do you know your wife is here?"

Soren stiffened slightly. A puzzled crease appeared between his brows.

He remembered Elowen telling him that she was going out with a friend. He had thought she would be working with Vera and then would probably be going out with her. But he had never expected Elowen would attend the party.

It was a top-level corporate private event. Only some of the city’s influential businesspeople were invited.

There was no way Elowen would be here on her own. Certainly, Tahlia was lying.

"You might have mistaken someone else for her," he said confidently.

"I haven’t." She then held out her phone in front of him. "Look for yourself. I wasn’t lying. She is here... with Theron."